The Political Orphanage

As the situation in Ukraine continues to escalate, it's important to keep our tribal impulses in check, and ensure we remain level-headed and credulous when everyone gets excited and starts bandwagoning.

Michael Weiss joins the show to discuss Russia's "Potemkin Military" and how a pratfall invasion coupled with global pariah status could lead to Putin's downfall. Michael Weiss on How Putin Thinks: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-vladimir-putin-thinks/id1439837349?i=1000473057626 Michael Weiss on Darth Vader: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/darth-vader-is-a-19th-century-supervillai...

Jen Briney of "Congressional Dish" joins to discuss sanctions, economic warfare, and the underlying rationale for Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Support the show! www.patreon.com/andrewheaton Venmo: @andrew-heaton-1 Paypal: andrew@mightyheaton.com

My new book "Inappropriately Human: 21 Short Stories" is now available as an audio book! You can listen to it via Audible.com. To pique your interest, here is a funny story from it: "RE: Your Timeline Infractions."  Download your copy on Amazon.com, or mightyheaton.com/books

Why do some activist movements change the world, when others make a big bang and then fizzle out? Gal Beckerman is the author of "The Quiet Before: On the Unexpected Origins of Radical Ideas." You can find a copy at mightyheaton.com/featured

My hero just died. In this special episode, I talk about the beloved political satirist P. J. O'Rourke, and his impact on me personally. Then play a rerun of his final interview on this program, wherein we discuss his book "A Cry From the Far Middle." 

Charles Cooke of National Review joins the show to discuss embattled podcast host Joe Rogan as the flashpoint between authoritarianism and free speech. And to elaborate on the difference between state censorship, and a culture of open expression against that of self-censorship.

Joe Biden has pledged to nominate a black woman to the forthcoming Supreme Court vacancy--should race and gender factor in at all? In politics, does ideology or identity weigh more heavily? Jeremiah Johnson and Andrea Jones-Rooy joins to discuss. Against Malaria Foundation https://www.againstmalaria.com/orphans Nita Fashions https://www.nitafashions.com/

What are the therapeutic benefits to psychedelics, like psilocybin mushrooms or LSD? What are their potential downsides? In this episode we talk to Sarah Rose Siskind of "Drug Test" comedy show, as well as Aella @Aella_Girl, who spent a year doing a colossal amount of LSD. Prior Drug War episode with Jeff Miron: "So What Would Happen if We Legalized Heroin"? https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/s...

Alan Graham is the Founder of Community First Village, an innovative community that houses the homeless and integrates them into a vibrant community. It's a model that takes care of both the material and emotional needs of the downtrodden, and one which is replicable throughout the country. Community First: https://mlf.org/community-first/

What are the dumb ways we try but fail to solve homelessness, or even make it worse? In this episode we cover:   * Economics * Housing Policy * Elizabethan History * Mental Health * Really stupid zoning laws   In hopes of coming up with better solutions to the current homeless situation in the United States.   JOIN THE ORPHANAGE AND SUPPORT THE SHOW! Go to www.patreon.com/andrewheaton

The World's Smartest Podcast Network returns for a roundtable discussion about: * What the hell is happening with Covid now? * What the hell are we supposed to do about Afghanistan? * Reddit's infamous r/AntiWork * Elizabeth Holmes vs Ghislaine Maxwell

I've got a new book! "Inappropriately Human: 21 Short Stories." An anthology of funny and/or scifi pieces from yours truly.   Available at www.mightyheaton.com/books  or on Amazon, or by shoplifting.   To kick things off, I'm reading one of the stories therein: The Grammy for Best Alien Performance." Enjoy!

Bryan Caplan favors open borders--the idea that the United States should allow unlimited immigration into the country (save for disqualifying criminals or disease). He is an economist at George Mason University, and joins the show to discuss the humanitarian and economic case for open borders. "Open Borders: The Science And Ethics of Immigration"  www.mightyheaton.com/featured   JOIN THE ORPHANAGE...

Marty Mongiello is a former White House Chef and GM at Camp David, and joins the show to discuss what it's like working inside of the White House, and the astonishing amount of counter intelligence operations staff must deal with. Heaton's personal tailor, Nita Fashions: info@nitafashions.com Chef Marty's cooking class: mightyheaton.com/cooking My forthcoming book launch and reading will be at Cos...

Hark! A Christmas special! Sponsored by a horse-themed diner. Contains swearing. Please enjoy this fourth Snuffy's Christmas, and go easy on the horsenog.    "A Grander Snuffy's Christmas" https://politicalorphanage.libsyn.com/a-grander-snuffys-christmas  "Another Snuffy's Christmas" https://politicalorphanage.libsyn.com/snuffys-christmas-2019 "A Very Snuffy's Christmas" https://politicalorphanage...

Released from behind the paywall: Dr. Andrea Jones-Rooy joins to talk about the nature of gender, and what it's like for people who don't easily fit into the existing boxes. Join the Orphanage! www.patreon.com/andrewheaton

Jonathan Rauch is the author of "The Constitution of Knowledge: A Defense of Truth." He joins the show to talk about separating good ideas from bad ideas, and how their restriction leads to a dumber and dangerous society.  The Constitution of Knowledge: www.mightyheaton.com/featured Nita Fashions: https://www.nitafashions.com/ 

Neil Postman postulated that society avoided the totalitarian nightmares of George Orwell, only to embrace the frivolous idiocy of Aldous Huxley. His book "Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business" questions the effects of television and infotainment on politics and culture. Andrew Young and Justin Robert Young join to discuss. New history podcast: Losers, Pretender...

John Mozena is an expert on crony capitalism, better known as "economic development subsidies." He is the President of the Center for Economic Accountability, and joins to discuss the abysmal economics of throwing money at corporations to attract them to states and towns.  Reason TV's Amazon HQ: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_eG7leM6ew Mostly Weekly: Stop Subsidizing Sports! https://www.youtube...

Margaret MacMillan is a war historian, and the author of "War: How It Shaped Us." She joins the show to discuss the nature of war, its history, what precipitates conflict, and how to avert it. Join the orphanage at: www.patreon.com/andrewheaton Tips: Venmo: andrew-heaton-1 PayPal: andrew@mightyheaton.com

Matt Ridley is a science writer and member of the House of Lords, and Alina Chan is a scientist and molecular biologist. They are the authors of the new book "Viral: The Search for the Origin of Covid-19." They join the show to discuss the genesis of the pandemic, Chinese obfuscation, and how transparency is needed to forestall future plagues.

Andrew Yang just left the Democratic Party to form the Forward Party. He joins to discuss electoral reform, and his book "Forward: Notes on the Future of Our Democracy." Justin Amash interview: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/justin-amash-wants-to-unclog-congress/id1439837349?i=1000514178120 Katherine Gehl interview: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-spook-the-politics-industry/id...

Dave Chappelle's new Netflix special "The Closer" unleashed a cultural firestorm over transgender comments. Is it offensive? What makes a joke offensive? Comedian Jeff Maurer joins to discuss. Friday Release Valve (comedy podcast) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/friday-release-valve/id1573283082 "I Might Be Wrong" (Jeff's newsletter) https://imightbewrong.substack.com/

John McWhorter joins the show to discuss the mindset of victimhood, and Wokeness as a new religion. His new book is "Woke Racism: How a New Religion Has Betrayed Black America" Support the Show: www.patreon.com/andrewheaton Buy the book: mightyheaton.com/featured