Something's Off With Andrew Heaton

Yuval Levin thinks our sclerotic government and alienated culture trace back to anemic, declining institutions. As Congress, the press, and think tanks all lose esprit de corps, and turn into platforms for individual self promotion, gridlock and disgust ensue. He’s the author of “A Time to Build: From Family and Community to Congress and the Campus, How Recommitting to Our Institutions Can Revive the American Dream.” He joins the show to discuss.

Jeremey Kareken and Andrew Young join the program to make sense of the week's greatest, underserved headlines. From a Scotsman who tries to cross the Irish Sea on a jet ski, to Adolf Hitler's alias, to an Austrian town sick of their inappropriate name.   "Del Rio Bravo" by Kevin MacLeod, Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5706-del-rio-bravo, License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license   “Alcohol, Diamonds, and Beef” by Kimarie Sky https://www.kimariesky.com/

Trump protestors stormed the U.S. Capitol today! Jen Briney of "Congressional Dish" and Justin Robert Young of "Politics Politics Politics" plus yours truly convene to try to inject some meaning into the landscape.

Larry Sharpe joins the program to talk about how the Covid pandemic will affect and depopulate major cities, why urban life naturally leads to a preference for strong government, and how a potential demographic reversal could result in a rural renaissance. Also: a good rant about the Federal Reserve!

American public schooling came into its own during the Industrial Revolution, with standardized age cohorts, bells signifying start and stop times, and predictable timelines. What models are apt to apply to our current era in the Digital Revolution?   Lisa Snell is Director of K-12 Education Policy Partnerships at Stand Together. She comes on to discuss how technology is leading away from standardized to individualized education, and how the pandemic is likely to accelerate that trend.

Gather round for the 2020 Third Annual Snuffy's Christmas Special! Brought to you by your friends at Snuffy's, Off Route 44, who both sponsored and insisted on writing this episode. Not suitable for emotionally well-adjusted children.   Cast: Andrew Heaton Josh Jennings Austin Bragg Justin Robert Young Ashley Paramour Brian Sack Jack Helmuth Kourtni Beebe Andrew Young

An all new Christmas special airs this Wednesday, Dec 23, 2020! Until then, enjoy the second Snuffy's Annual Christmas Special: "The Political Orphanage's oldest and most enthusiastic show sponsor, Snuffy's Off Route 44, has kindly offered to pay for this year's Christmas special. On the condition that the staff of Snuffy's write it in its entirety. Merry Christmas!" Featuring: Josh Jennings, Austin Bragg, Justin Robert Young, and Brian Brushwood. Season 2, Ep 25. Original air date December 2019

An all new Christmas special airs this Wednesday, Dec 23, 2020.  Until then, enjoy the first Snuffy's Annual Christmas Special: The show’s principle sponsor funds an entire holiday special, in exchange for allowing its waitstaff to write the entire script. Original air date: Dec 2018

Turner Sparks and Mike Kaplan, hosts of "Lost in America" rejoin the program to explore the week's funniest, underserved headlines. Including: the world's more efficient criminal, why Thai protests are aesthetically superior to all other protests, and novel ways to cook chicken and get arrested for it.

Dana Perino was the White House Press Secretary for George W. Bush, and is presently a co-host on the Fox News panel show "The Five" and the host of "The Daily Briefing." She joins the program to talk about what it's like to be a press secretary, representing both the president and the press corps, and what the job entails.

The WSPN roundtable--Andrea Jones-Rooy, Turner Sparks, Mike Kaplan, and yours truly--reassembles to discuss: * The Decline of American Hegemony * North Korean vaccine hacking efforts * What exactly is Rudy Giuliani up to? * Geothermal Power   Turner and Mike's podcast is "Lost in America" https://www.turnersparks.com/lost-in-america-podcast Andrea Jones-Rooy's podcast is "Ask a Political Scientist" https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-a-political-scientist/id1534440528  

Matt Donnelly and Paul Mattingly return! The hilarious/reprobate hosts of Matt & Mattingly's Ice Cream Social join to discuss the week's funniest, underserved headlines. Including: the winner of the national mullet competition, nukes on the Moon, and bovine facial recognition software. Youtube Version: https://youtu.be/VB2Qp6NINXw SUPPORT THE PROGRAM Patreon - patreon.com/andrewheaton PayPal andrew@mightyheaton Venmo @andrew-heaton-1 PO BOX - Andrew Heaton, 1401 Lavaca Street #594, Austin TX, 78701

What's the landscape of political violence in the United States, and does that stack up against the groups we hear about in the news?   Today we're going to explore Antifa, Proud Boys, Oath Keepers, and also crunch the numbers on which groups in America are -actually- the most violent and deadly.   SUPPORT THE PROGRAM Patreon - patreon.com/andrewheaton PayPal andrew@mightyheaton Venmo @andrew-heaton-1 PO BOX - Andrew Heaton, 1401 Lavaca Street #594, Austin TX, 78701

Scottish Comedian of the Year Leo Kearse triumphantly returns to the program to discuss the week's underserved headlines, including: Burning crematoriums, Hugh Jackman's flawed worldview of the animal kingdom, the oldest pregnant woman in America, and Bud Lite's new gaming venture.

Which is scarier: nuclear war or robots? Asteroid impact or climate change? Martin Rees is the founder of The Centre for the Study of Existential Risk at Cambridge University. He joins the program to talk about how to calculate the probability of threats to humanity, and what we should be sweating.   He's also the Astronomer Royal of the United Kingdom, the country's foremost mathematician, and the author of "On The Future: Prospects for Humanity."   Here's a link to his book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/069118044X?tag=mightyheaton-20&linkCode=osi&th=1&psc=1    

Andrea Jones-Rooy and Kevin Seefried return to the program to discuss the week's underserved headlines, including: Spike Lee's next big film, a giant raccoon on the loose, Donkey Kong defamation lawsuits, and the Irish government. You can watch this episode on YouTube at: https://youtu.be/o9A_G8LpIPc

Niccolò Machiavelli and John Stuart Mill are two deeply impactful political thinkers on modern civilization. The former is the patron saint of ruthless realpolitik; the latter the godfather of classical liberalism.   Classicist and lauded madman Brian Wilson rejoins the program to compare the two political philosophers and draw lessons for modern society.

Andrew Young and Nick Sperdute join the show to discuss the week's most under reported headlines: underwater scooter chases, the time a school of herring almost started a war with Russia, and Canadian pizza indulgences.

Let's investigate Trump's voter fraud allegations and his ensuing courtroom battles to flip swing states. Plus the danger to democracy imposed by the president undermining it, and the many points in American history when rule of law could have gone off the rails.

(Not Safe for Kids) Yvette d’Entremont and Alice Vaughn are the hosts of "Two Girls One Mic," a podcast that reviews the plots of porn films. They join Heaton to sort out the week's underserved headlines, including stuff about Godzilla, gay penguins, and naked sushi. You can find Two Girls One Mic at: https://www.twogirlsonemic.com/