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
Government Grocery Stores and Free Bussing! (WSPN)
Jun 27, 202501:26:15Tap to summarizeThis week New York City Democrats held their primary for mayor, and nominated Zohran Kwame Mamdani. Mamdani is a Democratic Socialist who promises to implement free bussing, a $30 per hour minimum wage, universal childcare, and a government-run grocery store program. Hosts of the World's Smartest Podcast Network hosts, Turner Sparks and Dr. Andrea Jones-Rooy join to discuss.
Transcribe →Churchill, Non-Proliferation, and Iranian Nuclear Ambitions
Jun 19, 202501:13:51Tap to summarizeIran is accused by Israel of pursuing a nuclear weapons program, and President Trump is weighing US military intervention. In this episode we chart the history of nuclear non-proliferation, and assess Iran in light of it.
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America is Eleven Different Countries
Feb 21, 2024Tap to summarizeRudyard 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
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Rerun: Your Life Is Way Better Than King Louis XVI's
Nov 23, 2023Tap to summarizeThis Thanksgiving Brian Brushwood joins to discuss the many ways an average American's life is more comfortable, affluent, and magical than the vast majority of human history--including that of pharaohs and kings. BOOKS: This episode relies heavily on "The Rational Optimist" by Matt Ridley, "Ten Global Trends Every Smart Person Should Know" by Ron Bailey, and "The Better Angels of Our Nature" by Stephen Pinker, and "Abundance: The Future is Better Than You Think" by Peter H. Diamandis. All great books that present convincing stats on the positive trajectory of the world. They're all linked to at www.mightyheaton.com/featured RELATED INTERVIEWS: Matt Ridley on Rational Optimism Ron Bailey on Positive Trends
Transcribe →Why America Can't Europe
Feb 1, 2023Tap to summarizeWhat's the optimum size of a country? As countries get bigger, does the nature of governance necessarily change? In this episode, we explore scaling—how an increasingly large nation-state adapts, or fails, to deliver services competently.
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Bonus: Your Life Is Way Better Than King Louis XVI's
Nov 24, 2022Tap to summarizeThis Thanksgiving Brian Brushwood joins to discuss the many ways an average American's life is more comfortable, affluent, and magical than the vast majority of human history--including that of pharaohs and kings. BOOKS: This episode relies heavily on "The Rational Optimist" by Matt Ridley, "Ten Global Trends Every Smart Person Should Know" by Ron Bailey, and "The Better Angels of Our Nature" by Stephen Pinker, and "Abundance: The Future is Better Than You Think" by Peter H. Diamandis. All great books that present convincing stats on the positive trajectory of the world. They're all linked to at www.mightyheaton.com/featured RELATED INTERVIEWS: Matt Ridley on Rational Optimism Ron Bailey on Positive Trends
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