The Political Orphanage

"Defund the Police" is the rallying cry of protestors and social media this week. Does it mean abolishing the police, replacing them, or reforming them? Scott Shackford of Reason joins to explain what the phrase actually means, as well as the looming role of police unions in the status quo.

Riots! Looting! The National Guard! Black Lives Matter! In the first half of a special two-part episode we explore: What's happening? What are the problems erupting at present? And, if we can pin them down, how do we bring actual solutions to the table instead?

Comedians Marie Connor and Kevin Seefried join the show to discuss the week's underserved headlines, from jury selections on Zoom to night clubs that prohibit dancing to New Zealand's sheep hostages.

Dan Boren is a former member of Congress--as well as Heaton's old boss. He joins the program to talk about what life is like as a representative, pressures congressmen face from leadership and lobbyists, and how influential money is to the legislative process.

NSFK - Joe DeVito and Lou Perez join Heaton to sort out the week's underserved headlines, including the horrifying way a South Carolina restaurant has decided to make its facility appear more full, what videos to avoid while serving in Japan's legislature, and the best thing on the Internet involving ant hill thespians!

Matt Ridley, a renowned science writer and author of "How Innovation Works," dives into the history of innovation and its societal impacts. He discusses why certain places thrive in creativity while others lag behind. Ridley critiques the patent system for stifling innovation and advocates for embracing serendipity in discoveries. He contrasts the hands-on methods of the Wright brothers with more rigid approaches. Additionally, he humorously dives into the quirky history of nitrogen's role in agriculture and warfare, revealing hidden complexities in the world of innovation.

Today we explore the week's most awesome yet under-reported headlines, from a wine heist, to multiple dangerous bird encounters, to an American hero and recreational pirate. Comedian Chad Prather and producer emeritus Josh Jennings join Heaton to sort things out. Episode contains choice language and some sexual content--parents be warned!

John Locke is the nerd at the bar. Jean-Jacques Rousseau is the guy in a leather jacket on a motorcycle. Hobbes is the grizzled cynic. What worldview did these three Social Contract theorists push on modern society, and what were they fighting against? Brian Wilson of the Combat & Classics podcast joins Heaton in an exploration of the tectonic plates of Western Civilization.

Jack Helmuth and Brian Sack of the Questionable Material podcast join Heaton to sort out the week's best and least discussed headlines, from boars on cocaine to English catapult crimes to larceny performed by ambitious children.

Much of the discussion about the pandemic centers around the lockdown as the exclusive or main policy tool to use against the pandemic: a giant On or Off switch we strategically employ to flatten the curve. What if there are smarter ways of looking at this? Ep 51