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 Orphanage
Friday Release Valve: Japan Has the Coolest Political Party
Matt Sienkiewicz and Andrea Jones-Rooy join the show to discuss the week's best, underserved headlines. Including: a scrupulous car thief, stealing playground…
The Political OrphanageJustin Amash Wants to Unclog Congress
Former Congressman Justin Amash thinks Congress has basically turned into two oligarchs and a bunch of mouthy rubber stamps who cue off them. He joins the show…
- The Political Orphanage
FRV: Nebraska's Diehard Meat Rivalry
Alice Vaugh of "Two Girls One Mic" and comedian Mike Blejer join the show to investigate the week's best, underserved headlines. Including: Welsh goat…
- The Political Orphanage
Why Universities Lean Left
Why is academia so progressive, and why are there so few conservatives or libertarian professors? Professor Matt Sienkiewicz is the Chair of the Boston College…
- The Political Orphanage
FRV: China Bans Funeral Strippers
Comedians Turner Sparks, Michael Ira Kaplan, and Paul Morrissey join the show to explore the week's best underserved headlines, including: a guitar made out of…
- The Political Orphanage
Politics As the New Religion with Caleb O. Brown
Caleb O. Brown of the Cato Daily Podcast guest hosts this week, moderating the topic: is politics the new religion? Just how terrible is that, and how can we…
- The Political Orphanage
Friday Release Valve: Dutch Snowman Murders
NSFK - Nick Sperdute and Andrew Young rejoin the show to discuss the week's best, underserved headlines including: horrific Scottish street brawl and/or…
- The Political Orphanage
How to Spook the Politics Industry
Politicians fear their base, so they play to their base--and disregard moderates, independents, and members of the rival party. Elected leaders can store up…
- The Political Orphanage
Fake News Headlines: The Game Show
We're gamifying funny headlines! Everyone on the show gets a funny headline, but some are real and some are fake news. Each team hears the headlines, asks…
- The Political Orphanage
Please Don't Double the Minimum Wage
I swear I'm not evil. I have good reasons for believing we shouldn't spike the national minimum wage to $15 per hour. I'll explain why, as the U.S. Senate…
- The Political Orphanage
The Return of Kid Cop - Friday Release Valve
Justin Robert Young returns to go over the week's best, underserved headlines, including an octogenarian newspaper boy, the cannabis lounge which saves the…
- The Political Orphanage
The Economics of Happiness
Economist Steve Horwitz joins the program to talk about the limits of markets and the state: what problems can they solve and what are they ill suited for?…
- The Political Orphanage
Don't Drive on Laughing Gas - Friday Release Valve
Turner Sparks and Michael Ira Kaplan rejoin the show to discuss the world's best, underserved headlines--a surprising amount of which originate in Belgium this…
- The Political Orphanage
Gun Deaths by the Numbers
Hello orphans! Today we're doing a deep dive into gun crime statistics: where homicides are concentrated, what kind of guns are used, how we stack up to other…
- The Political Orphanage
Bigfoot Hunting Season - Friday Release Valve
Nick Sperdute and Andrew Young return to discuss the week's best, underserved headlines. Including stories about Scottish stamp lickers, why a man lived in an…
The Political OrphanageReddit vs Wall Street
Last week Robinhood suspended trades on volatile Gamestop stocks, halting Reddit gadflies from utterly destroying a hedge fund which had shorted it. Why'd they…
- The Political Orphanage
FRV: Robot Police Dog Tax Expenditures
Negin Farsad of "Fake the Nation" and Cheddar's Congressional Correspondent JD Durkin join the show to kick around the week's best, funniest headlines…
The Political OrphanageWhat to do About QAnon
Should the state interpolate itself into online QAnon conspiracy boards? Who gets the first vaccines? Are pardons a net benefit or vestigial monarchism? The…
The Political OrphanageFRV: The Official Massachusetts State Dinosaur
Comedian Gianmarco Soresi joins the show to dive into the week's best, underserved headlines, including: Mexican love tunnels, aggressive squirrels, bed bugs…
- The Political Orphanage
What Really Toppled the Berlin Wall
In 1989 East Germans punctured through the Berlin Wall, reuniting the country after decades of bitter separation. In this episode we follow the creation and…
- The Political Orphanage
Toupee Drug Smuggling & Wine Cannons - Friday Release Valve
Alice Vaughn and Yvette d'Entremont return to explore the week's best, underserved headlines, including stuff about cannons, 90s video games, and pregnancy…
- The Political Orphanage
Weak Institutions Make a Sad Country
Yuval Levin thinks our sclerotic government and alienated culture trace back to anemic, declining institutions. As Congress, the press, and think tanks all…
- The Political Orphanage
Friday Release Valve: Smuggling Ashes onto the International Space Station
Jeremey Kareken and Andrew Young join the program to make sense of the week's greatest, underserved headlines. From a Scotsman who tries to cross the Irish Sea…
- The Political Orphanage
What The Hell Just Happened?!
Trump protestors stormed the U.S. Capitol today! Jen Briney of "Congressional Dish" and Justin Robert Young of "Politics Politics Politics" plus yours truly…
The Political OrphanageLarry Sharpe thinks Covid will Redshift America
Larry Sharpe joins the program to talk about how the Covid pandemic will affect and depopulate major cities, why urban life naturally leads to a preference for…
- The Political Orphanage
Education Is Getting More Individualistic
American public schooling came into its own during the Industrial Revolution, with standardized age cohorts, bells signifying start and stop times, and…
The Political OrphanageA Grander Snuffy's Christmas
Gather round for the 2020 Third Annual Snuffy's Christmas Special! Brought to you by your friends at Snuffy's, Off Route 44, who both sponsored and insisted on…
The Political OrphanageRERUN: Another Snuffy's Christmas
An all new Christmas special airs this Wednesday, Dec 23, 2020! Until then, enjoy the second Snuffy's Annual Christmas Special: "The Political Orphanage's…
The Political OrphanageRERUN: A Very Snuffy's Christmas
An all new Christmas special airs this Wednesday, Dec 23, 2020. Until then, enjoy the first Snuffy's Annual Christmas Special: The show's principle sponsor…
- The Political Orphanage
Don't Throw Your Kids Over The Fence (Friday Release Valve)
Turner Sparks and Mike Kaplan, hosts of "Lost in America" rejoin the program to explore the week's funniest, underserved headlines. Including: the world's more…
The Political OrphanageDana Perino On Being a White House Press Secretary
Dana Perino was the White House Press Secretary for George W. Bush, and is presently a co-host on the Fox News panel show "The Five" and the host of "The Daily…
The Political OrphanageCapitalist Vaccines, Pardons, and American Hegemony - Roundtable
The WSPN roundtable--Andrea Jones-Rooy, Turner Sparks, Mike Kaplan, and yours truly--reassembles to discuss: * The Decline of American Hegemony * North Korean…
- The Political Orphanage
The Labor-Inducing Hamburger (Friday Release Valve)
Matt Donnelly and Paul Mattingly return! The hilarious/reprobate hosts of Matt & Mattingly's Ice Cream Social join to discuss the week's funniest, underserved…
- The Political Orphanage
Antifa! Proud Boys! Oath Keepers!
What's the landscape of political violence in the United States, and does that stack up against the groups we hear about in the news? Today we're going to…
The Political OrphanageDon't Feed Your Friend to Bears (Friday Release Valve)
Scottish Comedian of the Year Leo Kearse triumphantly returns to the program to discuss the week's underserved headlines, including: Burning crematoriums, Hugh…
The Political OrphanageCalculating Existential Threat - Lord Martin Rees
Which is scarier: nuclear war or robots? Asteroid impact or climate change? Martin Rees is the founder of The Centre for the Study of Existential Risk at…
- The Political Orphanage
Viagra, the Musical - Friday Release Valve
Andrea Jones-Rooy and Kevin Seefried return to the program to discuss the week's underserved headlines, including: Spike Lee's next big film, a giant raccoon…
The Political OrphanageMachiavelli vs. John Stuart Mill
Niccolò Machiavelli and John Stuart Mill are two deeply impactful political thinkers on modern civilization. The former is the patron saint of ruthless…
- The Political Orphanage
Literal Underwater Ponzi Schemes (Friday Release Valve)
Andrew Young and Nick Sperdute join the show to discuss the week's most under reported headlines: underwater scooter chases, the time a school of herring…
- The Political Orphanage
The Election Wasn't Rigged
Let's investigate Trump's voter fraud allegations and his ensuing courtroom battles to flip swing states. Plus the danger to democracy imposed by the president…
- The Political Orphanage
Protect Your Bank from Racoons (Friday Release Valve)
(Not Safe for Kids) Yvette d'Entremont and Alice Vaughn are the hosts of "Two Girls One Mic," a podcast that reviews the plots of porn films. They join Heaton…
The Political OrphanageJen Briney Thinks Congress is Tricking You
Jen Briney is host of "Congressional Dish," a podcast that deep dives Congress, its legislation, and its shenanigans. She comes on to discuss what the election…
The Political OrphanageOakland's Notoriously Violent Turkey - Friday Release Valve
Jack Helmuth and Brian Sack of "Questionable Material" return in neon glory to unpack the week's best headlines, including noctiginarian shootouts, the global…
- The Political Orphanage
What Roger Ailes Can Teach Us About Election Night
Last night had a significant tell you can't gleam from polling or minute-by-minute vote counts. We don't know who's going to win, but I can tell you who both…
- The Political Orphanage
How Victory Will Jolt Republicans or Democrats
If Trump wins, does he become the standard model for GOP candidates? If he loses, do Romneyites tiptoe back? Does a Biden victory forestall the ascent of his…
The Political OrphanageWolves! Felons! Ranked Choice Voting! State Ballot Initiatives
The World's Smartest Podcast Network roundtable convenes to bring you a guide to state ballot initiatives happening around the country: Reintroducing wolves to…
- The Political Orphanage
British Supermarket Astronaut Chicken - Friday Release Valve
Comedians Brian Parise and Andrew Young join the show to discuss the week's best, underserved headlines. Including: how to bribe your way to superior wine…
- The Political Orphanage
The Alliance Party, with Jim Rex and Michelle Griffith
The Alliance Party is positioning itself to scoop up disaffected centrists from the two major parties, rather than establishing itself as a third ideological…
- The Political Orphanage
Jo Jorgensen and Spike Cohen: The Libertarians
The Libertarian Party is the only minor party that will be on all fifty state ballots this year, and Jo Jorgensen and Spike Cohen are its presidential and vice…
- The Political Orphanage
Don Blankenship & The Constitution Party
Don Blankenship is primarily concerned with protectionist trade and immigration policy, and federal spending--as well as fidelity to constitutional principles…
- The Political Orphanage
Howie Hawkins & The Green Party
Howie Hawkins is the 2020 Green Party presidential nominee. He joins the program to talk to Heaton about the Green Party's environmental and economic agenda…
The Political OrphanageThe Lads Behind The Babylon Bee (Friday Release Valve)
Kyle Mann and Ethan Nicolle, the Editor-in-Chief and Creative Director of The Babylon Bee, join Heaton to discuss political satire, why Christians are suddenly…
- The Political Orphanage
Voter Fraud Is More Troubling Than I Thought
John Fund is National Review's national-affairs editor, and the author of two books on voter fraud. He joins Heaton to discuss its prevalence and potential to…
- The Political Orphanage
Decolonize Your Lawn with Jack and Brian (FRV)
Brian Sack and Jack Helmuth of "Questionable Material with Jack and Brian" triumphantly return to the show to discuss the week's best, underserved headlines…
- The Political Orphanage
Why Election Riots Are Guaranteed
Jack Goldstone, an expert in revolutions and why and when they happen, joins the program to talk about the possibility of uprisings or civil unrest in the…
- The Political Orphanage
I Got Robbed in Oakland, California
This episode is mostly about political graffiti in Oakland, as a means by which to explore the politics of the Bay Area, a progressive beacon in a Democratic…
- The Political Orphanage
Crocodile Ransom Laws (Friday Release Valve)
It's time for another installment of Friday Release Valve to wrap up Judge Week, including asking a former law professor about laws pertaining to crocodile…
The Political OrphanageLibertarian Constitutionalism - Featuring: Tim Sandefur
Is judicial activism bad if it's focused on protecting civil liberties from government incursion? Where do libertarians and conservatives diverge in…
- The Political Orphanage
Originalism - Featuring: Christopher R. Green
Originalism is the favored jurisprudence of conservative scions like Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas. It's predicated on the notion that laws have fixed…
- The Political Orphanage
The Living Constitution - Featuring: David Strauss
When the Constitution says "cruel and unusual punishment" does it mean by the standards of the 18th century, or our own? How much latitude should jurists take…