The Political Orphanage

Shoshanna Weissman, a rogue policy wonk at the R Street Institute joins Heaton to discuss the dumbest occupational licenses in the United States, many of which either involve corpses or flowers. Plus, updates on an America hero who chases down a perp from his riding lawn mower.

Heaton brings back "Animal News" to cover drunk raccoons, a lost camel, and whether pet alligators are better than cats. Then comedian Mahesh Kotagi joins to offer perspective on Apu from The Simpsons, and how political correctness affects standup. Plus ruin your portfolio with "Stock Market Tips from Comedians."

Heaton brings on comedian and verified smart person Andrea Jones-Rooy to discuss the soft, problematic underbelly of democracy: math. Plus: News from Canada, including a butter heist and a mythical Thunderbird.

In today's podcast we take a deep breath and skip the headlines and segments to do an actual, honest-to-god interview with a thoughtful adult. Arnold Kling is the author of "The Three Languages of Politics: Talking Across Political Divides." He's an expert on how people think and the filters conservatives, progressives, and libertarians interprets things through.

Amazon Should Build Its Own City, with guest Jim Swift Amazon finally picks two overwhelmingly unsurprising locations for its HQ, and Heaton talks to The Weekly Standard's Jim Swift about the perils of corporate cronyism. Plus:, "Naughty Parts from Around the World": a segment devoted entirely to scandals and sex. 

The most interesting thing about the midterms wasn't Red Team vs. Blue Team, it was state propositions. "Modern Rogue" founder and touring magician Brian Brushwood joins Heaton to talk about gerrymandering, legal weed, minimum wage, and how to properly eat a light bulb. PLUS: ghosts and creepy dolls on Paranormal News.   

Filmmaker Royce Sharp joins to discuss a better way to view the electorate than Red Team and Blue Team, and the large but quiet "exhausted middle." Plus learn about why Heaton's arch-nemesis is a penguin in "Animal News."

In China, you submit your jokes to the government and the commies edit them for you. International comedian Turner Sparks joins to talk about being funny in an authoritarian regime. Plus, find out about Holographic Reagan and how Heaton's cryptocurrency portfolio is doing in "Tech News."