Shows / The Political Orphanage
The Political Orphanage
Politics minus bile plus jokes. Comedian and avowed independent Andrew Heaton interviews authors and thought leaders about policy and big thinky stuff.
Episodes
The Political OrphanageThe Secret Map of Supreme Court Justices
Sarah Isgur is a senior editor at SCOTUS Blog, host of the Advisory Opinions podcast, and a contributor at ABC News. She is the author of the forthcoming book…
The Political OrphanageFreddie deBoer: What It's Like to Have a Mental Breakdown
Freddie deBoer is a writer, academic, and cultural critic. He is a widely-read author on Substack, an old-school Marxist, who has previously been on the…
The Political OrphanageSquanto the Power Broker
The real story of Thanksgiving is stranger, darker, and far more interesting than what you learned in kindergarten (or college). It's a tale of slavery…
The Political OrphanageCash for Kidneys
Thousands of people need kidneys, right now. They are either on the precipice of death, or suffering through dialysis and low quality of life. Jeremiah Johnson…
The Political Orphanage"The Walking Dead" and Pagan Values
Tim Sandefur joins to discuss individualism in American culture. In this fun (but weird) conversation, we go through zombie shows, Westerns, and Star Trek…
The Political OrphanageSHUTDOWN: The Musical
Theater critic Clive Kripson of BBC Bolton joins to review "Shutdown: The Musical" in what is now the longest-running revival of the landmark Broadway favorite.
The Political OrphanageHow to Start Your Own Country: No Man's Land
Legal and geographic quirks sometimes create "Terra Nullius"—land which no sovereign nation lays claim to. Literally, No Man's Land. In this weird geographic…
The Political OrphanageAmerica's Two Angry Dads: Jefferson and Hamilton
Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton offered two contrasting visions of what America should be and how the Constitution applies to it. Jeffrey Rosen is a…
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The Ethics of Performing for Dictators
Can comedians ethically perform standup for a despotic regime without endorsing it? Recently the Riyadh Comedy Festival invited furor when some comics…
The Political Orphanage(Sneak Peak) From Branding to the Electric Chair
Okay, so what constitutes "cruel and unusual"? Why was it okay to brand horse thieves in the face in old timey days, but it's barbaric now? In the final…
The Political OrphanageHow Texas Blocked Pornhub
Pornhub ceased operating in the Lone Star State after Texas implemented an age verification law. Pornhub, and other adult websites, said the compliance was too…
The Political OrphanageThe Fight Over Gay Characters in Public Schools
In Mahmoud v. Taylor the Supreme Court affirmed parents rights to remove their children from LGBTQ material used in public schools. The Court ruled that…
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Rogue Judges and Birthright Citizenship
In Trump v. Casa the Supreme Court ruled that district judges cannot issue "universal injunctions" against the federal government… Well, what the hell does…
The Political OrphanageKatie Herzog Gives Me Advice On My Drinking Problem
I think I probably drink too much, and I ought to curb that before I wrinkle prematurely. Fortunately, there is Katie Herzog. You may know her as the host of…
The Political OrphanageDaryl Davis Attends Klan Rallies (Rebroadcast)
Daryl Davis is an African American musician responsible for de-radicalizing over 200 Klansmen and Neo-Nazis in his attempts to understand racism. He joins…
The Political OrphanageWhy Europe is Poorer than America
Europe's GDP and purchasing power lag behind that of the United States. Why? Sam Bowman is the Editor of Works in Progress at Stripe, and the former Executive…
The Political OrphanageDoes Liberalism Eat Itself?
Liberalism was once thought to be triumphant and inevitable, but at the moment it's losing ground across the globe. Cass Sunstein joins to discuss what…
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Charlie Kirk and the Heinous "Other"
Well, how do we respond after assassinations and political tragedies? Let's talk about it. Ugh. Link: Assassins Part II: A Loser Kills Garfield…
The Political OrphanageWhat Happens When the Ayatollah Falls?
If Iran's Islamic Republic collapsed—or got pushed out—who would pick up the pieces? This week we look at the recent history of Iran, and the coup perpetrated…
The Political OrphanageSweden Tried Socialism So You Don't Have To
Is Sweden a socialist paradise? What do they do right and what have they screwed up on? Most importantly, what can Americans steal, replicate, and improve…
The Political OrphanageWhat the Hell Is Finland Smiling About?
Finland routinely winds up at the top of global happiness surveys. Why? In this episode, I flew to Helsinki to wander around and chat up locals. Trying to…
The Political OrphanageTo Make a Terrifying Spoiler Candidate
It turns out, young voters (under fifty) are openly hostile to political parties, and are most likely to flip from election to election. This means the game is…
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Greg Lukianoff is Worried About Free Speech
Greg Lukianoff is the President of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, and along with Nadine Strossen, is the author of "The War on Words: 10…
The Political OrphanageBut Gene Epstein Hates the Fed
Does the Fed achieve its own stated goals? What are underlying ethical or practical issues with it? Soho Forum founder and economist Gene Epstein joins to make…
The Political OrphanageWhat the Hell Does the Federal Reserve Do?
What is the purported aim of the Federal Reserve? Why is it independent, or shoot for 2% targeted inflation? In part one of our series on the Fed, Jeremiah…
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How to Become Rich Serving in Congress
How can an unscrupulous person get elected to high office and make a buck by abusing public trust? To look into this matter we speak with former congressman…
The Political OrphanageChina Hates These Two People
Melissa Chan and Badiucao have both been exiled from the People's Republic of China; the former as a journalist and the latter as an artist and political…
The Political OrphanageThe Two Times We Invaded Canada
Ever wonder why Canada didn't become the 14th colony during the American War of Independence? It turns out, America invited Canada to join. Then, when they…
The Political OrphanagePopulist Hillbillies vs. Fake Lordlings: The Almost-States of Franklin, Nickajack, and Transylvania
America is littered with lots of almost-states, which very nearly joined the Union in their own right, but for some reason did not. In today's episode we cover…
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Government Grocery Stores and Free Bussing! (WSPN)
This week New York City Democrats held their primary for mayor, and nominated Zohran Kwame Mamdani. Mamdani is a Democratic Socialist who promises to implement…
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Churchill, Non-Proliferation, and Iranian Nuclear Ambitions
Iran is accused by Israel of pursuing a nuclear weapons program, and President Trump is weighing US military intervention. In this episode we chart the history…
The Political OrphanageAssassins Part III: An Anarchist Murders McKinley
A terrorist shot William McKinley at a World's Fair in Buffalo in 1901. In this episode, we go over the specter of anarchism in that era, why McKinley embodied…
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Assassins Part I: Shooting Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson was the first U. S. president who experienced an assassination attempt. It didn't stick. In today's episode we learn about the most grizzled…
The Political OrphanageHow Godzilla Beat the Housing Crisis
How does American housing stack up compared to other countries, specifically in terms of full-blown housing communism or free market Japanese housing Nirvana?…
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This Book Will Upset Your Textbook
Conventional wisdom is brimming with economic myths: the Industrial Revolution impoverished the masses; bobber barons were the scourge of the Gilded Age; the…
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Make Hollywood Great Again?
Donald Trump is threatening to levy tariffs on films shot elsewhere, and actor John Voight is petitioning the federal government for taxpayer subsidies to…
The Political OrphanageWhy You Need a License for Everything
Rebecca Allensworth is the Associate Dean of Research at Vanderbilt Law, where she focuses on anti-trust and licensing. She is the author of "The Licensing…
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A.I. Will Be Even More Awesome Than You Thought
Marc Beckman is a Senior Fellow of Emerging Technology at NYU, adjunct professor Stern, and the author of "Some Future Day: how AI is going to Change…
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Is it Racist? Is it Sexist?
Why do some people determine an action is racist, and others say nah? What are the mental protocols people use to exonerate or convict someone accused of…
The Political OrphanageFaster, Cheaper, Better Government: Derek Thompson on "Abundance"
Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson are the authors of "Abundance" a book about removing artificial scarcity and embracing a worldview that focuses on end goals…
The Political OrphanageTrump, Napoleon III, and the Global Economic Order
Just what the hell is happening with tariffs? Are we entering a trade war? Are we negotiating? In today's show: A) An extended introduction about Napoleon III…
The Political OrphanageCory Doctorow on the Evils of Copyright Law
Cory Doctorow is a journalist, activist, and science fiction author known for his work on digital rights, monopolies, and the future of technology. He joins to…
The Political OrphanageNear Death Experiences, with Sebastian Junger
Sebastian Junger is a decorated war correspondent and author of books like "The Perfect Storm" and "Tribes: On Coming Home and Belonging." Heaton was going to…
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Deporting Khalil
Mahmoud Khalil has been detained, and will be potentially deported, by the Trump administration. Attorney Anna Gorisch joins to discuss the implications of…
The Political OrphanageI Talk to a DEI Consultant about DEI
Andrea Jones-Rooy is a data scientist and former DEI consultant. She joins to discuss what DEI is, what DEI is not, and where it goes wrong.
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Your Kids and The Department of Education
What would happen if the Trump administration tried to abolish or defund the Department of Education? What does it do, and is it a net positive or net negative…
The Political OrphanageJeff Maurer: Revenge of the Low-Flow Toilets
What is the government doing which is irritating, and what is irritating that the government can assist with? Topics covered today include: paper straws…
The Political OrphanageJonathan Rauch: Christianity Dropped the Ball on Democracy
Jonathan Rauch asserts that as the American Church has become increasingly concerned with the culture war and politics, it has become secularized and…
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Sex by the Numbers
Who's having sex, and how much of it are they having? Who's getting married and who's getting divorced? Does money, somehow, possibly, effect any of this?…
The Political OrphanageTRADE WAR! (Probably)
Trump erected, then delayed, tariffs on Canada and Mexico, but has levied tariffs on China–which is apt to escalate things shortly. What happens in a trade war…
The Political OrphanageTrump's Whack-A-Mole with Federal Employees
The Trump administration is reclassifying federal workers as Schedule F, making them easier to fire, and put a stop to remote work. In hopes of compelling…
The Political OrphanageDeath Row Pen Pals
Kirsten Brink is pen pals with prisoners who have been sentenced to death in Texas, as well as other people currently incarcerated in our penitentiaries. She…
The Political OrphanageHow Billionaires Think About Philanthropy
Laura and John Arnold are the founders and co-chairs of Arnold Ventures. Started in 2008, Arnold Ventures is a self-funded philanthropy hyper-focused on…
The Political OrphanageWe'll Watch Your Dog While You're in Rehab
Pause for Paws is a charity in Tulsa, OK that fosters dogs on behalf of owners who need to seek help at a homeless shelter, rehab clinic, or mental health…
The Political OrphanageA Theme Park for Kids with Disabilities (And Everyone)
Morgan's Wonderland is an ultra-accessible amusement park in which all of the rides have been engineered so that no one is excluded, no one is ever sitting on…
The Political OrphanageThe Alzheimer's Choir
Love Notes Chorus in Austin, Texas is a choir for people with Alzheimer's disease, dementia, or their caregivers. Directors Edie Elkjer and Susie Higley join…
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The Pragmatist's Guide to Politics
In an effort to challenge some of my priors, I bring Justin Robert Young to discuss stadium subsidies, and political action oriented around effectiveness and…
The Political OrphanageThe Library of Mistakes
Russell Napier is the Keeper of the Library of Mistakes, in Edinburgh, Scotland. Napier has worked in the investment business for 30 years and has been…
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Black People and White People Advice
Turner Sparks and Phil Duckett are comedians who host the "Black and White Advice" podcast. They come on to crack jokes and talk about racial friction, and…
The Political OrphanageHeaton and Monkey: Yuletide Crimesolvers (1987)
Rebroadcast of the cult classic 1987 Christmas special of "Heaton and Monkey: Crimesolvers," a groundbreaking police drama. Cast: Andrew Heaton, Andrew Young…