The Political Orphanage

Latest Episodes:

What Your Life Costs, According to Uncle Sam (Bonus) Mar 28, 2020

Show notes

At the request of Patreon listeners, I'm releasing this bonus episode to the main feed--go to Patreon.com/andrewheaton if you want a weekly bonus episode like this on top of the main show! This week I explain why the government calculates a monetary price of what an individual American's life is worth, and why that's actually a useful tool for making cold, deliberative policy determinations. Which is unfortunately something we might have to do if confronted with the two bad options of "risk lives to pandemic" or "hurl the country into another Great Depression." If and when we get to that point, we'll need rational people operating the levers of power.

Season 2, Ep 42

Politicians Make Poor Superheroes Mar 25, 2020

Show notes

Should people wielding the levers of power be pragmatists who get things done, or idealists with firm convictions and boundaries? Which political opinions attract the most elitists? Jeremy Kareken and Tom Brennan join the program for an astonishingly fun episode given how long we've all been in quarantine.

Season 2, Ep 41

Live from Snuffy's Fallout Shelter: The Corona Episode Mar 20, 2020

Show notes

In which Heaton speaks with: Tom Snuffhauser, local business owner, about the impact of the Corona Virus on the consumer economy; U.S. Horse Surgeon General Richard Snodgrass, about health precautions you can implement on behalf of your horse; Brian Sack and Jack Helmuth, hosts of the "Questionable Material" podcast, and Josh Jennings, producer emeritus for Something's Off with Andrew Heaton. Apologies on sound quality--technical problems resulting from a live stream show!

Season 2, Ep 40

We're Against Abolishing the Electoral College, Apparently Mar 18, 2020

Show notes

Brian Brushwood and Justin Robert Young join Heaton to discuss attempts to abolish the Electoral College. What are the upshots and downsides to a national popular vote? What measures could improve the existing system without scrapping it? Plus, of course, Heaton rants about Ranked Choice Voting.

Season 2, Episode 39

Late Night Comedy vs. the Outrage Industry Mar 11, 2020

Show notes

Why do socially liberal comedians clean up in late night television, while social conservatives dominate talk radio? Dannagal Goldthwaite Young is the author of "Irony and Outrage: The Polarized Landscape of Rage, Fear, and Laughter in the United States." She joins Heaton to discuss how liberals and conservatives process ambiguity, order, and politics on television.

Season 2, Ep. 38

You're Doing Prison Wrong Mar 04, 2020

Show notes

The Criminal Justice episode! What to do about private prisons, the Death Penalty, the Drug War, mental health, prostitution, Norway vs. Joe Arpaio, and bail bonds. Featuring: J. M. Jennings Season 2, Ep. 37

Meet the Libertarian Candidates Feb 26, 2020

Show notes

It's a scrum for the Libertarian Party's 2020 presidential nomination, and the party won't select a nominee until its national convention in May. Heaton visited the California Libertarian State Party Convention to meet and interview the top six candidates in the party:

10:00 - Adam Kokesh

23:24 – Lincoln Chafee

37:00 – Mark Whitney

53:26 – Jo Jorgensen

1:05:48– Vermin Supreme

1:19:21 – Jacob Hornberger

Rush Limbaugh and Virtue Ethics - BONUS Feb 21, 2020

Show notes

Every week Heaton makes a special bonus episode of the show exclusively for Patreon subscribers. Recently enough supporters liked and wanted to share his episode on how Aristotelian Virtue Ethics apply to Rush Limbaugh that they asked him to release it on the main feed. Enjoy!

Global Elitists vs. Very Loud Populists - Featuring: Joel Stein Feb 19, 2020

Show notes

Joel Stein is the author of "In Defense of Elitism: Why I'm Better Than You and You are Better Than Someone Who Didn't Buy This Book." The former Time columnist explores the new and angry fault line between globalism and populism, drawing upon his travels to the most Trumpian county in America, and meeting populist celebrities Scott Adams and Tucker Carlson.

Ep 34

Who's the Democratic Candidate Gonna Be? Feb 13, 2020

Show notes

Heaton records his New Hampshire experience hitting up Biden, Pete, and Yang rallies, plus thoughts on Warren, Bernie, and Klobuchar. He talks about his all-too-brief love affair with the Andrew Yang candidacy, and most importantly--who's going to scoop up the 2020 Democratic Presidential nomination in the wake of the New Hampshire primary.

Season 2, Ep 33

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