I'm working on my doctorate in history right now, and I can tell you that the only reason people believe "machine politics" ended is because it's nice to think so.
You're right. Who needs a "Golden Age" when we Americans have something like it smashed in our faces every day; Our Boss Tweed is less a 280 lb. criminal than a pasty-faced, skinny billionaire named Elon. As for Machine Politics all one has to do is consider the state legislatures ( and governors ) of Texas or Florida.
In 1907, 'Mark Twain' wrote . . . " The political and commercial morals of the United States are not merely food for laughter, they are an entire banquet."
English version: He has been charged with several food crimes and there is a Bounty on his head. FYI, Bounty is an English candy bar, a Mounds bar with milk chocolate rather than dark chocolate.
In a lovely little synchronicity, I reached Gangs Of New York last night. "The appearance of Law must be upheld, especially when it's being broken." -BossTweed
@@jaspermcjasper3672NY is high on the list, maybe #1. It is after all the greatest concentration of private money in the world and has almost always played an outsized role in US history. Maybe you are not familiar with the huge and growing number of scandals. We have recently had our mayor arrested and indicted for instance.
@@jaspermcjasper3672 Because, for all you people in New York like you, for all of your Declarations of being righteous, the primary city of liberalism, and fairness. It's the most corrupt place in the whole darn country. And, at least when there's a corrupt politician in other parts of the country, you New Yorkers, deny deny deny when you have worse. The real weird thing, you re-elect them!
When I was working under a state funded, locally supervised grant program in SoCal, I used to call the county school HQ offices Tammany Hall because the similarities were to obscene to ignore. But that operation was just a small part of a much larger, state wide operation. Boss Tweed would be very proud of how his traditions are still being used.
My town in SoCal has an oppressive architectural commission that determines what buildings to be build can be built based on how they fit into our town's Spanish colonial vibe. Developers always find out - some later rather than sooner - that hiring an architect on the commission as a "consultant" really smooths the approval process along.
Great piece, Lance. As I've often said, I always appreciate the story behind the story (re. Paul Harvey "The Rest of the Story"). Thank you for carrying on that tradition.
Boss Tweed did an impressive amount of pocket lining, even for a politician. But at least his created a crap ton of jobs over the years. Politicians today don't even bother with the jobs part anymore.
Tammany leader George Plunkitt: "Everybody is talkin' these days about Tammany men growin' rich on graft, but nobody thinks of drawin' the distinction between honest graft and dishonest graft. There's all the difference in the world between the two, Yes, many of our men have grown rich in politics. I have myself. I've made a big fortune out of the game, and I'm gettin' richer everyday, but I've not gone in for dishonest graft--blackmailin' gamblers, saloon-keepers, disorderly people, etc.--and neither has any of the men who have made big fortunes in politics. There's an honest graft, and I'm an example of how it works. I might sum up the whole thing by sayin': 'I seen my opportunities and I took 'em.' Just let me explain by examples. My party's in power and it's goin' to undertake a lot of public improvements. Well, I'm tipped off, say, that they're going to lay out a new park at a certain place. I see my opportunity and I take it. I go to that place and I buy up all the land I can in the neighborhood. Then the board of this or that makes its plan public, and there is a rush to get my land, which nobody cared particular for before. Ain't it perfectly honest to charge a good price and make a profit on my investment and foresight? Of course, it is. Well, that's honest graft."
It is ironic that the Tweed Courthouse is no longer a used to hold court. Its furnishings are too opulent for the public. It is used for offices of city officials.
@@Pattio47it’s not that side that is doing this. It’s the democrats again. Pulling in and manipulating immigrants through promise of free work/food/housing/education/medical care. It’s the same type of corruption but in a national scale and the pipeline is not even natural legal immigration anymore. Much more evil and grander in scope.
Tammany Hall politics dominated New York City until 1950? It is my understanding that Mayor John V. Lindsey, who first ran for New York City Mayor in 1965, was the last of the Tammany Hall candidates. The Tammany Hall Society, "disolved" in 1967. The 3rd, and last Tammany Hall Headquarters building, completed in 1929 still exists, under different use, at 44 Union Square, NY, NY. The 2nd Tammany Hall Headquarters building of Tweeds time was located at 137-149 E. 14th Street, NY, NY where the Condolidated Edison Building now stands. The1st Tamany Hall Headquarters was located at 170 Nassau Street, NY, NY.
I remember boss tweed from my high school history book, though his inclusion was down to the picture of him with the money bag as a head, and a few simple sentences it always stuck with me. Nice to now know the whole story.
I appreciate your succinct, clear and informative presentations and choice of subject matter. It makes it easy to decide what I might want to pursue in greater depth and the data to use for that. Thanks very much
I have to have my daily dose of "The History Guy"-- usually along with a large cup of coffee. It is so interesting that history is often "stranger than fiction"... indeed, many of the stories could not be believed if they weren't historical fact. As told by the dapper guy with the colorful bow tie these facts deserve to be remembered.
Speaking of New Orleans, do a whole series on it. I can’t really think of a city with a more colorful history. It is very special especially since it really is a small city.
I used to work with Boss Tweed's great great grandson on a construction job. Hes a heavy equipment operator in CT. One interesting thing was, this guy's grandfather, Boss Tweed's grandson, was one of the first aviators in the state of Connecticut, and the founder of New Haven airport.
@@marklittle8805 I think they DID envision guys like Tweed. That's WHY they gave us the 2nd Amendment. It's a small step from graft and extortion to over arching control.
I used to make deliveries to the Tweed Courthouse. It's on Chambers Street, a little bit up the block from the Municipal Building and behind City Hall. It was restored, I believe, in the late 80s or early 90s and doesn't look like much from the outside, but inside it's pretty darned slick. Very fancy. They did clean the outside. Back before it was restored it was pretty dirty and grimy. I don't know how open it is to tourists but it's worth taking a look at if you visit the city.
@@theequalizer9154Because the headlines about stuffing their Cabinet with incompetent loyalists are referring to Biden? Not the other guy? You're sure?
Hey there THG -- Would love to hear the history of my favorite pie ingredient: mincemeat filling. This year it seems all of the younger crowd were put off by its name, mince meat pie, thinking there was some kind of meat product contained in the pie. Its my favorite holiday treat but hasn't seemed to have caught the favor of more folk, due to its odd name. Regale us with the history of mincemeat, please, sir.
Schumer is ineffectual and should have been gone years ago. I've never agreed with a single one of McConnell's political ideologies, but I had to respect (fear) his ability to work the levers of power, even if it was nearly always in service of the powers of darkness.
I actually did enjoy this clip. Mostly because I was taught about Tammany Hall in the 5th and 6th grade. These days it is part of the, American History 1 HS lesson plan. And because I used to tutor American History 1 and 2, back in the '70 I know this. Yes, America "Idiocrasy" has become a documentary.
I'm working on my doctorate in history right now, and I can tell you that the only reason people believe "machine politics" ended is because it's nice to think so.
There have been changes that, at least, makes it into a different kind of machine.
For now…
@TheHistoryGuyChannel The state of Chicago politics at least doesn't seem like it's changed much in how the sausage gets made .
@@maxmccullough8548 I heard someone say the CTU is the new Machine and man, I can't disagree.
You're right. Who needs a "Golden Age" when we Americans have something like it smashed in our faces every day; Our Boss Tweed is less a 280 lb. criminal than a pasty-faced, skinny billionaire named Elon. As for Machine Politics all one has to do is consider the state legislatures ( and governors ) of Texas or Florida.
In 1907, 'Mark Twain' wrote . . .
" The political and commercial morals of the United States are not merely food for laughter, they are an entire banquet."
A prisoner escaped by putting a paper towel over his face and walking out of jail.
There’s a Bounty on his head.
😂
That's funny.... thanks
Considering his physical dimensions, Boss Tweed would have needed a Brawny instead!
I feel sorry for your kids 🥸
English version: He has been charged with several food crimes and there is a Bounty on his head.
FYI, Bounty is an English candy bar, a Mounds bar with milk chocolate rather than dark chocolate.
In a lovely little synchronicity, I reached Gangs Of New York last night.
"The appearance of Law must be upheld, especially when it's being broken."
-BossTweed
I imagine many people must have gone after him in civil court. After all, who didn't want a Tweed suit back then?
With or without elbow patches? 😉
@@goodun2974 Always with patches.
Such litigation would be taking advantage of low hanging fruit.
😂 (and lamenting lack of "groaning" emoji)
🙄
Thanks! All I keep thinking about is "Boss Hog" and Roscoe Coltrane 🤔😅👍👍✌️
Thank you!
What, no flash the basset??
That’s Roscoe “P” Coltrane. Get the name right. 😮.
Nothing much has changed in New York. The corruption remains the same.
@@jaspermcjasper3672 CHICAGO! Its not so much cites its the Democrat Party!
@@jaspermcjasper3672because NY is a terrible corrupt hell hole.
@jaspermcjasper3672 dude in ny we have a lot of politicians getting busted for corruption all the time that never make the national news
@@jaspermcjasper3672NY is high on the list, maybe #1. It is after all the greatest concentration of private money in the world and has almost always played an outsized role in US history. Maybe you are not familiar with the huge and growing number of scandals. We have recently had our mayor arrested and indicted for instance.
@@jaspermcjasper3672 Because, for all you people in New York like you, for all of your Declarations of being righteous, the primary city of liberalism, and fairness. It's the most corrupt place in the whole darn country. And, at least when there's a corrupt politician in other parts of the country, you New Yorkers, deny deny deny when you have worse. The real weird thing, you re-elect them!
The Tammany Hall building still stands in New York City. It's on the northeast corner of Union Square and still bears the name Tammany Hall.
@@ThreeDogsTraining , perhaps "bears the *shame*" would be more appropriate....
I think the new York film school is in there now
PetCo!
The Tamany Hall hall?
When I was working under a state funded, locally supervised grant program in SoCal, I used to call the county school HQ offices Tammany Hall because the similarities were to obscene to ignore. But that operation was just a small part of a much larger, state wide operation. Boss Tweed would be very proud of how his traditions are still being used.
My town in SoCal has an oppressive architectural commission that determines what buildings to be build can be built based on how they fit into our town's Spanish colonial vibe. Developers always find out - some later rather than sooner - that hiring an architect on the commission as a "consultant" really smooths the approval process along.
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
Sounds like you've been watching @Cash Jordan
Great piece, Lance. As I've often said, I always appreciate the story behind the story (re. Paul Harvey "The Rest of the Story"). Thank you for carrying on that tradition.
I realized just now thanks to you that Lance is the Paul of the 21st-century
Used to listen to Paul Harvey, ,," & now you know the rest of the story"
Machine politics never went away.
The story of Boss Tweed plus cartoonist Thomas Nast is another tale and a half.
Boss Tweed did an impressive amount of pocket lining, even for a politician. But at least his created a crap ton of jobs over the years. Politicians today don't even bother with the jobs part anymore.
The most concise explanation of trickle down theory I've ever come across!
@@HM2SGT Huey P Long from Louisiana is another good example of old style corruption while improving communities.
Tammany leader George Plunkitt:
"Everybody is talkin' these days about Tammany men growin' rich on graft, but nobody thinks of drawin' the distinction between honest graft and dishonest graft. There's all the difference in the world between the two, Yes, many of our men have grown rich in politics. I have myself. I've made a big fortune out of the game, and I'm gettin' richer everyday, but I've not gone in for dishonest graft--blackmailin' gamblers, saloon-keepers, disorderly people, etc.--and neither has any of the men who have made big fortunes in politics.
There's an honest graft, and I'm an example of how it works. I might sum up the whole thing by sayin': 'I seen my opportunities and I took 'em.' Just let me explain by examples. My party's in power and it's goin' to undertake a lot of public improvements. Well, I'm tipped off, say, that they're going to lay out a new park at a certain place.
I see my opportunity and I take it. I go to that place and I buy up all the land I can in the neighborhood. Then the board of this or that makes its plan public, and there is a rush to get my land, which nobody cared particular for before. Ain't it perfectly honest to charge a good price and make a profit on my investment and foresight? Of course, it is. Well, that's honest graft."
Yes, 'honest graft' as Plunkitt would call it.
Those jobs would've opened up anyway. Without him and his cronies however, they would've entailed an honest day's work.
"History doesn't repeat itself, but it often rhymes". Your shows as always, are masterpieces! Thank you.
It is ironic that the Tweed Courthouse is no longer a used to hold court. Its furnishings are too opulent for the public. It is used for offices of city officials.
*The Golden Rule: he who has the gold makes the rules!*
Emoluments clause? Obviously meant for little people.
@HM2SGT Nothing seems to have changed. Gotten worse perhaps, and an even grander scale.
One of Elon's commandments
@johnbutler-gm8pv 🤔 *The first commandment is: **_Christmas has two s's in it and they're both dollar signs_* 🤑🫰💲💰
@@johnbutler-gm8pv Soros.
Back then, 280lbs would have stuck out like a sore thumb
The more things change the more they remain the same.
Lance - The "Santa Fe Ring" in New Mexico deserves to be remembered.
Still going on today .
His graft was incredible but he didn’t get a chance to run for President like another we are all familiar with. 🍊
@@Pattio47Not a good comparison as Tweed is an actual Boss 😂
@@Pattio47it’s not that side that is doing this. It’s the democrats again. Pulling in and manipulating immigrants through promise of free work/food/housing/education/medical care. It’s the same type of corruption but in a national scale and the pipeline is not even natural legal immigration anymore. Much more evil and grander in scope.
And this country reelected trump
Tammany Hall politics dominated New York City until 1950? It is my understanding that Mayor John V. Lindsey, who first ran for New York City Mayor in 1965, was the last of the Tammany Hall candidates. The Tammany Hall Society, "disolved" in 1967.
The 3rd, and last Tammany Hall Headquarters building, completed in 1929 still exists, under different use, at 44 Union Square, NY, NY.
The 2nd Tammany Hall Headquarters building of Tweeds time was located at 137-149 E. 14th Street, NY, NY where the Condolidated Edison Building now stands.
The1st Tamany Hall Headquarters was located at 170 Nassau Street, NY, NY.
The general argument is that the power was broken with the election of Fiorello La Guardia.
Tiffany Henyard clearly had similar ambitions! 😂
Love it!
Hmmm? Sounds familiar.
Watching from Mackinac Island Michigan
Machine politics didn’t go away, especially from Pittsburgh/Allegheny County. It just changed the who pulls the controls.
I'm stealing this video title for my debut rap album
Guess he feels like bustin loose? 😂
if it's a concept album about the real boss tweed 😂...it becomes an emo album title
It really is a great title though
I’m stealing it for my Big n Tall menswear line
Is your rap name already boss tweed?
Absolutely fascinating! Thank you for posting this, History Guy.
HUGE... Tracts of land...
One day lad... All this will be yours!
@MichaelMadcock whot? the curtains?
Ha. So I wasn't the only one who got a chuckle out of that. I even did the "huge tracts of land" motion with my hands when he said it.
@@TS-ef2gv Me too.
I remember boss tweed from my high school history book, though his inclusion was down to the picture of him with the money bag as a head, and a few simple sentences it always stuck with me. Nice to now know the whole story.
I appreciate your succinct, clear and informative presentations and choice of subject matter. It makes it easy to decide what I might want to pursue in greater depth and the data to use for that. Thanks very much
I have driven a truck into New York city,the traffic was hell but the history was all around,I could feel it
Same today as it was back then.Proxy wars have been very profitable since the 1960s.Thanks history guy.This video was 1 of my favorites.😊
Love the sweater and bow tie today, very smart
Thank you, THG, for the excellent summary of the "Age of machine Politics" and Boos Tweed. It was fascinating.
You are welcome!
Nothing has changed.
*_A Plutocratic oligarchy Is nothing new, is it?_*
I have to have my daily dose of "The History Guy"-- usually along with a large cup of coffee. It is so interesting that history is often "stranger than fiction"... indeed, many of the stories could not be believed if they weren't historical fact. As told by the dapper guy with the colorful bow tie these facts deserve to be remembered.
14:42 So did Robert Moses bring about “social development” and it seems we are headed for the same fate that the gilded age brought us by 1929.
I've been interested in this time period for a long time. Thank you for this story. Love your channel!
Speaking of New Orleans, do a whole series on it. I can’t really think of a city with a more colorful history. It is very special especially since it really is a small city.
I appreciate you and thank you for making content.
Corrupt politicians?
Shocking. Simply shocking.
Mmm, seems like nothing new under the sun. We can see similarities today. 🤔
Well done. Very entertaining.
Great story - thanks! I posted to my friends on FB.
I first knew Boss Tweed from Gangs of New York & the documentary “Uncovering the Real Gangs of New York.”
Still the same in Chicago.
Coming back to D.C. in Jan.
Postmodern machine politics is alive and well in Cook County Illinois.
Boss Tweed 1st man to bust a move, he invented breakdancing on a cardboard sheet a century earlier than the hip hoppers.
Very festive tie today!
Thank you History Guy
I used to work with Boss Tweed's great great grandson on a construction job. Hes a heavy equipment operator in CT. One interesting thing was, this guy's grandfather, Boss Tweed's grandson, was one of the first aviators in the state of Connecticut, and the founder of New Haven airport.
Tweed was a crook. Not what the Founding Fathers envisioned...
@@marklittle8805 I think they DID envision guys like Tweed. That's WHY they gave us the 2nd Amendment. It's a small step from graft and extortion to over arching control.
What kept many Founding Fathers from being considered "crooks" is that they were able to write the new laws to benefit themselves.
@@motherlesschild102 examples please?
The courthouse story sounds very much like 'high speed rail' in kalifornia.
Sounds like Illinois governor Pritzker!!!
Sounds like most of them.
Great show as usual. Thanks HG
When good things aren't available, the bad people will supply them for a small price. I've got you now.
Where would the bad people be without the good guys?
Thanks dude; God bless.
As always, your video's great. In school, we learned about Tammany Hall, Boss Tweed but not about his prison break.
Thank you, I never knew where the name “Tammany Hall” came from.
Great video!
Thanks THG.
Fascinating!
Gosh; that has a very familiar current ring!
I used to make deliveries to the Tweed Courthouse. It's on Chambers Street, a little bit up the block from the Municipal Building and behind City Hall. It was restored, I believe, in the late 80s or early 90s and doesn't look like much from the outside, but inside it's pretty darned slick. Very fancy. They did clean the outside. Back before it was restored it was pretty dirty and grimy. I don't know how open it is to tourists but it's worth taking a look at if you visit the city.
Kansas City has a very similar story, which to this day, cannot be discussed openly.
Here to smoke some Tweed
Tweeds unite!
I was fascinated with Boss Tweed in High School... Tammany Hall was a Incredible Power House in 19th Century Politics.
This political graft continues not only locally in big cities but also at our national level.
In the south we call it " the good ol' Boy's club"
OMG! I was just reading about Tammany Hall a few days ago! (It must be ESP, not just a coincidence.)
it's ESPN!!
Ironic. I just rewatched gangs of New York just two nights ago 😀
Yeah if you think today's politics is bad I can only imagine the crap they got away with back in the day!
Biden brought us back to those times.
Yes, part of the point if studying history is to see that, whatever our complaints and challenges, we’ve probably lived through worse.
@@theequalizer9154Because the headlines about stuffing their Cabinet with incompetent loyalists are referring to Biden? Not the other guy? You're sure?
Try to not bitch too much when you get everything for which you voted.
@@theequalizer9154🤣 Started _looong_ before JB
Love your videos
Watch the film "The Great McGinty", a classic comedy based on the Boss Tweed era.
Hey there THG -- Would love to hear the history of my favorite pie ingredient: mincemeat filling. This year it seems all of the younger crowd were put off by its name, mince meat pie, thinking there was some kind of meat product contained in the pie. Its my favorite holiday treat but hasn't seemed to have caught the favor of more folk, due to its odd name. Regale us with the history of mincemeat, please, sir.
Dig the new hairstyle. Very dapper.
Happy holidays history dude
Boss Tweed’s tradition lives on in the form of Chuck Schumer and Mitch McConnell 😂
CHUCK SCHUMER 45 years in government
MAXINE WATERS 47
PATRICK LEAHY 54
NANCY PELOSI 33
Schumer is ineffectual and should have been gone years ago. I've never agreed with a single one of McConnell's political ideologies, but I had to respect (fear) his ability to work the levers of power, even if it was nearly always in service of the powers of darkness.
“… and the Harlem Gaslight Company…”
No he wasn’t. You’re crazy.
Lol
This was a ,most interesting piece.
Just curious. The painting at 10:12 has, what looks like a UFO island. What is that?
Wonder where all his stolen loot ended up??
I suspect Tweed will be considered an amateur in our future.
Joe B and his son and brother beg to differ.
I sincerely hope that you're making your own history notes for future "History Guys."
Love Ya Man!!!
Odd, I live in Louisiana... in St.Tammany Parish!
I want to see the luxurious cell he was in. It would be fun to see how it compares with an average apartment or condo.
Excellent
😂 I'm hearing The Simpsons Mr Burns
Makes me think of the recent Fat Leonard corruption debacle with a number of admirals and Leonard Francis subsequent escape just last year.
I actually did enjoy this clip. Mostly because I was taught about Tammany Hall in the 5th and 6th grade. These days it is part of the, American History 1 HS lesson plan. And because I used to tutor American History 1 and 2, back in the '70 I know this. Yes, America "Idiocrasy" has become a documentary.
Tks
Million here, Million there, pretty soon, that adds up to some SERIOUS money! Especially in 1870's!
It will never end......
and it continues to this very day, just different players and parties, kinda...
It ended? You sure?
It wasn't just big cities. A rural area called 'The Balkans' in SE Kansas was machine controlled for decades.
Died in his Cell. HMMMM. Sounds Like JE to me.
HA HA Got Ya!
We've replaced political bosses with corporate overlords. Not sure we're better off.
SSDD