The Political Orphanage

The Constitution guarantees freedom of religion, but also forbids the establishment of religion. What happens when the two come into conflict?   In Judge Week 2: Separation of Church and State, we investigate the First Amendment, and how the courts balance its competing clauses.

Civilization has made warfare more indirect, streamlined, technological, and distant. What if making warfare nicer makes us less hesitant to begin conflicts, and slower to stop them? Samuel Moyn is the author of “Humane: How the United States Abandoned Peace and Reinvented War.”

The Founding Fathers were all children of the Enlightenment, and they agreed on kicking King George out, but they never agreed on how to run the country. Seth Radwell, author of American Schism: How the Two Enlightenments Hold the Secret to Healing Our Nation joins on to discuss these two halves of our Founding, and how they are ultimately complimentary.

How do we determine when to retire truly offensive words and replace confusing ones, against virtue signaling and shifting goal posts? Ron Hayden of “Worth Watching” and Dr. Andrea Jones-Rooy of “Majoring in Everything” join to discuss.

Inflation is at an 11-year high--what's causing it! How do we solve it, and how does it effect us (and our bank accounts)? John Cochrane, "The Grumpy Economist" joins to discuss.  Plus: Hyperinflation . . . via the French Revolution!

In “How to Change Minds: The Surprising Science of Belief, Opinion, and Persuasion,” science writer David McRaney explores proven ways to get people to unstuck themselves from entrenched opinions and think straight.  Get “How to Change Minds” at www.mightyheaton.com/featured Relevant Episodes: Peter Boghassian on “How to Talk to Insufferable Ideologues” https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-talk-to-insufferable-ideologues-featuring-peter/id1439837349?i=1000464778737 Andrea Jones-Rooy on “How to Unstuck Idiot Political Beliefs” https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-unstuck-idiot-political-beliefs/id1439837349?i=1000463382249 Adaam Levin-Areddy on Cognitive Dissonance: https://politicalorphanage.libsyn.com/cognative-dissonance David McRaney on Groupthink https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/why-monkey-groupthink-beats-human-logic/id1439837349?i=1000556387655

Court Packing! In the wake of Roe v. Wade, Progressives want to insert new justices to tip back the majority. In this episode we explore the several times politicians have rigged the courts. And then analyze the best available reforms to make the Supreme Court less of a partisan volcano.

Let’s talk to a treasure hunter about the laws and politics of finding old gold at the bottom of the ocean!   Who owns the gold? Do governments squabble over it? What ratio of lawyers to diving equipment do you need to salvage and sell said gold?   Chip Forsythe is establishing a multi-million dollar treasure hunting expedition along the Atlantic seafloor--in search of sunken gold.

Let’s take a numbers-first approach to gun legislation. In the wake of horrible mass shootings, gun control and advocacy groups are digging their heals, and often relying on bumper sticker canards. Rather than approaching this issue ideologically, or even inductively, we’re going to look at ways to dramatically reduce gun deaths by looking at the numbers.   “Gun Deaths by the Numbers” with Guy Smith:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/gun-deaths-by-the-numbers/id1439837349?i=1000508430461

"Demographic Winter" occurs when a nation's population growth is so bottlenecked that its labor is unable to sustain the economy in basics like tax revenue, health care services--and food. Much of the developed world, with laggardly birthrates, is poised to tumble off that demographic cliff.   Ken Gronbach is an internationally lauded demographer. Analyzing population macrotrends, he forecasts calamities, upswings, and political and economic changes in the near future.   He joins to discuss the “Demographic Winter” poised to afflict much of the world, plus what the United States can anticipate over the next two decades as Baby Boomers retire and a fresh generation steps up.