Jason Taylor, professor of economics at Central Michigan University and editor-in-chief of "Essays in Economic & Business History," is an expert in U.S. economic history, particularly during the Great Depression and World War II. He joins the show to discuss the causes of the Great Depression and the policy responses under Herbert Hoover and Franklin D. Roosevelt. David and Jason look at policies ranging from the international gold standard to the National Industrial Recovery Act. They also explore the possibility that large public spending during the New Deal and World War II may have facilitated a “Big Push” that helped modernize the American South. Finally, Jason and David also examine parallels between the Great Depression and the Great Recession.