The Political Orphanage

Andrea Jones-Rooy voted for Kamala Harris.

Josh Jennings voted for Donald Trump.

We invite both onto our program to air out what they are afraid of, and what they’re worried or hopeful about over the next four years.

A full-scale musical comedy about Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, and the ill-fated 2024 election. Enjoy!

If you'd like to follow along with the lyrics, go to www.mightyheaton.com/music

Tips:

Venmo: @mightyheaton

Paypal: andrew@mightyheaton.com

So does America suck if your candidate loses? In this live episode of the show, we hear an uplifting Nazi story, what POW treatment says about American character, domestic terrorism, and why America is ultimately pretty awesome. 

Musical guests: Toothy Gibbons; Mister Jenkins and the Hoofbeats

ENJOY THE SHOW? BUY MY BOOK! "Tribalism is Dumb: Where It Came From, How it Got So Bad, and What to Do About It."

https://www.amazon.com/Tribalism-Dumb-Where-Came-about/dp/B0DJKSZP6J

Austin Petersen joins to make the case for why independents should cast their vote for Donald Trump.

Jeremiah Johnson of the New Liberal Podcast and Jeff Maurer of I Might Be Wrong join the show to make the case for why independents should vote for Kamala Harris.

The Green Party is America's fourth-largest party, and also has sufficient ballot access to have a legal path to an electoral victory.

The party is a blend of environmentalism, socialism, and non-interventionist foreign policy. Jen Briney joins to discuss the latter.

Cornel West is a philosopher, former professor, and civil rights activist, running for president as the People’s Party candidate.

Chase Oliver is the Libertarian Party’s presidential candidate, and the standard bearer for America’s third largest political party. He joins to discuss his campaign, and make his pitch to independent voters.

Why did politics become so nasty, so partisan, so... tribal?

Well now. I wrote a book for you on this very subject: "Tribalism is Dumb: Where it Came From, How it Got So Bad, and What to Do About It." 

It's out now! This episode features the first two chapters. Please grab a copy, and enjoy!

www.mightyheaton.com/books

Jonathan Ainslie is a law lecturer at the University of Aberdeen, with a focus on Roman Law. He joins the show to discuss free speech rules in the United Kingdom, and the broader topic of what role the government ought to play in protecting you from yourself. 

Kevin Williamson is national correspondent at The Dispatch, and writer-in-residence at the Competitive Enterprise Institute. He joins to give a thousand-foot view of what our political era will look like in retrospect.

What if we’re focusing on jobs too much?

Guy Standing is the author of “The Politics of Time: Gaining Control in the Age of Uncertainty.”

He joins to discuss laborism, why GDP is a stupid economic indicator, and solutions to the economy’s most vexing problems. 

What is “woke” exactly? And why is it it irritating? Lawrence Titley joins to make the case that Wokeness is an older historical phenomenon of loudly drawing attention to cognitive dissonance and moral correction.

What’s the difference between effective, ethical taxes vs. stupid stuff with a bunch of loop holes for rich people? Scott Hodge is President Emeritus & Senior Policy Advisor at the Tax Foundation. He is the author of “Taxocracy: What You Don’t Know Abou Taxes And How They Rule Your Daily Life.” 

Book at: www.mightyheaton.com/featured

How do the histories of countries set up the greater context in which they become rich or poor?

Daron Acemoglu believes it boils down to whether or not they’ve been organized according to extractive or inclusive institutions.

He joins to discuss his book, Why Nations Fail.

Final thoughts on attending the Democratic National Convention; the underlying ideology and policy goals, and who will win in the face off between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.

Who's this Tim Walz guy?

Live from the Democratic National Convention, we go into his National Guard record, his tenure in Congress and as governor of Minnesota, and explore the underpinnings of his political philosophy.

El Salvador used to be the murder capital of the world. Now it’s arguably as safe as Canada. In 2019 Nayib Bukele became president, and initiated a draconian crackdown on drug cartels, suspending the Constitution and civil liberties. It knocked gangs out of neighborhoods, but flirted with tyranny to do so. Was the trade worth it? Peter Gietl of Frontier Magazine joins to discuss.

Link to Chicago Live Show: https://ci.ovationtix.com/36644/production/1210915?performanceId=11512974

Scott Klug is a former representative from Wisconsin, and the host of the podcast Lost in the Middle.

He joins to discuss partisanship, “both sideism” and electoral solutions to America’s current, horrible political quagmire.

Why is college so expensive, and also, why do rich families keep trying to bribe their ways into the most elite schools?

Sahaj Sharda is the author of “The College Cartel.” He joins to discuss the underlying structures ruining higher ed.

His book at: www.mightyheaton.com/featured

Matt Taibbi is an independent journalist and winner of the National Magazine Award. Formerly a gonzo journalist at Rolling Stone, he now runs Racket News.

He joins to discuss the relationship between power and journalism, and the role of newsmakers in a chaotic era. 

Thoughts on Donald Trump's acceptance speech at the 2024 RNC Convention. AND what happens next, at the forthcoming DNC bloodbath.

Donald Trump has tapped J. D. Vance of Ohio as his running mate, cementing the Republican Party as a populist movement--and ending the old balance between Goldwater and Rockefeller Republicans, or Reagan fusionists. In this episode we discuss the implications.

Some takes on bad takes following the assassination attempt, followed by rambling but heartfelt plea not to shoot each other.

The British Labour Party just picked up dizzying, historical amounts of seats in Parliament, at the expense of the Conservative Party. Is it just the pendulum swinging the other way around, or does it signify something more seismic?

Douglas Carswell, President of the Mississippi Institute and former member of Parliament, and Lawrence Titley join to discuss.

Discord Link: www.mightyheaton.com/discord

In City of Grants Pass v. Johnson the Supreme Court rejects Martin vs. Boise, which forbade cities from dispersing homeless encampments if there weren't sufficient beds around to go to instead.

Anna Gorisch joins to discuss.

"Homelessness and our Stupid Solutions" https://politicalorphanage.libsyn.com/homelessness-and-our-stupid-solutions

"The Best Tiny House Village in America"

https://www.patreon.com/posts/best-tiny-house-61663866

This week the United States Supreme Court ruled on Donald Trump, and subsequently, on immunities afforded to the president and former presidents. In this episode we explore the ramifications of that decision.

On this episode of Judge Week we tackle two Supreme Court decisions pertaining to firearms: United States v. Rahimi, and Garland vs. Cargill. Anastasia Boden of the Pacific Legal Foundation and Jacob Sullum of Reason join respectively to discuss.

Support the show! Patreon.com/andrewheaton

The Chevron Doctrine is the longtime bete noir of conservatives and libertarians hostile to the administrative state.

Tim Sandefur of the Goldwater Institute joins to discuss the reasoning behind it, and the reasoning that smite it. 

Support the show! patreon.com/andrewheaton

Past Judge Weeks: https://www.patreon.com/collection/140707?view=expanded

Part 1: Debate: The Musical!

Part 2: Andrew Heaton and Justin Robert Young give intial thoughts directly after the debate. 

Tips:

Paypal: andrew@mightyheaton.com

Venmo: @andrew-heaton-1

Ryan Bourne is the former head of public policy at the Institute of Economic Affairs in the United Kingdom, an economist at the Cato Institute, and editor and contributing author of the new book The War on Prices. 

Book at: mightyheaton.com/featured

Is Robert Kennedy, Jr. a nutbag or a truth-telling disruptor? Can he actually win the presidency, or just spoil it? In this episode we tackle RFK.

Part 1: Heaton’s assessment of his politics, positives, and his position on vaccines.

Part 2: David Drucker of The Dispatch joins to discuss his candidacy, campaign, impact, and spoilage.

Jonathan Rauch is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, a contributing writer at The Atlantic, and the author of the book "The Happiness Curve: Why Life Gets Better After Age Fifty." He joins to discuss the reality, economics, and neurology of midlife crises.  

Find his book at www.mightyheaton.com/featured

John Romulus Brinkley became wealthy, famous, and powerful as one of America's most colorful, ludicrous quacks. He made his fortune by "curing" male impotence by sewing goat testicles into clients. As well as becoming a radio tycoon, politician, and more. 

Check out more on the podcast Losers, Pretenders & Scoundrels

Last week a New York court found former president Donald Trump guilty on thirty-four felony counts. Is this rule of law in action, or a corrupt judiciary undermining the law? 

Paul Townsend and Anna Gorisch join to sort things out. 

What are the insecurities of the Working Class, and what policies hurt or exploit them? Batya Ungar-Sargon is an editor at Newsweek and the author of Second Class: How the Elites Betrayed America's Working Men and Women.

BOOK AT: www.mightyheaton.com/featured

Batya’s handle: @bungarsargon

Heaton & Batya on Heaton’s TV show: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBh3sLlgRx4

Batya on The Political Orphanage: “Woke Hysteria is Actually Class Warfare”

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/woke-hysteria-is-actually-class-warfare/id1439837349?i=1000557442141

Daniel J. Fox, Ph.D., is a licensed psychologist in Texas, international speaker, and multiple-award winning author. He has been specializing in the treatment and assessment of individuals with personality disorders for over 20 years in the state and federal prison system, universities, and in private practice.

Dr. Rainer Zitelmann is the author of "How Nations Escape Poverty: Vietnam, Poland, and the Origins of Prosperity." He joins to discuss the efficacy of international development aid, and what we can learn from the economic growth of Asia vs. that of Africa.

Book at: www.mightyheaton.com/featured

Dr. Zitelmann on Nazi Economics: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-nazis-thought-about-economics/id1439837349?i=1000577197764

Dr. Zitelmann on his book “In Defense of Capitalism” 

https://politicalorphanage.libsyn.com/capitalism-remains-undefeated

Film: “Poland: From Socialism to Prosperity”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBIhsZ9GNHc&t=118s

Jeffrey Rosen is a legal scholar and the President of the National Constitution Center. He’s the author “the Pursuit of Happiness: How Classical Writers on Virtue Inspired the Lives of the Founders and Defined America.”

Book at www.mightyheaton.com/featured

Protests over Israel and Hamas have become so heated at Columbia that it’s canceled in-person classes the rest of the semester.

Anti-Israel protests are becoming not just a flashpoint in America’s culture war, but within Blue Team itself.

What’s happening?

The World’s Smartest Podcast Network assembles to discuss: Andrew Heaton, Dr. Andrea Jones-Rooy, and Michael Ira Kaplan. 

We’re Not Wrong Live Show: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/were-not-wrong-live-in-washington-dc-tickets-882962824577?aff=erelexpmlt

James Judkins started out as a circus worker, eating swords and fire, then working up to ringleader and manager. As a talent scout operating in other countries, he became professionally involved in sorting visas foreign countries, then eventually transitioned to a full-time visa agency. He joins the show to discuss 1) what it’s like working at the circus, and 2) how temp visas work for seasonal workers, and how they could work better. 

There’s a pervasive idea that in the 1950s America had single-earner families who could more easily afford housing, car payments, groceries and college, so maybe we should go back to the political economy of that era? In this special, we visit Fiftiesland and see how it stacks up to modern America.

Support the show! Patreon.com/andrewheaton

Venmo: @andrew-heaton-1

Tom Merritt of Daily Tech News joins to discuss the underlying technology of AI and Large Language Models, and what people get wrong about both. 

Pre-order Tom’s book at: www.tomsnewbook.com

SUPPORT THE SHOW! www.patreon.com/andrewheaton 

Heaton and Nick sketch comedy: mightyheaton.com/vagabonding

Bonus Episode: How to Use AI for Work https://www.patreon.com/posts/bonus-how-to-use-98003840?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link

Bonus: A.I. Wrote and Recorded An En Entire Episode

https://www.patreon.com/posts/bonus-i-wrote-77020469?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link

Jennifer Doleac is Executive Vice President of Criminal Justice at Arnold Ventures, a major funder of criminal justice research and reform in the United States. She joins to discuss trends in crime, causes and deterents of crime, and cheap or easy ways we can make the country safer. 

Support the show! www.patreon.com/andrewheaton.

Adam Andrzejewski is CEO and Founder of Open The Books, an organization which files thousands of FOIA requests each year to document and expose government budgets and employee salaries, to identity waste and fraud.

Website: https://www.openthebooks.com/

Donald Trump is being prosecuted under RICO law in Georgia, wherein District Attorney Fanni Willis has charged him and parts of his campaigns as criminal conspirators in a criminal enterprise.

What is RICO law, and does Trump qualify for prosecution under it? Attorney Paul Townsend rejoins to discuss.

Xi Xinping, the leader of China, has dramatically consolidated power and extended his reign indefinitely. What does he think and what does he want? Steve Tsang is the Director of the SOAS China Institute at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London. He is the author of “The Political Thought of Xi Xinping,” and joins to discuss.

Rudyard William Lynch is the host of WhatifAlHist, a popular history channel on YouTube.

He joins to discuss how the origins and circumstances of America’s regions permanently imprinted on its cultures and political outlooks.

Colin Woodard's Map: https://www.businessinsider.com/the-11-nations-of-the-united-states-2015-7

Rudyard's Map: https://preview.redd.it/cultural-map-of-america-done-by-whatifalthist-on-youtube-v0-7clddg9nunpa1.jpg?auto=webp&s=663b38b9434bdf7791fac983f0d5e5beb643b779

Relevant Book: American Nations: A History of the Eleven Rival Regional Cultures of North America, by Colin Woodard

Alain Bertaud is a feted urbanist, who before becoming a professor at NYU, worked in city planning in communist China, as well as on projects in Algeria, Cuba, and his native France. He joins to discuss what work and results look like in top-down command economies.

Alan Bertaud from City Week:

https://www.patreon.com/posts/sim-city-was-79663680?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link

Is AI biased towards a particular viewpoint, and if so, how does it affect national sentiment and elections? Maxim Lott has built an AI tracking website that charts the political orientation of Large Language Models, and watches their development in real time. He joins to discuss.

Maxim’s Website: trackingai.org

Maxim’s Substack: https://maximumtruth.substack.com/

Political Compass Quiz: https://www.politicalcompass.org/test

I flew to New Hampshire to check out the primaries, and to visit this historically independent-minded state to see how independents think. In this episode we see a Nikki Haley concert, and get invited to a Libertarian Clubhouse.

TPO: Don't Screw This Up, New Hampshire (Feb, 2020)  https://five.libsyn.com/show/episodes/view/13086767

Donald Trump has been removed from the ballot in Colorado and in Maine, on the grounds that he is an insurrectionist ineligible to hold office under the U.S. Constitution. The Supreme Court will hear an appeal from the Trump campaign in the following weeks.

Anna Gorisch comes to discuss the specifics and impacts of this case, and what will be of issue to the highest court in the land.

Live from Des Moines, Iowa, Heaton transforms into a 'thinky travelogue' guide, unraveling the mysteries of state-by-state primaries, and the often confusing blend of direct democracy and representative democracy that characterizes American politics.

This episode isn't just about the mechanics of the caucus; it's an exploration of the philosophical underpinnings of the American political system, drawing parallels between ancient Greece and Rome, and our modern-day practices.

TPO: Glen Weyl on How Weighted Voting Could Actually Work https://politicalorphanage.libsyn.com/glen-weyl

Hey gang, I will be joining Jen Briney and Justin Robert Young for a live show of our podcast "We're Not Wrong" at 7:00 PM at the Share Brewing Company in Manchester, NH, this Saturday, January 20th. If you're in the area, this is a great alibi--come on out!

Zach Weinersmith is the author of “A City on Mars: Can we settle space, should we settle space, and have we really thought this through?”

He joins to discuss the legal and economic feasibility of building settlements on Mars or the Moon

SUPPORT THE SHOW! www.patreon.com.andrewheaton

Robert Zubrin: Want to Build a Moon Base

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-98-i-want-to-build-a-moon-base-guest-robert-zubrin/id1439837349?i=1000434628317

Robert Zubrin on Mars

https://alienating.libsyn.com/turns-out-were-all-probably-martians

How to Make Money on Mars

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/alienating-the-audience/id1488171922?i=1000470956981

Lori Garber: Space Billionaires vs Space Bureucrats 

https://politicalorphanage.libsyn.com/space-bureaucrats-vs-space-billionaires

Greg Lukianoff is the President of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, and along with Rikki Schlott, is the author of "The Cancelling of the American Mind: Cancel Culture Undermines Trust, Destroys Institutions, and Threatens Us All--But There Is a Solution." 

Get the the book: www.mightyheaton.com/featured

TPO: Greg Lukianoff discussing his last book, “The Coddling of the American Mind.” https://omny.fm/shows/something-s-off-with-andrew-heaton/ep-19-the-coddling-of-the-american-mind-guest-greg?in_playlist=something-s-off-with-andrew-heaton!podcast

TPO: “The Enemies of How We Know Stuff” with Jonathan Rauch

https://politicalorphanage.libsyn.com/the-enemies-of-how-we-know-stuff

TPO: “This Comedy Club Owner Un-Canceled Louis C. K.” 

https://politicalorphanage.libsyn.com/getting-canceled-diet-death-penalty

TPO: “How to Be A Better Vulcan” (Logical Fallacies)

https://politicalorphanage.libsyn.com/logical-fallacies-main-feed

New York Times columnist David Brooks believes a basic breakdown in interpersonal skills is the origin of our current political rancor. His new book, "How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply And Being Deeply Seen" aims to fix that. He joins to discuss how to better connect with people, and its implications. 

Support the show! www.patreon.com/andrewheaton

Buy the book: www.mightyheaton.com/featured

Highlights from Christmas comedy specials of years gone by. Enjoy!

Deed restrictions allow you to make contractual obligations with other homeowners–often, dead ones. How do deed restrictions and HOA’s drive up housing costs and hurt density? How do we allow private contracts to exist without running into the downsides of neighborhood covenants.

Chris Gannon works with the American Institute of Architects on their Housing Committee. He joins to discuss.

Chris Moody and his wife called their telecom provider, to ask that their Internet service be scrapped, and replaced by a landline. They do not have cell reception on the mountain where they live, so eschew wifi and the world wide web in favor of a single hardwired phone inside their home. Chris joins the show to discuss how the change affected his lifestyle and happiness, and offer advice on what others can do.

REFERENCES: 

TPO: Would You Shut Down the Internet If You Could?

https://politicalorphanage.libsyn.com/would-you-shut-down-the-internet-if-you-could

The Atlantic: Life Is Really Better Without the Internet, by Chris Moody

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/11/home-internet-landline-amazon-smartphone/676070/

Reason: Essentials for Van Life, by Chris Moody

https://reason.com/2023/11/09/17-essentials-for-van-life/

Funny! “When Life was Simple” from Harry & Paul

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqE9TS4jsJM

How to Grayscale Your Phone

https://www.makeuseof.com/how-to-enable-grayscale-on-iphone/#:~:text=Setting%20up%20grayscale%20on%20your,Color%20Filters%22%20in%20your%20settings.

Juries have the ability to vote “not guilty” even when it’s clear the accused violated established law.

If a jury judges a law as unjust and refuses to convict, is that a needed recourse within our judicial system, or contrary to objective and universal justice? 

Attorney Paul Townsend joins to discuss.

How many nuclear bombs do we actually need to sufficiently scare an enemy? How many is too many? If we agree to reduce our stockpiles… how can we trust that the other guy really did? Travis Halleman is an expert on nuclear deterrence, and joins to discuss. 

Links:

Who Actually Survives a Nuclear War: https://www.patreon.com/posts/who-actually-war-71978682?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=postshare_creator

Ward Wilson: Everything You Know About Nukes is Wrong

https://podcasts.apple.com/za/podcast/ep-133-everything-you-know-about-nukes-is-wrong-guest/id1439837349?i=1000440171975

Political Orphanage Primer on Foreign Policy: https://politicalorphanage.libsyn.com/liberals-realists-and-the-real-cause-of-war

Mark Galeotti - https://warontherocks.com/author/mark-galeotti/

Cenk Uygur is a flame-throwing progressive pundit, host of The Young Turks, co-founder of Justice Democrats, and author of “Justice is Coming: How Progressives Are Going to Take Over The Country And America Is Going to Love It.” He joins to discuss his book, polemics, and his possible presidential run. 

“Was Abraham Lincoln Leftwing or Rightwing?” https://podcasts.apple.com/gr/podcast/was-abraham-lincoln-leftwing-or-rightwing/id1439837349?i=1000613342722

Cenk’s book at: www.mightyheaton.com/featured

Gene Epstein is the founder and moderator of the Soho Forum, a debate society, and is the former Economics editor at Barron’s.

He joins to discuss the nature of trickle down economics, its proponents and detractors, and the biggest factors in political economy which lead to inequality.

LINKS :

Soho Forum https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-soho-forum-debates/id1485021246

What happens when your religious, ethnic, and political identities converge into a mega identity? Dannagal Goldthwaite Young is the author of  "Wrong: How Media, Politics, and Identity Drive our Appetite for Misinformation." She joins to discuss identity, and how it leads to misinformation. 

Her book at: www.mightyheaton.com/featured

Previous appearance: “Late Night Comedy vs. The Outrage Industry” https://politicalorphanage.libsyn.com/late-night-comedy-vs-the-outrage-industry

Robert Sapolsky is a professor of biology and neurobiology at at Stanford University, and the recipient of a MacArthur Genius Grant. He is the author of "Determined: A Science of Life Without Free Will." He joins to discuss the case against free will, and its societal implications. 

Robert’s Book at www.mightyheaton.com/featured

Socrates Sketch: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2QrrYug_VQ&t=35s

The Emperor Claudius

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/emperor-claudius-killed-a-whale/id1596616667?i=1000546859060&l=ru

Michael Glennon is the author of “National Security and Double Government.” He joins to discuss the growth of America’s national security apparatus, and how it functionally upends Madisonian democracy while leaving constitutional rhetoric in tact.

Support the Show! Patreon.com/andrewheaton

Glennon’s book at: www.mightyheaton.com/featured

LINKS:

Charles Cooke on Abolishing the FBI https://www.patreon.com/posts/bonus-charles-to-75324382?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link

Ron Paul on Foreign Policy and the Deep State https://www.patreon.com/posts/40187874/

Randy Barnett is one of America’s foremost jurists, and a professor at Georgetown Law. He joins to discussed unenumerated rights, in the context of the 9th and 10th amendments. 

SUPPORT THE SHOW! www.patreon.com/andrewheaton

Randy Barnett’s books at: www.mightyheaton.com/featured

Law Episodes Collection: https://www.patreon.com/collection/140707

Depending on whether society treats people primarily as individuals or as identity groups has deep ramifications for worldviews, government policy, and the long-term health of society. Yascha Mounk is the author of “The Identity Trap: A Story of Ideas and Power in our Time.” He joins to discuss.

Book at: www.mightyheaton.com/featured

“When Wokes and Racists Actually Agree on Everything” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ev373c7wSRg

Antipathy towards communism tends to come from its consequences–liberal democracy and markets have yielded greater prosperity, so we should embrace them over socialism. Michael Malice posits a different argument–that regardless of consequence, the Soviet Union and allied communists were evil from the get go, and should be remembered and condemned for it. He is the author of “The White Pill: A Tale of Good and Evil.” He joins to discuss.

Michael’s book at: www.mightyheaton.com/featured

"Adults Are Talking with Andrew Heaton" on YouTube Adults Are Talking with Andrew Heaton | Ep 1 "Adults Are Talking with Andrew Heaton" on Twitter: https://twitter.com/i/status/1704993914900406574

REFERENCED EPISODES: "Who Actually Survives a Nuclear War?" https://www.patreon.com/posts/who-actually-war-71978682?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=postshare_creator

"How to Destroy a Country in Four Years: Cambodia" https://www.patreon.com/posts/how-to-destroy-55904459

Emmy-award winning journalist John Stossel joins the Political Orphanage to talk about journalism and politics. Stossel’s career spans work on ABC News, Fox Business, and Reason TV. He's the winner of five national press award and 19 Emmies. His YouTube show, Stossel TV, appears every Tuesday.

Buck Shwartzmore for 7th Floor Fire Marshall https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdcRCj9QBtg&t=1s

Guy Standing stipulates that we should not think of property as either being private or state controlled, but ought to think of a third category: the commons. The commons is something wholly distinctive from either, and ought to be preserved. He joins to discuss this concept, outlined in his book, “Plunder of the Commons: A Manifesto For Sharing Public Weath.”

Support the show! www.patreon.com/andrewheaton

Book at: www.mightyheaton.com/featured

What’s life like for a high schooler who’s home town gets invaded by a foreign army? Ali Ali was living in historic Babylon, in Iraq, during the War on Terror. He joins to discuss what an invasion is like, what life is like in a lawless state, and his interpretations of the United States as an immigrant to it. 

https://abzu.blog/

How do energy experts approach energy? Are there good sources and bad sources? What should we try to abolish and what should we lob subsidies at?  

Dr. Michael Webber is a professor of Energy Resources and Mechanical Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin. He is the author of more than 500 scientific articles, columns, and books, including op-eds for the New York Times and Scientific American.  

Recently former intelligence officer David Grusch appeared before Congress, and made the bold claims that the U.S. government owns multiple recovered extraterrestrial vehicles, as well as "biotics"--which is to say, alien bodies. How credible are these assertions, and how should the government respond to UFO's in general?

Brian Dunning is the host of The Skeptoid podcast, and host of the new film "The UFO Movie THEY Don't Want You To See."

Links: 

Brian Dunning’s “The UFO Movie THEY Don’t Want You To See” https://www.briandunning.com/ufo/

TPO: Why UFOs are in the News  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/why-ufos-are-in-the-news/id1439837349?i=1000489860085

Heaton’s novel, Frank Got Abducted https://www.amazon.com/Frank-Got-Abducted-Andrew-Heaton-ebook/dp/B00HSE9OZI/?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_w=qNkeY&content-id=amzn1.sym.ed85217c-14c9-4aa0-b248-e47393e2ce12&pf_rd_p=ed85217c-14c9-4aa0-b248-e47393e2ce12&pf_rd_r=136-0886507-5175312&pd_rd_wg=1QCog&pd_rd_r=70c12931-a2c0-4e79-b4a1-130dac827ad2&ref_=aufs_ap_sc_dsk

Orphan Meetup - Wings Edinburgh on Old Fishmarket Close in Edinburgh, Scotland at 7:00 PM, Wednesday Sept 6th.

Is nuclear power cheap and safe, or dangerous and expensive? Dr. Robert Zubrin is the author of “The Case for Nukes: How We Can Beat Global Warming and Create a Free, Open, and Magnificent Future.” 

Zubrin holds Master of Science degrees in Nuclear Engineering and Aeronautics and Astronautics, and a doctorate in Nuclear Engineering, from the University of Washington. Prior to his work in aerospace, Dr. Zubrin worked in areas of radiation protection, nuclear power plant safety, thermonuclear fusion research, and as a secondary school science and math teacher. 

Find his book at: mightyheaton.com/featured

SUPPORT THE SHOW! Patreon.com/andrewheaton

LINKS: 

Zubrin on TPO: “I Want to Build a Moon Base” https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-98-i-want-to-build-a-moon-base-guest-robert-zubrin/id1439837349?i=1000434628317

Zubrin on ATA: “Turns Out, We’re All Probably Martians” https://podcasts.apple.com/dk/podcast/turns-out-were-all-probably-martians/id1488171922?i=1000474556038&l=da

Dr. Steve Fuller of Warwick University says the meaningful split in society is not Leftwing vs. Rightwing, but rather Upwing vs. Downwing. Both have radically different attitudes to both risk and human nature, which informs their policy decisions and the direction they want to steer society. 

SUPPORT THE SHOW! www.patreon.com/andrewheaton

Dr. Fuller’s book at: www.mightyheaton.com/featured

Referenced in the show today: 

TPO: “Was Abraham Lincoln Leftwing or Rightwing?” https://politicalorphanage.libsyn.com/hyrum-lewis

“Transcenant Man” – Documentary by Ray Kurzweill about the Singularity https://www.amazon.co.uk/Transcendent-Man-Ray-Kurzweil/dp/B016V7WCLA

ATA: The Bioethics of Gattica – Discussed on Alienating the Audience https://alienating.libsyn.com/gattaca

ATA: How Cryonics Works – Interview on Alienating the Audience https://alienating.libsyn.com/we-can-freeze-you-how-cryonics-works

Lawrence Lessig of Harvard University is the nation’s foremost thinker and advocate for campaign finance reform around SuperPAC’s. He joins the show to argue for governing political campaigns and SuperPAC’s under the same rules. 

Lessig’s website and contest: https://equalcitizens.us/crowdfund-video/

Statistics can be mangled to say whatever you’d like, and sometimes they’re garbage to begin with.

Aaron Brown teaches statistics at New York University and at the University of California. He joins to tip us off on statistical malfeasance.

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Jason Voiovich is a sales and marketing professional, and author of "Marketer in Chief." He joins the show to discuss how advertisers see politics, and what policy wonks and electioneers do not.

TOP TEN EPISODES: Mightyheaton.com/bestof

Bonus Episode: Pitch to Red and Blue States! https://www.patreon.com/posts/bonus-game-pitch-69066400?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link

SUPPORT THE SHOW! www.patreon.com/andrewheaton

Will Storr is the author of “The Status Game: On Human Life and How to Play It.” He joins to discuss the never-ending scrum for status which defines human hierarchies.

We’re Not Wrong Live Show

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/were-not-wrong-live-in-austin-alamo-drafthouse-on-south-lamar-tickets-616098586457

Freddy deBoer is an author, academic, and Marxist. He joins the show to discuss the nature and worldview of Marxism.

"Laughter is Better Than Communism" https://www.amazon.com/Laughter-Better-Communism-Andrew-Heaton-ebook/dp/B00IC4H1PS