Populist Hillbillies vs. Fake Lordlings: The Almost-States of Franklin, Nickajack, and Transylvania
America is littered with lots of almost-states, which very nearly joined the Union in their own right, but for some reason did not. In today’s episode we cover Vandalia, Transylvania, Westylvania, Franklin, and Nickajack. By investigating these almost-states, we delve into constitutional law on matters of succession, and tap into a centuries-old conflict between populist hillbillies and English lordlings. www.ThePoliticalOrphanage.com
2 Juli 1h 9min
Government Grocery Stores and Free Bussing! (WSPN)
This week New York City Democrats held their primary for mayor, and nominated Zohran Kwame Mamdani. Mamdani is a Democratic Socialist who promises to implement free bussing, a $30 per hour minimum wage, universal childcare, and a government-run grocery store program. Hosts of the World's Smartest Podcast Network hosts, Turner Sparks and Dr. Andrea Jones-Rooy join to discuss.
27 Juni 1h 26min
Churchill, Non-Proliferation, and Iranian Nuclear Ambitions
Iran is accused by Israel of pursuing a nuclear weapons program, and President Trump is weighing US military intervention. In this episode we chart the history of nuclear non-proliferation, and assess Iran in light of it.
19 Juni 1h 13min
Assassins Part III: An Anarchist Murders McKinley
A terrorist shot William McKinley at a World's Fair in Buffalo in 1901. In this episode, we go over the specter of anarchism in that era, why McKinley embodied the establishment, and how he died.
12 Juni 1h 4min
Assassins Part I: Shooting Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson was the first U. S. president who experienced an assassination attempt. It didn’t stick. In today’s episode we learn about the most grizzled executive in American history from the vantage point of his last near-brush with death.
4 Juni 28min
This Book Will Upset Your Textbook
Conventional wisdom is brimming with economic myths: the Industrial Revolution impoverished the masses; bobber barons were the scourge of the Gilded Age; the Great Recession was caused by irresponsible deregulation. Senator Phil Gramm and economist Don Boudreaux attempt to set the record straight in their new book, “The Triumph of Economic Freedom: Debunking the Seven Great Myths of American Capitalism.”
22 Maj 1h 25min
Make Hollywood Great Again?
Donald Trump is threatening to levy tariffs on films shot elsewhere, and actor John Voight is petitioning the federal government for taxpayer subsidies to protect Hollywood from foreign competition. Screenwriter C. Robert Cargill joins to discuss. https://www.scamstuff.com/products/brian-and-matt-june-2025
15 Maj 1h 18min
