Comedy

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.

Latest Episodes:

John McWhorter on Victimhood and Woke Racism Oct 27, 2021

Show notes

John McWhorter joins the show to discuss the mindset of victimhood, and Wokeness as a new religion. His new book is "Woke Racism: How a New Religion Has Betrayed Black America"

Support the Show: www.patreon.com/andrewheaton

Buy the book: mightyheaton.com/featured

The Reproductive Life of Good and Bad Policies Oct 20, 2021

Show notes

Dr. Chuck Shipan is the author of "Why Bad Policies Spread (and Good Ones Don't)". He is joined by Dr. Andrea Jones-Rooy, a comedian and political scientist, to discuss the forces and circumstances which lead to good and bad policy proliferation from state to state.

The Thing No Government Can Actually Do Oct 13, 2021

Show notes

Perverse Incentives! Unintended Consequences! Today we explore how governments can screw things up by confusing incentives with dictating motivation or outcomes.

Support the show: Patreon.com/andrewheaton

Tip me! Venmo: @andrew-heaton-1

George Will on Synthetic Hysteria Oct 06, 2021

Show notes

George F. Will is a Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist, and the author of "American Happiness and Discontents: The Unruly Torrent, 2008-2020." He joins the show to discuss the Culture War, failings of academia, jurisprudence, politics, and economics.

Find Mr. Will's book at mightyheaton.com/featured

Previous George Will interview: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/03-george-will-saves-america-baseball-the-gop-etc/id1439837349?i=1000445244846

Politicians Hate Big Tech Sep 30, 2021

Show notes

Robby Soave is a senior editor at Reason, and the author of "Tech Panic: Why We Shouldn't Fear Facebook and the Future." He comes to discuss politicians' misplaced anger with large tech companies, and why their fears are unfounded. Find his book at: www.mightyheaton.com/featured

Society Once Tried to Ban Teddy Bears Sep 23, 2021

Show notes

Jason Feifer is the host of "Build for Tomorrow" (formerly "The Pessimist Archives") and joins the show to discuss why we needlessly react to new technologies with fear. Did you know that society once balked at the dangerous technologies of radios, novels, and teddy bears? We get into all of them on today's show! SUPPORT THE SHOW: www.patreon.com/andrewheaton

Bonus: What Napoleon Teaches Us About Foreign Policy Sep 15, 2021

Show notes

This week bonus episodes are going on the main feed, past the paywall! Here's a rerun from last year, about Napoleon Bonaparte, and the pitfalls of "liberating" other nations.

To support the show, go to www.patreon.com/andrewheaton

How To Zero In On Reality Sep 14, 2021

Show notes

The default position for politics is advocacy—promoting our team and opposing the other. Julia Galef proposes an alternate mindset, where we try to determine the reality of a situation even if it's uncomfortable. She is the author of "The Scout Mindset: Why Some People See Things Clearly and Others Don't."

Book at www.mightyheaton.com/featured

How To Destroy a Country In Four Years Sep 08, 2021

Show notes

The Khmer Rouge was a brutal communist regime that ruled Cambodia for only four years, but in that brief period entirely destroyed its economy, wiped out its intellectual class, and horribly murdered a quarter of its population. In this history episode we investigate one of the world's worst regimes, the depths of its depravity, and how it explains a specific type of terror present in other countries today.

Are We Fixing or Ruining Welfare? (WSPN Roundtable) Aug 31, 2021

Show notes

Joe Biden's Child Tax Credit sends direct money to families, no strings attached. Is it cutting down on wasteful bureaucracy and reducing hurdles to financial aid, or enabling a culture of joblessness? The World's Smartest Podcast Network rejoins to discuss, as well as: Rich People Island, the future of remote work, and Soviet Space dogs.

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