The Political Orphanage

The British monarch reigns as the United Kingdom's head of state, while war and taxes are carried out by the head of government, its Prime Minister. Meanwhile, in the United States of America, the President is both. In this episode we explore the nature and benefits of ceremonial monarchs.

Radiation, fallout, and perpetual winter – would you survive a nuclear war? What about the president, Australia, and modern civilization? In this episode we do a deep dive on nuclear warfare, how bad it might be, and what rebuilding civilization would entail. SUPPORT THE SHOW: Patreon.com/andrewheaton Venmo: @andrew-heaton-1 PayPal: [email protected] REFERENCES & SHOW LINKS: https://www.patreon.com/posts/who-actually-war-71978682?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=postshare_creator

Dr. Jeffrey Pfeffer is a Professor of Organizational Behavior at Stanford University, and the author of "7 Rules of Power: Surprising–but True–advice on how to get things done and advance your career." He joins the show to talk about ways to increase your power in life and at work, and how to avoid stumbling blocks to its accumulation. Book at www.mightyheaton.com/featured

When does an ideology become a full-blown religion? Does Social Justice qualify? The World's Smartest Podcast Network convenes a roundtable to discuss, including Andrea Jones-Rooy, Turner Sparks, and Michael Ira Kaplan.

Since this week's show and bonus episode both take place in Germany, we'll go ahead and throw in a rerun of my all-time favorite: "What Really Brought Down the Berlin Wall." Original air date: January 21, 2021 SUPPORT THE SHOW! www.patreon.com/andrewheaton

Heaton flies to Berlin to interview German historian Rainer Zitelmann, author of "Hitler's National Socialism," about the ideology and political economy of Nazi Germany. Book at www.mightyheaton.com/featured

How do we best get space tourism and moon colonies – big public projects, or cocky entrepreneurs? Lori Garver is the former Deputy Administrator of NASA, and the author of "Escaping Gravity: My Quest to Transform NASA and Launch a New Space Age." Book at: www.mightyheaton.com/featured Robert Zubrin on "How to Build a Moon Base": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEEgdmimSWg

In Kennedy v. Bremerton the Supreme Court revisited–and reversed–long-standing precedents on public teachers and administrators leading prayers in school and at events. Paul Townsend, of "In Summation - The Final Word" joins to assess its impact and diagnose the decision.

What happens when a law affecting public safety or basic governance comes into conflict with someone's deeply-held religious beliefs? In this episode we explore religious exemptions, and how the court addresses carveouts from otherwise applicable laws.

The Constitution guarantees freedom of religion, but also forbids the establishment of religion. What happens when the two come into conflict? In Judge Week 2: Separation of Church and State, we investigate the First Amendment, and how the courts balance its competing clauses.

Civilization has made warfare more indirect, streamlined, technological, and distant. What if making warfare nicer makes us less hesitant to begin conflicts, and slower to stop them? Samuel Moyn is the author of "Humane: How the United States Abandoned Peace and Reinvented War."

The Founding Fathers were all children of the Enlightenment, and they agreed on kicking King George out, but they never agreed on how to run the country. Seth Radwell, author of American Schism: How the Two Enlightenments Hold the Secret to Healing Our Nation joins on to discuss these two halves of our Founding, and how they are ultimately complimentary.

How do we determine when to retire truly offensive words and replace confusing ones, against virtue signaling and shifting goal posts? Ron Hayden of "Worth Watching" and Dr. Andrea Jones-Rooy of "Majoring in Everything" join to discuss.

Inflation is at an 11-year high--what's causing it! How do we solve it, and how does it effect us (and our bank accounts)? John Cochrane, "The Grumpy Economist" joins to discuss. Plus: Hyperinflation . . . via the French Revolution!

In "How to Change Minds: The Surprising Science of Belief, Opinion, and Persuasion," science writer David McRaney explores proven ways to get people to unstuck themselves from entrenched opinions and think straight. Get "How to Change Minds" at www.mightyheaton.com/featured Relevant Episodes: Peter Boghassian on "How to Talk to Insufferable Ideologues" https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-talk-to-insufferable-ideologues-featuring-peter/id1439837349?i=1000464778737 Andrea Jones-Rooy on "How to Unstuck Idiot Political Beliefs" https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-unstuck-idiot-political-beliefs/id1439837349?i=1000463382249 Adaam Levin-Areddy on Cognitive Dissonance: https://politicalorphanage.libsyn.com/cognative-dissonance David McRaney on Groupthink https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/why-monkey-groupthink-beats-human-logic/id1439837349?i=1000556387655

Court Packing! In the wake of Roe v. Wade, Progressives want to insert new justices to tip back the majority. In this episode we explore the several times politicians have rigged the courts. And then analyze the best available reforms to make the Supreme Court less of a partisan volcano.

Let's talk to a treasure hunter about the laws and politics of finding old gold at the bottom of the ocean! Who owns the gold? Do governments squabble over it? What ratio of lawyers to diving equipment do you need to salvage and sell said gold? Chip Forsythe is establishing a multi-million dollar treasure hunting expedition along the Atlantic seafloor--in search of sunken gold.

Let's take a numbers-first approach to gun legislation. In the wake of horrible mass shootings, gun control and advocacy groups are digging their heals, and often relying on bumper sticker canards. Rather than approaching this issue ideologically, or even inductively, we're going to look at ways to dramatically reduce gun deaths by looking at the numbers. "Gun Deaths by the Numbers" with Guy Smith: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/gun-deaths-by-the-numbers/id1439837349?i=1000508430461

"Demographic Winter" occurs when a nation's population growth is so bottlenecked that its labor is unable to sustain the economy in basics like tax revenue, health care services--and food. Much of the developed world, with laggardly birthrates, is poised to tumble off that demographic cliff. Ken Gronbach is an internationally lauded demographer. Analyzing population macrotrends, he forecasts calamities, upswings, and political and economic changes in the near future. He joins to discuss the "Demographic Winter" poised to afflict much of the world, plus what the United States can anticipate over the next two decades as Baby Boomers retire and a fresh generation steps up.

What happens when authorities try to shield their decisions by draping themselves in lab coats? What's the difference between the Scientific Method, and a religious "appeal to authority" where the authority is a scientist we agree with? Ron Hayden joins to discuss the difference between science and scientism, and the downsides of conflating the two.

Jamie Kilstein got canceled and canceled hard–in 2017 his marriage, podcast, standup comedy career, and social life all imploded in a fiery explosion. He joins the show to talk about what happens when you build a career around instigating the mob, and then the mob suddenly turns on you. And what rehabilitation looks like after. YouTube version: https://youtu.be/q5_EFZ7K-sM SUPPORT THE SHOW! Patreon.com/andrewheaton

Rerun from Judge Week! Originalism is the favored jurisprudence of conservative scions like Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas. It's predicated on the notion that laws have fixed meanings, determined at the moment of their ratification according to the language of their day. Professor Green is the H.L.A. Hart Scholar of Law & Philosophy at the University of Mississippi. A graduate of Princeton, Yale, and Notre Dame, he has clerked for the U.S. Court of Appeals on the Fifth Circuit, practiced as a private litigator, is the author of multiple books, and is a sought-after speaker about Originalism, executive power, and the 14th Amendment.

A rerun from Judge Week! When the Constitution says "cruel and unusual punishment" does it mean by the standards of the 18th century, or our own? How much latitude should jurists take when interpreting the law? Professor David Strauss of the University of Chicago has argued nineteen cases before the United States Supreme Court, formerly served as Special Counsel to the Committee on the Judiciary of the United States Senate, and sits on the Board of Directors of the American Constitution Society. He joins Heaton to discuss Living Constitutionalism: the school of jurisprudence favored by progressive judges.

Does the Constitution affirm a right to abortion? The Supreme Court is poised to overturn Roe v. Wade, removing federal protections on abortion. We explore this historic case, as well as the leaked Alito draft on Dobbs v. Jackson, and how constitutional law applies to abortion. YouTube at: https://youtu.be/7D2ozfZOab4

Larry Sharpe is running for governor in New York as a Libertarian, but may not even be able to get on the ballot. When third parties pick up steam, state governments erect barriers to keep them off the ballot and maintain the system. In this episode we explore the issue of ballot suppression, and how it stacks up alongside gerrymandering and voter suppression.

Comedians, television, and film all tend to lean Democrat. Why is that? Is there something inherently unfunny about Republicans, or do the powers that be just not let the funny ones inside the building? Comedians Jeff Maurer and Andrew Young discuss orthodoxy and anti-authoritarianism in comedy, and media scholar Matt Sienkiewicz discusses his new book "That's Not Funny: How the Right Makes Comedy Work for Them"

Cognitive dissonance occurs when our actions are out of sync with our perception of ourself or the world, or a new opinion or piece of data makes us question our worldview. It's an incredibly uncomfortable feeling, which most people wave away by dismissing the objection, redefining the situation, or sometimes outright violence. Adaam Levin-Areddy, host of the "Uncertain Things" podcast joins to discuss why we should plow directly into cognitive dissonance, rather than avoid it.

Does distributed power check tyranny, or simply empower petty tyrants? What's the relationship between efficiency, scale, and the size of government? In this episode we explore the pro's and con's of dispersed power. Join the Orphanage! www.patreon.com/andrewheaton

Batya Ungar-Sargon says liberal pieties have more to do with the managerial class's disdain for the poor and maintaining elite status than with actual racism in the country. She is the deputy opinion editor of Newsweek, and the author of "Bad News: How Woke Media is Undermining Democracy." JOIN THE ORPHANAGE: www.patreon.com/andrewheaton Paypal: andrew@mightyheaton Venmo: andrew-heaton-1

David McRaney is host of the "Your Are Not So Smart" podcast, and joins to discuss how our monkey brains are more wired to promote group cohesion than to think critically or logically--and what to do about it. JOIN THE ORPHANAGE! www.patreon.com/andrewheaton

Scuzzy businesses routinely try to regulate away competitors so they don't have compete in a free and open market. Those cads! Justin Pearson of the Institute for Justice joins to discuss the many ways in which dubious characters use the power of the state to stifle competition. Join the Orphanage! www.patreon.com/andrewheaton

Are you a Liberal or a Realist when it comes to geopolitics? This episode is a crash course in International Relations Theory: What is the fundamental nature of conflict between states? Naked power, relationships, or a clash of ideas? By the end of today's program, you'll grasp the fundamentals of IR Theory. JOIN THE ORPHANAGE: www.patreon.com/andrewheaton Venmo: andrew-heaton-1 PayPal: [email protected]

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-supervillain/id1488171922?i=1000511538475

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: [email protected]

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/so-what-would-happen-if-we-legalized-heroin/id1439837349?i=1000479373766 Join the Orphanage! www.patreon.com/andrewheaton

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: www.patreon.com/andrewheaton

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: [email protected] Chef Marty's cooking class: mightyheaton.com/cooking My forthcoming book launch and reading will be at Cosmic Coffee in Austin, TX at 4:00 PM on Saturday, January 15th. See you then!

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.libsyn.com/ep-30-a-very-snuffys-christmas-0

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/