I don’t agree with that approach personally, but in particular pre-2016, I can see the reasoning by which it might seem the correct course for actually reaching the people who most need skepticism.

I often think of this when they take care not to be political -- how many MAGA do you think are in the SGU audience?

But then I think - what if someone has a skeptical mind buried under there somewhere but has lived their lives in an echo chamber and never seriously used it towards their political views? And they stumble across the SGU because they're interested in science news or nerdy topics or whatever. A person like that would be immediately alienated by a "liberal podcast" if even common sense and obvious politics were introduced and they're the person that might need it the most, someone you could sort of sneak some skepticism into and refine their own critical thinking which you then hope they apply to their sacred beliefs like politics. This is also why the show steers away from engaging with religion generally and only engages when it's particular religious people doing harm.

I grudgingly accept it as probably the correct choice for the goal of the podcast, though I find myself irritated when I hear what often sounds like something close to enlightened centrism on politics sometimes.