Along the Arkansas River

On July 12, 1938, President Franklin D. Roosevelt rolled into Pueblo, Colorado aboard his special train, stood on the rear platform, and delivered a brief but memorable speech. The weather was pleasant, the crowd was cheerful, and FDR, ever the showman, tossed out a line that still echoes today: “We want to make democracy work.” It sounded noble. It sounded patriotic. But what did he *mean* by it? And how did that idea of democracy compare to the one envisioned by the Founding Fathers? In this episode of *Dave Does History*, we’re going back to that moment on the rails to dig into the deeper meaning behind Roosevelt’s words. Was democracy broken in 1938? Or was FDR just redefining it to fit his growing vision of federal power? As always, we’re bringing a skeptical eye and a love of liberty to the microphone, so buckle up. History’s pulling into the station.