World's Smartest Podcast NetworkComedy, News, Politics
World's Smartest Podcast NetworkComedy, News, Politics
World's Smartest Podcast NetworkComedy, News, Politics
World's Smartest Podcast NetworkComedy, News, Politics

About

Politics minus bile plus jokes. Comedian and avowed independent Andrew Heaton interviews authors and thought leaders about policy and big thinky stuff.

  • What People Get Wrong About A. I.
    Tom Merritt of Daily Tech News joins to discuss the underlying technology of AI and Large Language Models, and what people get wrong about both. Pre-order Tom’s book at: SUPPORT THE SHOW! Heaton and Nick sketch comedy: Bonus Episode: How to...
  • Why Violent Crime is Up
    Jennifer Doleac is Executive Vice President of Criminal Justice at Arnold Ventures, a major funder of criminal justice research and reform in the United States. She joins to discuss trends in crime, causes and deterents of crime, and cheap or easy...
  • Just How Much Fraud is in Government?
    Adam Andrzejewski is CEO and Founder of Open The Books, an organization which files thousands of FOIA requests each year to document and expose government budgets and employee salaries, to identity waste and fraud. Website: https://www.openthebooks.com/
  • Totalitarianism and the Gays
    Jonathan Rauch of the Brookings Institution joins to discuss the most openly totalitarian period of American history: the Lavender Scare. And to point out that there are still people alive who suffered through it, and what restitutions can be made....
  • Trump, RICO Law, and Lawyer Sex
    Donald Trump is being prosecuted under RICO law in Georgia, wherein District Attorney Fanni Willis has charged him and parts of his campaigns as criminal conspirators in a criminal enterprise. What is RICO law, and does Trump qualify for prosecution...
  • The Economics of Illegal Immigration
    In this travel episode our intrepid hosts journeys to McAllen, TX on the US-border to see the river, the wall, and to interview employers who hire immigrants as well as US Border agents. Guests: Former Border Patrol chief Clem Clemson, and Lee...
  • The New Mao
    Xi Xinping, the leader of China, has dramatically consolidated power and extended his reign indefinitely. What does he think and what does he want? Steve Tsang is the Director of the SOAS China Institute at the School of Oriental and African Studies...
  • America is Eleven Different Countries
    Rudyard William Lynch is the host of WhatifAlHist, a popular history channel on YouTube. He joins to discuss how the origins and circumstances of America’s regions permanently imprinted on its cultures and political outlooks. Colin Woodard's Map: ...
  • Working with Commies and Frenchmen
    Alain Bertaud is a feted urbanist, who before becoming a professor at NYU, worked in city planning in communist China, as well as on projects in Algeria, Cuba, and his native France. He joins to discuss what work and results look like in top-down...
  • The Politics of Artificial Intelligence
    Is AI biased towards a particular viewpoint, and if so, how does it affect national sentiment and elections? Maxim Lott has built an AI tracking website that charts the political orientation of Large Language Models, and watches their development in...
  • The Two Kinds of Independents
    I flew to New Hampshire to check out the primaries, and to visit this historically independent-minded state to see how independents think. In this episode we see a Nikki Haley concert, and get invited to a Libertarian Clubhouse. TPO: Don't Screw This...
  • Knocking Trump Off the Ballot
    Donald Trump has been removed from the ballot in Colorado and in Maine, on the grounds that he is an insurrectionist ineligible to hold office under the U.S. Constitution. The Supreme Court will hear an appeal from the Trump campaign in the following...
  • Iowa, Ancient Greece, and Rome
    Live from Des Moines, Iowa, Heaton transforms into a 'thinky travelogue' guide, unraveling the mysteries of state-by-state primaries, and the often confusing blend of direct democracy and representative democracy that characterizes American politics. ...
  • Announcement: Live Show in New Hampshire! Saturday, January 20th
    Hey gang, I will be joining Jen Briney and Justin Robert Young for a live show of our podcast "We're Not Wrong" at 7:00 PM at the Share Brewing Company in Manchester, NH, this Saturday, January 20th. If you're in the area, this is a great alibi--come...
  • Moon Base Economics
    Zach Weinersmith is the author of “A City on Mars: Can we settle space, should we settle space, and have we really thought this through?” He joins to discuss the legal and economic feasibility of building settlements on Mars or the Moon...
  • The Cancelling of the American Mind
    Greg Lukianoff is the President of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, and along with Rikki Schlott, is the author of "The Cancelling of the American Mind: Cancel Culture Undermines Trust, Destroys Institutions, and Threatens Us...
  • David Brooks Wants To Know You Better
    New York Times columnist David Brooks believes a basic breakdown in interpersonal skills is the origin of our current political rancor. His new book, "How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply And Being Deeply Seen" aims to fix that. He...
  • A Very Snuffy's Rerun
    Highlights from Christmas comedy specials of years gone by. Enjoy!
  • A Rugged Snuffy's Christmas
    It's the sixth annual comedy Christmas special! Underwritten by Snuffy's (Off Route 44). This year's Christmas special includes: Muppets, Artificial Intelligence, circumcision, a robotic horse, and beloved English actors. Enjoy!...
  • Dead People Control Your House: Deed Restrictions
    Deed restrictions allow you to make contractual obligations with other homeowners–often, dead ones. How do deed restrictions and HOA’s drive up housing costs and hurt density? How do we allow private contracts to exist without running into the...