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It’s A Wonderful Life! (Until Trump Slashes the FDIC)
The grim history of bank runs will make you appreciate this movie even more.
Happy Holidays, everyone.
First, a huge thank you to my paid subscribers who supported the recent launch of The Grim Historian on Substack. Without your support, I can’t ruin everyone’s day with the most depressing and darkest tales in history. I have found my people.
I had hoped to keep my history publication on Medium, but after applying multiple times to get into the nomination program and getting denied, denied, denied, it’s time to admit defeat. I will still post on Medium, but The Grim Historian has officially moved to Substack.
Of course, many might ask — Why dwell on the “poor, nasty, brutish, and short” chapters of history? There’s no need to poke at humanity’s lesser angels when there’s a perfectly good stream of feel-good cat videos out there.
Well, here’s the thing: a little pessimism goes a long way in keeping us grounded.
Pessimism gets a bad rap these days. But I’d argue that gloom is precisely what America needs right now. For a long time, Americans have taken for granted basic protections and freedoms. Now, another Trump presidency has waltzed in like the Grim Reaper, reminding us that…