First America First America

Land, Not Liberty | Episode 5

Jul 20, 2026 · 34m

Summary

Host Rebecca Nagel traces the modern housing crisis to 18th-century land speculation, where corrupt elites bought stolen Indigenous land instead of selling to small farmers. Guests Michael Blakeman, Nick Estes, and Kay Sue Park explain how the Doctrine of Discovery and foreclosure laws created a system prioritizing profit over people. The episode reveals how this historical dispossession established the speculative real estate market that continues to drive inequality and homelessness today.

Topics discussed

Sponsors: Sierra Nevada, Optum, and YouTube Premium The American Dream, Foreclosures, and the Housing Crisis US Debt After the Revolution and the Plan to Sell Land Sponsors: Sierra Nevada, Optum, and LinkedIn Hiring Pro The Doctrine of Discovery and Indigenous Property Rights The Ohio Company, Land Speculation, and Congressional Bribery Corruption in Early Land Sales and Modern Parallels Sponsors: Sierra Nevada, Optum, and LinkedIn Hiring Pro From Land Speculation to the Modern Mortgage Market Foreclosure Origins and the Impact on Indigenous Families Outro, Credits, and Final Sponsor Messages
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