

The Political Orphanage
Andrew Heaton
Politics minus bile plus jokes. Comedian and avowed independent Andrew Heaton interviews authors and thought leaders about policy and big thinky stuff.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jul 6, 2023 • 1h 14min
Clarence Thomas Hates Affirmative Action
Last week the Supreme Court effectively banned race considerations in higher education admissions. Anastasia Boden returns to discuss the relevant constitutional law, and the underlying ideological issues. Support the show! www.patreon.com/andrewheaton Top Ten Episodes: mightyheaton.com/bestof Mugs at: www.mightyheaton.com/merch Anastasia’s Twitter: @Anastasia_esq

4 snips
Jun 29, 2023 • 1h 8min
The Longest Happiness Study in History
The Harvard Study of Adult Development spans 83-years of health and happiness data analysis, and counting! Its director is Dr. Robert Waldinger, author of “The Good Life: Lessons from the World’s Longest Scientific Study of Happiness.” He joins to discuss his findings. Support the show! www.patreon.com/andrewheaton Top 10 Episodes! www.mightyheaton.com/bestof Discord Link: https://discord.gg/9JnUfp627n Find the Book at: www.mightyheaton.com/featured Waldinger’s Sangha: http://newtonzen.org/teachers.html

Jun 21, 2023 • 1h 24min
Cancel Culture Runs Out of Steam (WSPN)
The World’s Smartest Podcast Networks convenes to ask: is Cancel Culture on its way out? Comedian Hannah Gadsby’s art exhibit “Pablo-Matic” draws attention to the misogynist side of Pablo Picasso… but didn’t seem to get much attention itself. Turner Sparks, Andrea Jones-Rooy, and Andrew Heaton combine forces to discuss the end of Cancel Culture and how funny comedy needs to be to be comedy. NYT piece: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/01/arts/design/hannah-gadsby-brooklyn-museum-picasso.html Poll: Who Gets Canceled? https://www.patreon.com/posts/poll-who-gets-84935788?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link

Jun 15, 2023 • 1h 41min
Because of the Commerce Clause!
Attorney Anna Gorisch returns to explain the Commerce Clause, and how it’s gone from a restraint on state-on-state protectionism to a trump card for federal oversight to subvert local control.

19 snips
Jun 7, 2023 • 1h 8min
Big Ag's Meat Ethics
This episode we dive into animal suffering, big agriculture, and the laws Big Meat has on the books to restrict freedom of speech. As well as what basic animal welfare laws would look like, and how much they would cost. Guest Lewis Bollard leads Open Philanthropy’s strategy for Animal Farm Welfare. TOP EPISODES: www.mightyheaton.com/bestof SUPPORT THE SHOW! www.patreon.com/andrewheaton

May 31, 2023 • 1h 22min
The Three Personalities in Politics
Bijoy Goswami is the author of “The Human Fabric: Unleashing the Power of Core Energy in Everyone.” He joins the show to discuss the personalities that make teams flop or excel, and how they apply to politics. Bijoy’s course: www.aviri.com/p/mre

12 snips
May 24, 2023 • 2h 11min
What Happens with the National Debt
The National Debt engorges daily--when does it collapse in on itself and crater the economy? In this special we tackle the nature of federal debt, the apocalyptic scenarios its current trajectory leads to, and the pitfalls along the way. Plus, where the train went off the rails, when deficits are smart or dangerous, and the solutions we could enact to ward off fiscal Armageddon. SAVE WALLACE! - https://mightyheaton.com/savewallace PayPal: andrew@mightyheaton.com Venmo: @andrew-heaton-1 P.O. Box: Andrew Heaton, 1401 Lavaca Street, No. 594, Austin, TX 78701

May 17, 2023 • 1h 15min
Was Abraham Lincoln Leftwing or Rightwing?
Where would Lincoln fall on the Left-Right spectrum? Was Jefferson a radical leftist? Was Hamilton a reactionary conservative? If the whole Left-Right spectrum is bunk... where did it come from, and when did it become universal? Professor Hyrum Lewis joins to discuss his new book, "The Myth of Left and Right: How the Political Spectrum Misleads and Harms America." Top Ten Best Episodes: www.mightyheaton.com/bestof SUPPORT THE SHOW! Patreon.com/andrewheaton Featured Books at: www.mightyheaton.com/featured

May 11, 2023 • 1h 5min
Disneyland with The Death Penalty: Singapore
Think tanks from the right and left regularly glorify Singapore’s economy as either an exemplary free market or a progressive rockstar. Meanwhile, it’s regularly lampooned as an authoritarian state with questionable democracy. What the hell is it?! Comedian Sam See, of Singapore, joins to discuss TOP TEN EPISODES: www.mightyheaton.com/bestof

16 snips
May 3, 2023 • 1h 15min
Confirmation Bias is Hilarious But Expensive
What do military research boondoogles on astral projection, psychic boon-bending children, and extensive bouts of policy antics all have in common? Confirmation bias. Brian Brushwood and Justin Robert Young join the show to discuss confirmation bias vis a vis their hit podcast, "World's Greatest Con" World's Greatest Con: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/worlds-greatest-con/id1572307941