The Right has long had a thing or two to say about the importance of the family and its role in national stability and prosperity.  But there are sharp divisions regarding what political implications can be drawn from this idea, and what policies should be pursued to protect and strengthen families.

Saving Elephants host Josh Lewis welcomes economist Clara Piano to the show to talk about the government’s role in pro-natal and pro-family policies, the ideal population size, the challenges of under/over-population, ethical consumerism, and what some of today’s Right have in common with family policy practiced by the Soviet Union.

About Clara Piano

From clarapiano.com

Clara Piano is a Visiting Assistant Professor of Economics at the University of Mississippi. Her primary areas of research are family economics, law and economics, and public choice. Sher is also a Senior Fellow in the Family Program at Cardus, a Law & Economics Fellows Advisor for the International Center for Law & Economics, and a member of the Editorial Board of the Journal of Markets & Morality. 

In 1976 historian George H. Nash wrote The Conservative Intellectual Movement in America Since 1945, a celebrated historical accounting that established much of the narrative for how we think about the development of modern conservatism even today.  George Nash joins Saving Elephants host Josh Lewis to discuss the various strands of thought that emerged after the Second World War that eventually evolved into a political movement on the Right.  Along the way, Dr. Nash shares his insights on the colorful individuals who shaped the debate, how they fought one another, and how an eventual loose consensus was brought forth.  Finally, he offers some thoughts on what a lifetime of studying the history of conservatism can teach aspiring conservatives today.

About George H. Nash

George H. Nash is the epitome of a gentleman and a scholar.  A graduate from Amherst College who received his Ph.D. in History from Harvard University, Dr. Nash is an authority on the histories of American conservatism and the life of President Herbert Hoover.  Dr. Nash is an independent scholar, historian, and lecturer.  He speaks and writes frequently about the history and present direction of American conservatism, the life of Herbert Hoover, the legacy of Ronald Reagan, the education of the Founding Fathers, and other subjects.  His writings have appeared in the American Spectator, Claremont Review of Books, Intercollegiate Review, Modern Age, National Review, New York Times Book Review, Policy Review, University Bookman, Wall Street Journal, and many other publications.  He has lectured at the Library of Congress; the National Archives; the Herbert Hoover, John F. Kennedy, and Lyndon Johnson presidential libraries; the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum; the Hoover Institution; the Heritage Foundation; the McConnell Center; and at various universities and conferences in the United States and Europe.  Several of his lectures have been featured on C-SPAN.  He has also been interviewed by C-SPAN, National Public Radio, numerous radio stations, and the print media.  Dr. Nash lives in Massachusetts.

Listener Mail

At the end of the episode, Josh responds to a listener’s question about a comment he made in the episode that dropped on Election Day 2020.  Josh had expressed his views at that time that neither major party candidate represented an existential threat to the United States and the listener askes, given what we now know about the election aftermath, accusations of widespread election fraud, the incursion on January 6, and the subsequent white washing of the Republican party, would Josh now view Trump as an existential threat to the country?

At the end of 2024, Ryan Rogers joined the show to share his experiences with fanatical wokism as a graduate student.  He later had Saving Elephants host Josh Lewis on his new podcast, Reality Therapy, for a wide ranging discussion on conservatism, the challenges of the modern conservative movement, what conservatism offers that other political ideologies do not, and much more.  This episode is a re-podcast of that original conversation.

About Ryan Rogers

Ryan Rogers is a graduate student in clinical mental health counseling. He has a bachelors degree in psychology and a work history in addiction treatment.  His latest book, The Woke Mind, is the sixth book in his series on social justice fanaticism.

Comedian, author, and political satirist Andrew Heaton joins Saving Elephants host Josh Lewis to explore where our political tribalism comes from, why it’s gotten out of hand, and what to do about it.

About Andrew Heaton

From mightyheaton.com

Andrew Heaton is a comedian, author, and political satirist. He’s the host of “The Political Orphanage” comedy and news podcast, and scifi deep dive podcast “Alienating the Audience.” He’s a frequent Reason TV contributor and hosted the popular webseries “Mostly Weekly.” He’s performed standup comedy at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, as a finalist in the China International Standup Competition, and throughout the United States and Europe. A former congressional staffer, he’s the best-selling author of “Laughter is Better Than Communism,” as well as two funny novels. He once opened for William Shatner, who said he’s “very funny.” So there.

As a UCB-trained sketch writer and improviser Andrew Heaton comprises half of the comedy duo Lost History, which has performed improvised historical reenactments at the Del Close Marathon and Austin’s Out of Bounds Comedy Festival. He’s a founding member of the popular New York indie improv team Lumberon, and an alumni of the sketch troupes 17:38 and First Runner Up.

As a political comedian Andrew Heaton has entertained numerous think tanks and advocacy groups, student associations, and sinister political action committees. He’s a regular at Electoral Dysfunction at the People’s Improv Theater in New York, and the Totally Dishonest Media Show at Stand Up New York. He hosted the award-winning series EconPop, a comedy show which explained economics through popular culture.

Andrew Heaton is the author of the best-selling work of political satire Laughter is Better Than Communism, and two funny paranormal novels: Frank Got Abducted (about aliens) and Happier as Werewolves (a tender coming of age novel involving werewolves).  His latest book is Tribalism is Dumb, detailed below.

About Tribalism is Dumb

 Tribalism has made politics so awful I was forced to write a book about it. Well, fine. Fine.

This book explores the evolutionary roots of loving our team and hating the enemy team, and why groupish caveman instincts linger in our minds today. It answers: If tribalism is hardwired into us, what changed in the last twenty years? How did partisanship get so loud, toxic, and obnoxious, and ruin last Thanksgiving? Finally, it says what we can do about it as individuals navigating relationships, and as society as a whole.

"Tribalism is Dumb" will make you less flummoxed by partisanship, political loudmouths, and dogmatic pundits. It will make you taller, slimmer, and more attractive to everyone you could legally hit on. And it will make you better equipped to navigate tribalism in the wild.

With the 2024 elections in rearview both parties are trying to grapple with what lessons they should learn.  Who better to offer unsolicited advice than Josh Lewis and Blake Fischer, the respective hosts of the Saving Elephants and The Homeless Conservative podcasts?  As two Trump-skeptical conservatives on the outside looking in, sure both parties are eager to hear their thoughts on how both parties should proceed in the elections ahead.

In this episode, Josh and Blake take a deep dive into what went wrong and what went right for the Republicans in 2024 and what might help them secure their newfound majorities for elections to come.

But wait, there’s more!  This episode is the first in a two-part series.  In part 2 Blake puts Josh on the hot seat to ask what lessons the Democratic party should take from their 2024 losses.  But you won’t find that conversation on the Saving Elephants podcast.  Instead, it appears as a special cross-over episode on Blake’s The Homeless Conservative, which you can listen to here.

About Blake Fischer and the Homeless Conservative

Blake Fischer is a political junkie, so you don't necessarily have to be. A lifelong conservative, Blake covers conservative policies, current politics, and the historical context of today's events. With a unique blend of media critique and a focus on the big issues that often go unaddressed, Blake offers insightful solutions to pressing problems without the fear-mongering or populist outrage used in mainstream political media.

Blake says, “I know a lot of people who would consider themselves more conservative than liberal, but don’t like Trump and feel like there’s nowhere for them in the Republican party. Welcome to the club! But if that’s you, I’d encourage you to not check out completely because we need reasonable citizens in this country to pay attention and vote accordingly if we want to change the direction of government and politics.”

Blake lives in Oklahoma and is the creator of The Homeless Conservative.

“I do not believe,” wrote F. A. Hayek in his book The Fatal Conceit, “that the widely held conception of ‘social justice’ either describes a possible state of affairs or is even meaningful.”  Hayek would complain “social” was a sort of “weasel word” that carried a lot of unexamined prescriptions.  To call something “social justice” is to advocate for something without bothering to fully explore what that something might even be.

What are the philosophical underpinnings of social justice?  What does it practically mean, and how could it practically apply.  And what ought we to do when the goals of “social justice” conflict with actual justice?

Saving Elephants host Josh Lewis is joined by Ryan Rogers who shares his story of experiencing the social justice movement in graduate school and his efforts to fully understand it origins, merits, and faults.

About Ryan Rogers

Ryan Rogers is a graduate student in clinical mental health counseling. He has a bachelors degree in psychology and a work history in addiction treatment.  His latest book, The Woke Mind, will be available in early 2025.  It is the sixth book in his series on social justice fanaticism.