

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

Nov 23, 2022 • 1h 12min
What Skinny Dipping Taught Me About Greed
The idea that we can eliminate poverty by outlawing greed is like trying to increase marriage rates by making people less horny. In this episode we go over the Medieval understanding of greed, against that employed by economists.

Nov 16, 2022 • 1h 13min
This Comedy Club Owner Un-Canceled Louis C.K.
Noam Dworman is owner of the Comedy Cellar in New York City. A huge critic of Cancel Culture, he caught flak for allowing Louis C. K. to perform at his club. He joins to discuss: should anyone ever be canceled? SUPPORT THE SHOW! www.patreon.com/andrewheaton

Nov 11, 2022 • 38min
We Should Abolish Student Councils
Student Councils are meant to teach young people about democracy, but what lesson are they learning? Namely that elections are popularity contests with no stakes or results! Turner Sparks and Michael Ira Kaplan join to discuss the abolition of student councils, and also give updates on Ruby Kaplan's elementary school candidacy

Nov 3, 2022 • 1h 5min
The Huge, Dumb Permit You’ve Never Heard Of
Jeremiah Johnson of The Neoliberal Podcast joins to discuss how NEPA and environmental impact reports stall construction pretty much everywhere, and alternatives to the red tape.

Oct 28, 2022 • 1h 7min
So I Got Canceled at Oxford
My recent speaking engagement at Oxford University, the various ne'er-do-wells claiming I am a fascist, and why politics attracts toxic personalities. Plus, protocols to help us remain good faith actors and not drink deep of the bile. Find the Heaton Protocols at: https://www.patreon.com/posts/so-i-got-at-73864329?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator

Oct 20, 2022 • 42min
The Iranian Regime Still Sucks
The government of Iran has shut down its Internet, and brutally clamped down on dissent. Why are the people protesting, and are they within striking distance of revolution? Should America root for them from the sidelines, or send guns? Lisa Daftari of The Foreign Desk joins to discuss

Oct 13, 2022 • 1h 9min
Who Screwed Up Worst on Covid
Did Florida's fast-and-loose Covid policies fail compared to New York's strict lockdowns? How effective were mask mandates? How did the United States stack up against Europe and Australia? Maxim Lott of "Maximum Truth" crunched the numbers on which regimes saved or lost lives during Covid 19. And offers a tool to asses if otherwise effective restrictions are actually worth it.

Oct 5, 2022 • 1h 31min
Russia’s Sham Referendums in Ukraine
Kristaps Andrejsons is a war correspondent regularly covering the conflict in Ukraine, ad the host of the Eastern Border podcast. He joins the show to discuss: * Why Russia pushed patently false referendums in Ukraine * Who blew up the Nord 2 pipeline * How the Ukrainian conflict might play out * What the West should do in its aftermath

Sep 29, 2022 • 59min
Make Congressmen Share a District
Lee Drutman is the author of “Breaking the Two-Party Doom Loop: The Case for Multiparty Democracy in America.” He joins to discuss electoral reform, multi-member districts, and proportional voting.

Sep 22, 2022 • 58min
America Ought to Get Herself A King
The British monarch reigns as the United Kingdom’s head of state, while war and taxes are carried out by the head of government, its Prime Minister. Meanwhile, in the United States of America, the President is both. In this episode we explore the nature and benefits of ceremonial monarchs.