The Political Orphanage

Why did politics become so nasty, so partisan, so... tribal?

Well now. I wrote a book for you on this very subject: "Tribalism is Dumb: Where it Came From, How it Got So Bad, and What to Do About It." 

It's out now! This episode features the first two chapters. Please grab a copy, and enjoy!

www.mightyheaton.com/books

Jonathan Ainslie is a law lecturer at the University of Aberdeen, with a focus on Roman Law. He joins the show to discuss free speech rules in the United Kingdom, and the broader topic of what role the government ought to play in protecting you from yourself. 

Kevin Williamson is national correspondent at The Dispatch, and writer-in-residence at the Competitive Enterprise Institute. He joins to give a thousand-foot view of what our political era will look like in retrospect.

What if we’re focusing on jobs too much?

Guy Standing is the author of “The Politics of Time: Gaining Control in the Age of Uncertainty.”

He joins to discuss laborism, why GDP is a stupid economic indicator, and solutions to the economy’s most vexing problems. 

What is “woke” exactly? And why is it it irritating? Lawrence Titley joins to make the case that Wokeness is an older historical phenomenon of loudly drawing attention to cognitive dissonance and moral correction.

What’s the difference between effective, ethical taxes vs. stupid stuff with a bunch of loop holes for rich people? Scott Hodge is President Emeritus & Senior Policy Advisor at the Tax Foundation. He is the author of “Taxocracy: What You Don’t Know Abou Taxes And How They Rule Your Daily Life.” 

Book at: www.mightyheaton.com/featured

How do the histories of countries set up the greater context in which they become rich or poor?

Daron Acemoglu believes it boils down to whether or not they’ve been organized according to extractive or inclusive institutions.

He joins to discuss his book, Why Nations Fail.

Final thoughts on attending the Democratic National Convention; the underlying ideology and policy goals, and who will win in the face off between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.

Who's this Tim Walz guy?

Live from the Democratic National Convention, we go into his National Guard record, his tenure in Congress and as governor of Minnesota, and explore the underpinnings of his political philosophy.

El Salvador used to be the murder capital of the world. Now it’s arguably as safe as Canada. In 2019 Nayib Bukele became president, and initiated a draconian crackdown on drug cartels, suspending the Constitution and civil liberties. It knocked gangs out of neighborhoods, but flirted with tyranny to do so. Was the trade worth it? Peter Gietl of Frontier Magazine joins to discuss.

Link to Chicago Live Show: https://ci.ovationtix.com/36644/production/1210915?performanceId=11512974