Podcast
The Political Orphanage
Hosted by Andrew Heaton · EN
Politics minus bile plus jokes. Comedian and avowed independent Andrew Heaton interviews authors and thought leaders about policy and big thinky stuff.
56episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
I Time Traveled to Talk to Medieval Yokels about Economics
Jan 2800:55:57Tap to summarizeWhat did people in the Dark Ages think about economics? Why did poverty exist, and how do you alleviate it? To find out, I took my time machine to 1282 and 1314, to speak to barflies and a priest. Fr. Richard Kirby is a fourteenth century prior of Whitby Abbey and formerly the sacrist of St. Mungo's. He is a specialist in Just Price Theory, and joins the show to discuss how his fellows in the Dark Ages approach economics.
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MLK and Color Blindness
Jan 1900:48:07Tap to summarizeClayborne Carson is the Director of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education institute, and hand-picked by Coretta King to publish the letters of his late husband. He's one of the foremost historians on MLK and his legacy. He joins to discuss King, color blindness, and the three approaches of the Civil Rights movement.
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To Make a Terrifying Spoiler Candidate
Aug 1301:30:54Tap to summarizeIt turns out, young voters (under fifty) are openly hostile to political parties, and are most likely to flip from election to election. This means the game is about to change as Millennials displace Baby Boomers as the largest voting bloc. So what happens? Adam Brandon is a senior advisor at The Independent Center, and the former and final president of FreedomWorks. He joins the show to discuss how an electoral surgical strike of a few house seats could introduce seismic waves to American politics.
Transcribe →Greg Lukianoff is Worried About Free Speech
Aug 6, 202501:27:57Tap to summarizeGreg Lukianoff is the President of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, and along with Nadine Strossen, is the author of "The War on Words: 10 Arguments Against Free Speech--And Why They Fail."
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But Gene Epstein Hates the Fed
Jul 31, 202501:12:15Tap to summarizeDoes the Fed achieve its own stated goals? What are underlying ethical or practical issues with it? Soho Forum founder and economist Gene Epstein joins to make the case against the Federal Reserve. The SoHo Forum: https://www.thesohoforum.org/ Uncut Gene Epstein interview on the Federal Reserve: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1h_8wTj-0VrlMWsrtI6iIsewKvjZworu_/view?usp=sharing
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What the Hell Does the Federal Reserve Do?
Jul 30, 202501:29:27Tap to summarizeWhat is the purported aim of the Federal Reserve? Why is it independent, or shoot for 2% targeted inflation? In part one of our series on the Fed, Jeremiah Johnson of the New Liberal podcast joins to explain, discuss, and field objections.
Transcribe →How to Become Rich Serving in Congress
Jul 23, 202501:00:14Tap to summarizeHow can an unscrupulous person get elected to high office and make a buck by abusing public trust? To look into this matter we speak with former congressman (and former lobbyist) Scott Klug.
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China Hates These Two People
Jul 17, 202501:37:32Tap to summarizeMelissa Chan and Badiucao have both been exiled from the People's Republic of China; the former as a journalist and the latter as an artist and political cartoonist. They join the show to discuss censorship and authoritarianism in China, and their new book, "You Must Take Part in Revolution: A Graphic Novel."
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The Two Times We Invaded Canada
Jul 10, 202500:31:44Tap to summarizeEver wonder why Canada didn’t become the 14th colony during the American War of Independence? It turns out, America invited Canada to join. Then, when they turned down the invitation, invaded. Then again in 1812. In this episode we return to States that Weren’t: Canada. Plus, how Nova Scotia and Newfoundland almost became states. www.ThePoliticalOrphanage.com
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Populist Hillbillies vs. Fake Lordlings: The Almost-States of Franklin, Nickajack, and Transylvania
Jul 2, 202501:09:56Tap to summarizeAmerica is littered with lots of almost-states, which very nearly joined the Union in their own right, but for some reason did not. In today’s episode we cover Vandalia, Transylvania, Westylvania, Franklin, and Nickajack. By investigating these almost-states, we delve into constitutional law on matters of succession, and tap into a centuries-old conflict between populist hillbillies and English lordlings. www.ThePoliticalOrphanage.com
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