Cato Event Podcast

Communist totalitarian regimes that sprang up after the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917 did not aim simply to change social and economic relations between individuals and the state. They aimed to transform human nature in order to create a “New Man.” The New Man’s behavior and beliefs would adhere to the tenets of Marxism-Leninism. He would be free of selfishness and base instincts such as nationalism and class consciousness. He would be austere, disciplined, hardworking, and willing to sacrifice himself for the common good. But man is not a blank slate. The incompatibility of communist ideas and human nature necessitated a massive expansion of propaganda, to brainwash those who could be influenced, and terror, to eliminate those deemed irredeemable. Please join us as our panel looks at the means that the communist state employed and the continued application of those “novel” techniques today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At the end of the Second World War, Hong Kong lived up to its description as “the barren island.” It had few natural resources, its trade and infrastructure lay in tatters, its small manufacturing base had been destroyed, and its income per capita was less than a quarter of its mother country, Britain. But by the time of the handover of Hong Kong to China in 1997, it was one of the most prosperous nations on Earth. By 2015, its GDP per capita was more than 40 percent higher than Britain’s. How did that happen? Around the world, postwar governments turned to industrial planning, Keynesian deficits, and high inflation to stimulate their economies. The government of Hong Kong rejected this emerging global consensus. The colony’s laissez-faire policies were implemented by a handful of civil servants, the most important of whom was John Cowperthwaite, deputy and then Financial Secretary of the colony between 1951 and 1971. He, more than anyone, shaped the economic policies of Hong Kong and set the stage for the territory’s remarkable transformation. Please join us for Monnery’s examination of Cowperthwaite’s life and ideas. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

President Trump has indicated that he may withhold certification of Iranian compliance with the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also known as the Iran nuclear deal.Yet the International Atomic Energy Agency, along with America’s European allies, Russia, and China are all in consensus that Iran is in fact complying with its obligations under the agreement. If President Trump chooses not to certify Iranian compliance on October 15, he will initiate a process likely to unravel the JCPOA and relinquish the most intrusive nuclear inspections program in the world.All of Washington’s policy options outside the JCPOA—including reimposing economic sanctions, challenging Iranian influence in the Middle East, supporting opposition groups in hopes of regime change, and outright military action—involve serious costs and risks greater than the status quo.Join us for a discussion of the available options, their relative strengths and weaknesses, and the potential consequences of abandoning the Iran nuclear deal. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sixteen years ago, the United States initiated combat operations in Afghanistan in response to the terrorist attacks of 9/11. Goals have changed marginally over the years, but they typically include defeating al Qaeda and other terrorist groups with global reach, strengthening the Afghan government and security forces to prevent the Taliban from retaking political power, and denying terrorists a safe haven. Recently, the secretary of defense noted, “We are not winning in Afghanistan right now.” The United States appears set to respond with a nominal troop surge, but both the strategy and the U.S. commitment appear uncertain.Can a mini-surge reasonably achieve these or lesser goals? What costs and benefits are associated with a modest surge or the other potential policy choices, such as a negotiated settlement or completely removing U.S. military forces? What evidence do the past 16 years offer in support of the various strategies? How will Afghanistan look in another 16 years? Please join us for a wide-ranging discussion. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

President Trump has repeatedly signaled his intention to declare Iran in violation of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also known as the Iran nuclear deal.The problem is that Iran is in fact complying with its obligations under the deal, which significantly rolled back Iran’s nuclear program, imposed strict limits on what remained, and subjected Iran to the most intrusive inspections regime in the world.The alternative policy options outside the JCPOA are unappealing. In a new Cato Policy Analysis, Emma Ashford and John Glaser assess the costs of four alternatives – sanctions, challenging Iranian influence in the Middle East, supporting internal groups to foment regime change, and military action – and conclude they all carry unacceptably high risks and threaten to exacerbate the very behavior Iran hawks hope to forestall.Join us online for a discussion of these alternatives and send your questions using #CatoConnects. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) is a U.S. government program that provides resources to targeted communities, predominantly American Muslims, ostensibly to root out extremism before it results in violence. The program involves law enforcement agencies that partner with community leaders such as teachers, religious leaders, and health professionals to identify allegedly at-risk community members and steer them away from violence.The program is controversial for a variety of reasons. Is the government’s theory of radicalization sound? Is the Muslim community unfairly singled out? Are targeted communities compromising their rights by assisting the government, or is this a productive partnership? Has the election of Donald Trump changed the CVE discussion? Join us for a timely and important debate. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) is a U.S. government program that provides resources to targeted communities, predominantly American Muslims, ostensibly to root out extremism before it results in violence. The program involves law enforcement agencies that partner with community leaders such as teachers, religious leaders, and health professionals to identify allegedly at-risk community members and steer them away from violence.The program is controversial for a variety of reasons. Is the government’s theory of radicalization sound? Is the Muslim community unfairly singled out? Are targeted communities compromising their rights by assisting the government, or is this a productive partnership? Has the election of Donald Trump changed the CVE discussion? Join us for a timely and important debate. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The First Amendment has moved to the center of American political conflict. On college campuses, students and faculty demand protection from speech and speakers. Polls show students and young people in general evince less support for free speech than previous generations had shown. In legal and public debate, the free exercise of religion conflicts with the right to marriage, thereby placing the First Amendment at the center of vitriolic cultural clashes. Moreover, the challenges for the First Amendment seemed fated to grow. Modern surveillance methods can chill speech even absent malign intent from officials. The global nature of the Internet also means that regulations arising from nations less protective of speech than the United States might become the rule for all. If this were not enough, traditional First Amendment issues such as campaign finance remain controversial during and after hard-fought elections. Cato's first conference on the First Amendment, a new biennial effort, offers provocative and thoughtful views on these issues. PANEL 4 – FREE SPEECH FOR A NEW ERASurveillance and Free SpeechMatthew Feeney, Cato InstituteExtremist Speech and Free SpeechFlemming Rose, Cato InstituteExtremist Speech and Compelled ConformityDanielle Keats Citron, University of Maryland School of Law Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The First Amendment has moved to the center of American political conflict. On college campuses, students and faculty demand protection from speech and speakers. Polls show students and young people in general evince less support for free speech than previous generations had shown. In legal and public debate, the free exercise of religion conflicts with the right to marriage, thereby placing the First Amendment at the center of vitriolic cultural clashes. Moreover, the challenges for the First Amendment seemed fated to grow. Modern surveillance methods can chill speech even absent malign intent from officials. The global nature of the Internet also means that regulations arising from nations less protective of speech than the United States might become the rule for all. If this were not enough, traditional First Amendment issues such as campaign finance remain controversial during and after hard-fought elections. Cato's first conference on the First Amendment, a new biennial effort, offers provocative and thoughtful views on these issues. Poll ResultsEmily Ekins, Cato InstituteRoundtable Discussants:Jeffrey Herbst, Consultant and ScholarConor Friedersdorf, The AtlanticKmele Foster, Freethink Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The First Amendment has moved to the center of American political conflict. On college campuses, students and faculty demand protection from speech and speakers. Polls show students and young people in general evince less support for free speech than previous generations had shown. In legal and public debate, the free exercise of religion conflicts with the right to marriage, thereby placing the First Amendment at the center of vitriolic cultural clashes. Moreover, the challenges for the First Amendment seemed fated to grow. Modern surveillance methods can chill speech even absent malign intent from officials. The global nature of the Internet also means that regulations arising from nations less protective of speech than the United States might become the rule for all. If this were not enough, traditional First Amendment issues such as campaign finance remain controversial during and after hard-fought elections. Cato's first conference on the First Amendment, a new biennial effort, offers provocative and thoughtful views on these issues. Free Speech, Libel, and Privacy in the Internet AgeEugene Volokh, UCLA Law School and Founder, The Volokh Conspiracy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The First Amendment has moved to the center of American political conflict. On college campuses, students and faculty demand protection from speech and speakers. Polls show students and young people in general evince less support for free speech than previous generations had shown. In legal and public debate, the free exercise of religion conflicts with the right to marriage, thereby placing the First Amendment at the center of vitriolic cultural clashes. Moreover, the challenges for the First Amendment seemed fated to grow. Modern surveillance methods can chill speech even absent malign intent from officials. The global nature of the Internet also means that regulations arising from nations less protective of speech than the United States might become the rule for all. If this were not enough, traditional First Amendment issues such as campaign finance remain controversial during and after hard-fought elections. Cato's first conference on the First Amendment, a new biennial effort, offers provocative and thoughtful views on these issues. Walter Olson, Cato InstituteRobin Fretwell Wilson, University of Illinois Law SchoolJohn M. Barry, author of Roger Williams and the Creation of the American Soul Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The First Amendment has moved to the center of American political conflict. On college campuses, students and faculty demand protection from speech and speakers. Polls show students and young people in general evince less support for free speech than previous generations had shown. In legal and public debate, the free exercise of religion conflicts with the right to marriage, thereby placing the First Amendment at the center of vitriolic cultural clashes. Moreover, the challenges for the First Amendment seemed fated to grow. Modern surveillance methods can chill speech even absent malign intent from officials. The global nature of the Internet also means that regulations arising from nations less protective of speech than the United States might become the rule for all. If this were not enough, traditional First Amendment issues such as campaign finance remain controversial during and after hard-fought elections. Cato's first conference on the First Amendment, a new biennial effort, offers provocative and thoughtful views on these issues. PANEL 1 – ENDURING ISSUES AT A TIME OF CHANGEProgressivism and the First AmendmentRobert F. Bauer, New York University Law SchoolCitizens United: A Look Back and ForwardJeffrey Milyo, University of MissouriCommercial Speech as Free SpeechMartin Redish, Northwestern Law School Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This September, Congress will work to reauthorize the expiring National Flood Insurance Program (NFIB). This effort comes on the tail of the worst flooding in Texas history after Hurricane Harvey dropped an estimated 27 trillion gallons of rainfall around the Gulf Coast causing catastrophic damage to both lives and property.In this environment, what should Congress understand as it undertakes reforms to the flood insurance program? The magnitude and depth of the program's insolvency, arbitrary actuarial standards, and restrictive competitive road blocks all bedevil the effective operation of the NFIB. Are there promising avenues for reforms that would allow market forces to enhance the stability and reliability of consumers' insurance needs?What about flooding itself—what impact does climate change have on the need for flood insurance in the first place? Can we expect more frequent and more dangerous storms in the future? Further, what role do local and regional zoning regulations have on impervious ground conditions and water absorption? Our esteemed panel will answer these questions on hurricanes, floods, and their aftermath, as well as offer suggestions for what Congress should, and should not, do regarding future disaster mitigation efforts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With a new president and Congress in place since January 2017, how has the congressional oversight dynamic changed since the Obama administration with respect to America’s 17 intelligence agencies? Has the “Russiagate” episode altered the relationship between the House and Senate Intelligence Committees and their congressional overseers? What are the prospects for domestic surveillance reform? Are the House and Senate Intelligence Committees even properly structured and staffed to perform their jobs in the twenty-first century? Join us in a discussion covering these subjects and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sub-Saharan Africa faces three interrelated challenges over the next generation. It will double its population to two billion by 2045. By then, more than half of Africans will be living in the cities. And this group of mostly young people will be connected with each other and with the world through mobile devices. Properly harnessed, Africa's youth could be a force for economic growth and political change. Without economic growth and jobs, however, Africa's demographic expansion could prove to be a political and social catastrophe. Old systems of patronage and of muddling through will no longer work. If African leaders want to remain in power, they will have to do more to enable high economic growth rates. Making Africa Work aims to ensure that African growth is based on more than the export of commodities and that it creates jobs on the continent. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You think you know why our government in Washington is broken, but you really don't. You think it's broken because politicians curry favor with special interests and activists of the left or right. There's something to that, and it helps explain why these politicians can't find common ground. But this theory misses the root cause. A half century ago, elected officials in Congress and the White House figured out a new system for enacting laws and spending programs—one that lets them take credit for promising good news while avoiding blame when the government produces bad results. With five key tricks, politicians of both parties now avoid accounting to us for what government actually does to us.While you understand that these politicians seem to pull rabbits out of hats, hardly anyone sees the sleight of hand by which they get away with their tricks. Otherwise, their tricks wouldn't work. DC Confidential exposes the sleights of hand. Its author argues that we can stop the tricks, fix our broken government, and make Washington work for us once again.The book explains the necessary reform and lays out an action plan to put it in place. Stopping the tricks would be a constructive, inclusive response to the anger that Americans from across the political spectrum feel toward what should be our government. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Cato Institute's Center for Constitutional Studies Presents a Symposium through the Generosity of George M. YeagerCato's annual Constitution Day symposium marks the day in 1787 that the Constitutional Convention finished drafting the U.S. Constitution. We celebrate that event each year with the release of the new issue of the Cato Supreme Court Review and with a day-long symposium featuring noted scholars discussing the recently concluded Supreme Court term and the important cases coming up. Past speakers have included Judges Alex Kozinski, Diane Sykes, and Douglas Ginsburg, Professors Richard Epstein, Michael McConnell, and Nadine Strossen, and Supreme Court litigators Paul Clement, Neal Katyal, and Walter Dellinger. 5:00—6:00PMANNUAL B. KENNETH SIMON LECTURE: THE ADMINISTRATIVE THREAT TO CIVIL LIBERTIES Download video of the panelDownload podcast of the panel--> Philip Hamburger, Maurice & Hilda Friedman Professor of Law, Columbia Law School Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Cato Institute's Center for Constitutional Studies Presents a Symposium through the Generosity of George M. YeagerCato's annual Constitution Day symposium marks the day in 1787 that the Constitutional Convention finished drafting the U.S. Constitution. We celebrate that event each year with the release of the new issue of the Cato Supreme Court Review and with a day-long symposium featuring noted scholars discussing the recently concluded Supreme Court term and the important cases coming up. Past speakers have included Judges Alex Kozinski, Diane Sykes, and Douglas Ginsburg, Professors Richard Epstein, Michael McConnell, and Nadine Strossen, and Supreme Court litigators Paul Clement, Neal Katyal, and Walter Dellinger. 3:45—5:00PMPANEL IV: LOOKING AHEAD: OCTOBER TERM 2017 Download video of the panelDownload podcast of the panel-->Moderator: Ilya Shapiro, Editor-in-Chief, Cato Supreme Court ReviewChristopher Landau, Partner, Kirkland & Ellis LLPNeal Katyal, Partner, Hogan LovellsNina Totenberg, Legal Affairs Correspondent, NPR Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Cato Institute's Center for Constitutional Studies Presents a Symposium through the Generosity of George M. YeagerCato's annual Constitution Day symposium marks the day in 1787 that the Constitutional Convention finished drafting the U.S. Constitution. We celebrate that event each year with the release of the new issue of the Cato Supreme Court Review and with a day-long symposium featuring noted scholars discussing the recently concluded Supreme Court term and the important cases coming up. Past speakers have included Judges Alex Kozinski, Diane Sykes, and Douglas Ginsburg, Professors Richard Epstein, Michael McConnell, and Nadine Strossen, and Supreme Court litigators Paul Clement, Neal Katyal, and Walter Dellinger. 2:15—3:30PMPANEL III: PROPERTY, RELIGIOUS AND SECULAR Download video of the panelDownload podcast of the panel-->Moderator: Walter Olson, Senior Fellow, Cato InstituteRoger Pilon, Vice President for Legal Affairs, Cato InstituteRick Garnett, Paul J. Schierl/Fort Howard Corporation Professor, University of Notre Dame Law SchoolThomas M. Hefferon, Partner, Goodwin Procter LLP Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Cato Institute's Center for Constitutional Studies Presents a Symposium through the Generosity of George M. YeagerCato's annual Constitution Day symposium marks the day in 1787 that the Constitutional Convention finished drafting the U.S. Constitution. We celebrate that event each year with the release of the new issue of the Cato Supreme Court Review and with a day-long symposium featuring noted scholars discussing the recently concluded Supreme Court term and the important cases coming up. Past speakers have included Judges Alex Kozinski, Diane Sykes, and Douglas Ginsburg, Professors Richard Epstein, Michael McConnell, and Nadine Strossen, and Supreme Court litigators Paul Clement, Neal Katyal, and Walter Dellinger. 1:00—2:15PMPANEL II: MONEY AND CRIME Download video of the panelDownload podcast of the panel-->Moderator: Trevor Burrus, Research Fellow, Cato InstituteDavid Goldberg, Lecturer in Law, Stanford Law SchoolDavid Post, Professor of Law Emeritus, Beasley School of Law at Temple UniversityThaya Brook Knight, Associate Director, Financial Regulation Studies, Cato Institute Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Cato Institute's Center for Constitutional Studies Presents a Symposium through the Generosity of George M. YeagerCato's annual Constitution Day symposium marks the day in 1787 that the Constitutional Convention finished drafting the U.S. Constitution. We celebrate that event each year with the release of the new issue of the Cato Supreme Court Review and with a day-long symposium featuring noted scholars discussing the recently concluded Supreme Court term and the important cases coming up. Past speakers have included Judges Alex Kozinski, Diane Sykes, and Douglas Ginsburg, Professors Richard Epstein, Michael McConnell, and Nadine Strossen, and Supreme Court litigators Paul Clement, Neal Katyal, and Walter Dellinger. 10:30—10:45AMWELCOMING REMARKSRoger Pilon, Vice President for Legal Affairs and Director, Center for Constitutional Studies, Cato InstituteINTRODUCTIONIlya Shapiro, Senior Fellow in Constitutional Studies and Editor-in-Chief, Cato Supreme Court Review10:45—12:00PMPANEL I: FIRST AMENDMENT CHALLENGESModerator: Ilya Shapiro, Editor-in-Chief, Cato Supreme Court ReviewClay Calvert, Director, Marion B. Brechner First Amendment Project, University of FloridaPaul M. Sherman, Senior Attorney, Institute for JusticeBob Corn-Revere, Partner, Davis Wright Tremaine LLP Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What is the state of human freedom and progress around the world? If human well-being is getting better, why do so many people remain pessimistic?Evidence from academic institutions and international organizations shows dramatic improvements in human well-being. These improvements are especially striking in the developing world. Unfortunately, there is often a wide gap between the reality and public perception of human well-being. To make matters worse, the media emphasizes bad news, while ignoring many positive long-term trends.We think freedom is a big part of the story. Because freedom is inherently valuable and plays a role in human and economic progress, it is worth carefully tracking. Join Cato scholars to analyze the evolution of global freedom since the Institute's founding 40 years ago and explore the prospects for the next 40 years of expanding human freedom.The 40th Anniversary e-Briefing Series offers Cato Sponsors a special opportunity to engage with Cato's leadership and scholars as the Institute commemorates this milestone while also examining the future of liberty and achieving our mission of creating a free society.Forty years ago, the Cato Institute opened its doors as a new public policy research organization dedicated to liberty. Today, through our independent, nonpartisan research, worldwide events, vast online resources, and media outreach, Cato engages millions on the timeless principles of individual liberty, limited government, free markets, and peace. Cato's success is a testament to our Sponsors' commitment to the Institute and our work. Thank you for your continued support.Send any questions, comments, or other feedback to Harrison Moar at [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

During the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, political dictators were not only popular in their own countries, but were also admired by numerous highly educated and idealistic Western intellectuals. The objects of this political hero-worship included Benito Mussolini, Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Mao Zedong, Fidel Castro and more recently Hugo Chavez, among others. Hollander will discuss the sources of these misjudgments and misperceptions, the specific appeals of particular dictators, and the part played by their charisma, or pseudo-charisma. He will shed new light not only on the political disposition of numerous Western intellectuals — such as Martin Heidegger, Eric Hobsbawm, Norman Mailer, Ezra Pound, Susan Sontag and George Bernard Shaw — but also on the personality of those political leaders who encouraged, and in some instances helped to design, the cult surrounding their rise to dictatorship. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The legal sale of recreational marijuana remains limited to a handful of states, but 29 states plus the District of Columbia allow the prescription and distribution of medical marijuana. Ten of those states—which represent 115 electoral votes—went for President Trump in the 2016 election. National polling shows that just over half of Americans favor marijuana legalization, but a much larger majority want the federal government to leave marijuana alone in states where it is legal. While candidate Trump promised to protect medical marijuana on the campaign trail, President Trump's Justice Department wants to be more aggressive against state-legal marijuana under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). Ultimately, Congress holds the reins on the Department of Justice's ability to enforce particular provisions of the CSA and determines which substances should be under federal control. While marijuana decriminalization is often thought to be a Democrat-friendly topic, some of the best arguments for federal recognition of state marijuana policy rest in traditional Republican values of federalism, deference to local policy choices, and a limited federal government. Moreover, businesses that have no direct ties to cannabis cultivation or distribution like banks and financial institutions can benefit from clear federal rules that tolerate state-legal marijuana transactions. Join us for a lunchtime discussion to explore several ways Congress can reshape federal marijuana policy in a manner that is more consistent both with public opinion and the conservative values of limited government, federalism, and local policymaking. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A key question in debates over whether states should implement Obamacare's Medicaid expansion, and whether Congress should repeal Obamacare entirely, is whether government expansions of health insurance coverage improve health, and if so, how much. A new study by Bernard Black and colleagues finds that the uninsured "consume fewer healthcare services, but their health (while alive) does not deteriorate relative to the insured, and, in our central estimates, they do not die significantly faster than the insured." Come hear Professor Black and leading scholars discuss one of the most important but least understood aspects of health reform. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why is Westeros mired in 8,000 years of economic stagnation? Should Daenerys firebomb King's Landing to prevent a longer war? The world of Game of Thrones is teeming with fascinating interactions between institutions, incentives, and power that creates a sweeping geopolitical mega-saga just begging to be theorized. An examination of these issues through the lens of economics, law, international relations, and power politics promises to be both instructive and entertaining. The day after the Season 7 finale airs, join the Cato Institute and the R Street Institute in an exploration of the intrigue and game theory (and inevitable analogies to our current political landscape) that pervade the world of ice and fire. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What are the biggest challenges facing U.S. foreign policy? While much of the current foreign policy debate in Washington and around the world is focused on the Trump administration, policymakers must also look further ahead in order to address potential conflicts and issues that will shape the world in the first half of the 21st century.From the Middle East to Russia to the rise of China, world affairs and the U.S. role in it is constantly changing.  Indeed, the world has changed a great deal since the Cato Institute was founded 40 years ago. This discussion presents an opportunity to explore the next 40 years and how Cato scholars plan to approach these issues.  Emma Ashford, research fellow in the defense and foreign policy studies department, and John Glaser, associate director of foreign policy studies, will join the 40th Anniversary Sponsor e-Briefing Series to offer their thoughts on the biggest challenges and opportunities facing U.S. foreign policy and address your questions.  They look forward to your participation, which will guide this thought-provoking discussion.The 40th Anniversary e-Briefing Series offers Cato Sponsors a special opportunity to engage with Cato’s leadership and scholars as the Institute commemorates this milestone while also examining the future of liberty and achieving our mission of creating a free society. Forty years ago, the Cato Institute opened its doors as a new public policy research organization dedicated to liberty. Today, through our independent, nonpartisan research, worldwide events, vast online resources, and media outreach, Cato engages millions on the timeless principles of individual liberty, limited government, free markets, and peace. Cato’s success is a testament to our Sponsors’ commitment to the Institute and our work. Thank you for your continued support. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

North Korea remains a vexing, high-stakes puzzle. With so little known about the “hermit kingdom” leadership, how should the United States respond to North Korea’s growing nuclear capabilities? Doug Bandow provides his insights after a rare visit to the isolated nation. Join us for a live discussion about the North Korea problem.Send your questions and join the conversation with #CatoConnects. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From Cato University 2017: Summer Seminar on Political Economy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From Cato University 2017: Summer Seminar on Political Economy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Public choice has emerged to explain behavior in both markets and politics. To what extent do voters and consumers behave rationally, and how can a science largely germinated in the study of market exchange help to explain politics?From Cato University 2017: Summer Seminar on Political Economy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Most of the order in human life wasn't consciously foreseen, designed, or imposed; it just grew. Free societies include many islands of conscious planning, but the overall order of a free society isn't planned. Organizations have purposes, but society has no one purpose.From Cato University 2017: Summer Seminar on Political Economy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Modern widespread prosperity is made possible by respect for individual freedom — to think, to plan, to challenge old ways of doing things, to introduce new products and services, to be enterprising. How are liberty and shared prosperity closely connected?From Cato University 2017: Summer Seminar on Political Economy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of the most potent and controversial tools in the American intelligence community’s arsenal is set to lapse at the end of this year. Section 702 of the FISA Amendments Act of 2008 allows the government to intercept the communications of foreign targets as they cross U.S. soil—including conversations with American citizens. Spy agencies claim it’s a vital weapon against terrorists and should not only be reauthorized but also made permanent. Civil libertarians, however, worry that the law’s incredible scope—targeting some 100,000 people and hauling in hundreds of millions, if not billions, of communications each year—makes it ripe for abuse without significant reform.Among the law’s most vocal critics have been two senators from opposite sides of the political spectrum: Ron Wyden and Rand Paul. At this Cato forum, they’ll explore how section 702 works and whether it needs stronger safeguards to protect Americans’ privacy. Should a warrant be required to search for citizens’ communications in the vast 702 database? Is it feasible to demand an estimate of how many Americans have been “incidentally” caught up in 702 surveillance—a number that the intelligence community has said it’s unable to provide? And does the foreign backlash against 702 surveillance threaten global Internet commerce? We’ll delve into these questions in a wide-ranging discussion. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of the fundamental historical arguments for traditional public schooling is that compulsory common schools are necessary for a stable democratic society. Horace Mann, the father of American public schooling, argued that common schools would force children from diverse backgrounds, religions, and races to interact with one another and receive instruction on proper virtues. Other people, however, believe that allowing parents to choose the schools they think best for their children could improve essential democratic outcomes by forcing schools to compete and to teach more effectively. Which system is best to strengthen tolerance and civic engagement in our society? Which theories have the most merit? What does the scientific evidence say? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thomas Jefferson famously wrote that the earth belongs to the living. His letter to James Madison is often quoted for the proposition that we should not be bound to the “dead hand of the past,” suggesting that the Constitution should instead be interpreted as a living, breathing document. Less well known is Madison’s response, in which he said that the Constitution forms a debt against the living, who take the benefit of it. This debt, Madison claimed, could only be discharged by a kind of originalism. Who is right? Thomas Jefferson or James Madison? Please join us for a conversation with Ilan Wurman, author of the forthcoming book A Debt Against the Living: An Introduction to Originalism, to discuss this and many other questions. Stanford law professor and former federal judge Michael W. McConnell has described the book as the first “to explain to the ordinary citizen—free from what the late Justice Antonin Scalia called ‘jiggery pokery’—what it means to understand the Constitution as enduring law rather than politics by a different name.” All are welcome, but interns, law students, and potential law students may be particularly interested.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One basis of modern medicine is that low doses of many chemicals are beneficial, while higher ones are toxic. And yet a great disparity has evolved with the regulation of many entities — including carcinogens, ionizing radiation, and toxics. Their regulation is based on the notion that that a single molecule or photon is as capable of inducing cancer as the billionth one. How has this disparity happened — with low, beneficial doses being treated and regulated the same way as higher ones? What is correct?One highly compelling look at this subject has emerged from Dr. Edward Calabrese’s painstaking and voluminous research. Using recently declassified Atomic Energy Commission documents, Calabrese details the establishment of the linear no-threshold model at the height of the Cold War, when thermonuclear bombs were routinely detonated in the atmosphere, resulting in radioactive fallout. His is a spellbinding story of what is often called “noble cause corruption” of science, and of how difficult it is to correct when backed by the might of the federal government. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Political communication can be described as the use of three separate “languages”: progressive, conservative and libertarian. Each serves to reinforce the validity of the positions of its constituent members while at the same time maligning the views of their opponents.By identifying and understanding the language that each group employs, we can discuss politics while minimizing miscommunication, break down barriers to real connection, and create space for a less fractious exchange of ideas.Join us for a timely introduction to Kling’s new and updated version of this modern classic. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ayn Rand’s first novel, We the Living, is a captivating story set in 1920s Russia about students trapped in a communist state. As Rand said, “We the Living is not a story about Soviet Russia in 1925. It is a story about Dictatorship, any dictatorship, anywhere, at any time.” With new authoritarian challenges to liberal democracy arising throughout the Western world, its ideas are as timely as ever. The theatrical company Austin Shakespeare will present a staged reading from The Unconquered, Rand’s play from the book edited by Robert Mayhew. A panel discussion on its themes of individualism, authoritarianism, and threats to liberty will follow. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Discrimination” has a terrible connotation — excluding or treating people differently for ultimately superficial reasons — and fear that choice programs would allow schools to discriminate in admissions has been widespread. But is “discrimination” always and inescapably wrong? Could it reflect a school’s capabilities or sense of mission? Join us for a very open discussion — including opinions from the audience — of this highly sensitive issue. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

According to a recent New York Times analysis, drug overdoses are now the leading cause of death among Americans under age 50. Driving this trend, which shows no sign of abatement, is a surge in opioid-related overdoses. These types of deaths have occurred with such frequency that Maryland, Florida, and now Arizona, have declared medical states of emergencyWhat to do? Solutions range from requiring more federal intervention in the practice of medicine, increasing punishing actions on heroin production in Central America and Afghanistan, and enhancing domestic law enforcement efforts to crack down on street-corner dealers and their supply networks. Other ideas involve an increase in public education, medical intervention, and monitoring, as well as deregulation and legalization.Join us for a clarifying examination of the issues and learn what Congress should and should not do to remedy the situation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Democracy Fund Voter Study Group, a new research collaboration of nearly two dozen analysts and scholars from across the political spectrum, recently released new data and analysis exploring voter perceptions before and after the 2016 election.During the intense political division of the 2016 presidential campaign, the Voter Study Group began collaborating across ideological lines to examine the underlying values and opinions that influence voter decision-making. The expert group commissioned a new survey of 8,000 adults who had participated in similar surveys in mid-2016, 2011, and 2012. This unique longitudinal data set provides the basis for four new reports analyzing many of the most hotly-debated subjects of the presidential election, including economic stress, trade, race, immigration, and the evolution of the parties. During this special #CatoConnects experts who participated in this Democracy Fund project will be providing analysis and results from this study.The Cato Institute’s Emily Ekins, a member of the study group, created a “typology” of Trump voters finding five unique groups: American Preservationists (20%), Staunch Conservatives (31%), Anti-Elites (19%), Free Marketeers (25%), and the Disengaged (5%). Despite media narratives seeking out a single explanation of the Trump vote, these results indicate there is no such thing as “one kind of Trump voter” who voted for him for one single reason. Rob Griffin, another member of the study group, also finds that long-term economic stress combined with anxieties over immigration and cultural concerns, profoundly shaped the 2016 election. Ekins will discuss this and her findings that have several implications from the libertarian perspective. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Following stunning losses by the once hegemonic African National Congress in 2016 local elections, Herman Mashaba, a successful businessman and politician from the opposition Democratic Alliance, became mayor of Johannesburg—South Africa’s economic powerhouse. Over the course of last year, Mashaba started to tackle widespread corruption as well as failing delivery of public services in the city. In addition to speaking about the state of Johannesburg, Mashaba will offer his thoughts on economic stagnation and the potentially explosive political situation in the country. Princeton Lyman, who served as the U.S. Ambassador to South Africa at the time of the transfer of power from white minority to black majority, will discuss America’s original hopes for a new South Africa and the extent to which America’s expectations have been left unfulfilled. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

While there is an ongoing debate about what caused the 2008 financial crisis, there is little disagreement that the housing market was at the heart of the problem. In the years since the crisis, Congress passed a massive new piece of legislation, the Dodd-Frank Act, and federal financial regulators have been actively issuing new regulations. But what about the government-sponsored housing enterprises, known as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac? What was their role in the crisis, and what has been done to reduce their potential harm in the future? Join us as we discuss these questions with experts from the policy world and the industry itself. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is an exclusive opportunity for Cato Sponsors to interact with Peter and discuss topics of interest—from policy research to the organization’s operations to Peter’s own involvement with Cato and the broader liberty movement. He looks forward to taking your questions and engaging in a thought-provoking discussion.The 40th Anniversary e-Briefing Series offers Cato Sponsors a special online-only opportunity to directly engage with Cato’s leadership and scholars as the Institute commemorates this milestone while also examining the future of liberty.Forty years ago, the Cato Institute opened its doors as a new public policy research organization dedicated to liberty. Today, through our independent, nonpartisan research, worldwide events, vast online resources, and media outreach, Cato engages millions on the timeless principles of individual liberty, limited government, free markets, and peace. Cato’s success is a testament to our Sponsors’ commitment to the Institute and our work. Thank you for your continued support. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kidney disease kills more than 50,000 people each year—more than auto accidents, drug overdoses, or suicides.There are more than 500,000 people with end-stage renal disease currently undergoing dialysis, the majority of whom are Hispanics, African-Americans, and Native Americans. The only cure is a kidney transplant.However, a severe kidney shortage exists right now: while about 17,000 transplants were performed in 2016, about 100,000 patients remain on the waiting list. Thousands of people will die this year without a kidney becoming available for them.Various methods to increase the supply of available kidneys have proven to be either unworkable or insufficient to significantly allay the shortage.Join our esteemed panel as we explore various ways to alleviate this critical shortage. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Iran deal may not survive the Trump administration. The 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action requires Iran to limit its nuclear program and allow International Atomic Energy Agency inspections in exchange for sanctions relief from the United States, the European Union, and the UN Security Council. As a candidate, Trump said he would dismantle the deal. He now claims that Iran violated the deal’s “spirit” and has initiated a White House review of it. Trump’s skepticism matches that of several U.S. allies in the region and the mood of Republican majorities in Congress. Meanwhile, ahead of their coming election, Iranian hardliners criticize President Hassan Rouhani for not getting better terms.Advocates of the deal point out that it’s working. Even the Trump administration has formally recognized Iran’s compliance. Freezing Iran’s program, some argue, upsets hawks on both sides precisely because it limits tensions and lowers the odds of war.To discuss the deal and its prospects, Cato is hosting Ambassador Wendy Sherman, who led the U.S. negotiating team for the Obama administration. She’ll be interviewed by Laura Rozen, Al-Monitor’s diplomatic correspondent. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Public schools were created with a mission to bring diverse people together and inculcate shared values thought necessary for democracy. But teaching children about politically, religiously, racially, or otherwise highly charged topics has turned out to be very difficult, driven by fear of igniting explosive conflicts. The result has been that potential flashpoints—but also crucial topics—have often been soft-pedaled or skipped entirely in schools. Which raises a fundamental question: Can a public education system encompassing very diverse people ever teach all children about highly controversial topics? Join a panel of experts as they tackle a critical question that is, itself, highly contentious. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Trump administration and Republicans in Congress are pushing ahead with major tax reforms. There is broad agreement on the need to simplify the tax code and to cut tax rates to improve America’s competitiveness. The administration’s tax plan would slash the top business tax rate to 15 percent, while simplifying and reducing individual income tax brackets. The House reform blueprint would cut individual and corporate tax rates and allow for expensing of capital investment. The blueprint also suggests creating Universal Savings Accounts. However, there is still disagreement among experts and political leaders over changes to the business tax base, the need for revenue neutrality, and other aspects of reform.Join our panel of experts who will discuss the economics of tax reform and comment on the policy process in the months ahead. We will explore the proposed changes to individual taxes outlined in the Trump and House plans, and further, examine U.S. business taxation in light of dramatic reforms undertaken in the UK and around the world that offer important lessons for U.S. policymakers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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