Cato Event Podcast

Entrepreneurship and innovation are key drivers of economic growth. For decades economic dynamism and creative destruction powered U.S. economic growth. Now, however, there is evidence that American innovation is declining. The ratio of new firms to all firms has declined from 15 percent in 1978 to 8 percent in 2011, and since 2008 the number of business failures has exceeded new business starts. Prominent economists have linked declining entrepreneurship to slower growth rates, and have argued that unless the trend in innovation reverses, the economy might continue to stagnate.Every small business requires access to capital in order to grow. Congress, concerned about these trends in entrepreneurship, passed the Jumpstart Our Business Startups (JOBS) Act in 2012 with the intent to make small business funding easier. In her new paper, "A Walk through the JOBS Act of 2012," the Cato Institute's Thaya Brook Knight provides a substantive yet easy-to-follow analysis of the law and associated agency rulemaking.Join us as Knight describes how the Act changed existing securities laws and regulation, and explains what these changes mean for small business capital access. She'll also recommend ways for policymakers to continue to improve the funding climate for small business. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A “ruling class” has emerged in America against the hopes and designs of our Founding Fathers. Over the last hundred years, members of that class have rejected the Constitution and expanded their own power, slowly at first and now rapidly. These people believe their actions are justified because they think they are smarter than the rest of us—so smart they can run our lives better than we can.But for all the power and resources at their command, they have failed. Miserably. Society has become increasingly unequal, even as we’re promised “equality.” Our government finances are out of control, our basic infrastructure is broken, and education is unaffordable and mediocre. And yet the ruling class thinks the solution is for us to grant them ever more control.We can stop this—but to do so we must unite. In Conspiracies of the Ruling Class, Lawrence Lindsey lays out his plan for how we can use common sense to change the way our country is run. Finally, here is the truth from a Washington insider about how to reawaken the spirit upon which America was founded, with liberty for every person to pursue his or her own dreams. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Overdoses from heroin and prescription painkillers have killed an alarming number of Americans in recent years. Last month, President Obama announced a $1.1 billion package to combat opiod abuse. Some analysts say the federal government is not doing enough to attack heroin production in Mexico and Afghanistan. Others argue that drug interdiction and police crackdowns have failed and call for deregulation and legalization. Please join us for a wide-ranging debate about the heroin problem and what to do about it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After the economic disaster of the Great Leap Forward that claimed tens of millions of lives from 1958–1962, Mao Zedong launched an ambitious scheme to shore up his reputation and eliminate those he viewed as a threat to his legacy. The stated goal of the Cultural Revolution was to purge China of its bourgeoisie and remaining capitalists. The Cultural Revolution soon resulted in street fighting between rival factions. As China descended into chaos, the military intervened, turning the country into a garrison state marked by bloody purges that killed as many as one in 50 people. After the army itself fell victim to the Cultural Revolution, ordinary people used the political chaos to resurrect the market and hollow out the party's ideology. In short, they buried Maoism. Please join us for a discussion of the horrors of the Cultural Revolution and its unintended consequences. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As a young man, David Coltart was urged by Robert Mugabe to return from South Africa to Zimbabwe, where Coltart rose to become senator and education minister. But, as Mugabe became increasingly dictatorial, Coltart became one of Mugabe’s favorite targets of vilification. Coltart was branded a traitor to the state and worthy of remaining in Zimbabwe only as a resident of one of its prisons. For three decades, Coltart has kept detailed notes and records of all his work, including a meticulous diary of cabinet meetings. Coltart’s book deals with the last 60 years of Zimbabwe’s history: from the obstinate rule of Ian Smith that provoked Rhodesia’s Unilateral Declaration of Independence from Britain in 1965, to the civil war of the 1970s, the Gukurahundi genocide of the 1980s, Robert Mugabe’s war on white landowners, and the struggles waged by Coltart’s party — the Movement for Democratic Change. Coltart will also discuss one of his key concerns: the role of political extremists who have consistently subverted Zimbabwe’s chances of realizing its true potential. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Constitution begins with the words “We the People.” But from our earliest days there have been two competing notions of “the People,” leading to two very different constitutional visions. Those who view “We the People” collectively think popular sovereignty resides in the people as a group, which leads them to favor a democratic constitution that allows the will of the people to be expressed by majority rule. In contrast, those who think popular sovereignty resides in the people as individuals contend that a republican constitution is needed to secure the preexisting inalienable rights of “We the People,” each and every one, against abuses by the majority. In his latest book, with a foreword by George Will, Randy Barnett explains why “We the People” would greatly benefit from the renewal of our republican Constitution, and how this can be accomplished in the courts and the political arena. Please join us for a discussion of this important new book. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Please join us as Michael Mandelbaum—prominent columnist and author, and a leading foreign-policy thinker—discusses his new book, Mission Failure: America and the World in the Post–Cold War Era. In this definitive work, Mandelbaum critically assesses American military interventions since the end of the Cold War and the deeply flawed post–Cold War efforts to promote American values and American institutions throughout the world. Each intervention was designed to transform local economic and political systems, and each, argues Mandelbaum, failed. It is, he writes, “the story of good, sometimes noble, and thoroughly American intentions coming up against the deeply embedded, often harsh, and profoundly un-American realities of places far from the United States.” In these encounters, he concludes, "the realities prevailed." We hope you will be able to join us for what will be a provocative and highly illuminating event. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We are witnessing the dawn of a robotics revolution. In the future, robots will undergo exponential growth in terms of their ability and application. What does that mean for human employment and productivity growth? What about incomes, leisure time, and the overall standard of living? Randy Bateman believes that, as was the case in the Industrial Revolution, robots will initially assist rather than displace human workers. Afterwards, however, there will be a great economic upheaval and a realignment of employment and tax policies. On the flip side, dangerous, dirty, and demeaning jobs will be eliminated. The two thirds of the planet that is ocean can be more widely explored and exploited. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the Cold War wound down, the United States initiated a new conflict—a war for the greater Middle East. From the Balkans and East Africa to the Persian Gulf and Central Asia, U.S. forces embarked upon a series of campaigns across the Islamic world with no end in sight. In his aptly titled new book, America’s War for the Greater Middle East, Andrew Bacevich connects the dots of a sweeping narrative from episodes as varied as the Beirut bombing of 1983, the Mogadishu firefight of 1993, the invasion of Iraq in 2003, and the rise of ISIS in the present decade. Indeed, Bacevich claims that America’s costly military interventions can only be understood when seeing the seemingly discrete events as part of a single war. Is he right? Or are America’s military adventures in the Middle East discrete occurrences driven by the unique circumstances of the moment? Is it really one big, long war, or many? Join us to find out. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cryptocurrencies and blockchain technologies, like Bitcoin, are revolutionizing the way we think about government currency monopolies, transferring money across the globe, maintaining financial privacy and security, and verifying ownership of money or potentially everything. Their place in society and the financial system is rapidly expanding and with it a host of hopes, questions, and risks. Will they provide financial security outside of government systems, or will consumers be unprotected from losses? Will they ensure financial privacy or enable criminal activity? Will they replace central banking or serve as a new tool for monetary management? And will government regulations encourage, discourage, or remain neutral to these emerging and transformative technologies? Join us for a day-long conference considering the policy implications of the decentralized cryptocurrency revolution. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cryptocurrencies and blockchain technologies, like Bitcoin, are revolutionizing the way we think about government currency monopolies, transferring money across the globe, maintaining financial privacy and security, and verifying ownership of money or potentially everything. Their place in society and the financial system is rapidly expanding and with it a host of hopes, questions, and risks. Will they provide financial security outside of government systems, or will consumers be unprotected from losses? Will they ensure financial privacy or enable criminal activity? Will they replace central banking or serve as a new tool for monetary management? And will government regulations encourage, discourage, or remain neutral to these emerging and transformative technologies? Join us for a day-long conference considering the policy implications of the decentralized cryptocurrency revolution. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cryptocurrencies and blockchain technologies, like Bitcoin, are revolutionizing the way we think about government currency monopolies, transferring money across the globe, maintaining financial privacy and security, and verifying ownership of money or potentially everything. Their place in society and the financial system is rapidly expanding and with it a host of hopes, questions, and risks. Will they provide financial security outside of government systems, or will consumers be unprotected from losses? Will they ensure financial privacy or enable criminal activity? Will they replace central banking or serve as a new tool for monetary management? And will government regulations encourage, discourage, or remain neutral to these emerging and transformative technologies? Join us for a day-long conference considering the policy implications of the decentralized cryptocurrency revolution. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cryptocurrencies and blockchain technologies, like Bitcoin, are revolutionizing the way we think about government currency monopolies, transferring money across the globe, maintaining financial privacy and security, and verifying ownership of money or potentially everything. Their place in society and the financial system is rapidly expanding and with it a host of hopes, questions, and risks. Will they provide financial security outside of government systems, or will consumers be unprotected from losses? Will they ensure financial privacy or enable criminal activity? Will they replace central banking or serve as a new tool for monetary management? And will government regulations encourage, discourage, or remain neutral to these emerging and transformative technologies? Join us for a day-long conference considering the policy implications of the decentralized cryptocurrency revolution. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cryptocurrencies and blockchain technologies, like Bitcoin, are revolutionizing the way we think about government currency monopolies, transferring money across the globe, maintaining financial privacy and security, and verifying ownership of money or potentially everything. Their place in society and the financial system is rapidly expanding and with it a host of hopes, questions, and risks. Will they provide financial security outside of government systems, or will consumers be unprotected from losses? Will they ensure financial privacy or enable criminal activity? Will they replace central banking or serve as a new tool for monetary management? And will government regulations encourage, discourage, or remain neutral to these emerging and transformative technologies? Join us for a day-long conference considering the policy implications of the decentralized cryptocurrency revolution. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cryptocurrencies and blockchain technologies, like Bitcoin, are revolutionizing the way we think about government currency monopolies, transferring money across the globe, maintaining financial privacy and security, and verifying ownership of money or potentially everything. Their place in society and the financial system is rapidly expanding and with it a host of hopes, questions, and risks. Will they provide financial security outside of government systems, or will consumers be unprotected from losses? Will they ensure financial privacy or enable criminal activity? Will they replace central banking or serve as a new tool for monetary management? And will government regulations encourage, discourage, or remain neutral to these emerging and transformative technologies? Join us for a day-long conference considering the policy implications of the decentralized cryptocurrency revolution. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cryptocurrencies and blockchain technologies, like Bitcoin, are revolutionizing the way we think about government currency monopolies, transferring money across the globe, maintaining financial privacy and security, and verifying ownership of money or potentially everything. Their place in society and the financial system is rapidly expanding and with it a host of hopes, questions, and risks. Will they provide financial security outside of government systems, or will consumers be unprotected from losses? Will they ensure financial privacy or enable criminal activity? Will they replace central banking or serve as a new tool for monetary management? And will government regulations encourage, discourage, or remain neutral to these emerging and transformative technologies? Join us for a day-long conference considering the policy implications of the decentralized cryptocurrency revolution. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cryptocurrencies and blockchain technologies, like Bitcoin, are revolutionizing the way we think about government currency monopolies, transferring money across the globe, maintaining financial privacy and security, and verifying ownership of money or potentially everything. Their place in society and the financial system is rapidly expanding and with it a host of hopes, questions, and risks. Will they provide financial security outside of government systems, or will consumers be unprotected from losses? Will they ensure financial privacy or enable criminal activity? Will they replace central banking or serve as a new tool for monetary management? And will government regulations encourage, discourage, or remain neutral to these emerging and transformative technologies? Join us for a day-long conference considering the policy implications of the decentralized cryptocurrency revolution. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The global poverty aid industry is big business, with the West spending more than a trillion dollars in the past decade on programs to promote development. Filmed in 20 countries, Poverty, Inc. unearths the uncomfortable side of international charity, finding that much of it hurts the world’s poor more than it helps them. Join us for a screening of the documentary that explores how perverse incentives, lack of local knowledge, and weak institutional environments combine with altruism and cynicism to produce sometimes catastrophic results. The record of aid contrasts with the film’s portrayal of the dignity and productive potential of the poor. Co-producer Mark Weber will briefly answer questions after the screening. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since 2001 the United States has created or restructured more than two counterterrorism organizations for every apprehension it has made of Islamists apparently planning to commit terrorism within the country. Central to this massive enterprise are the efforts of police and intelligence agencies to follow up on over ten million tips, the vast majority of which lead nowhere. In their new book, Chasing Ghosts, John Mueller and Mark G. Stewart try to answer a few simple, yet rarely asked questions: Is the chase worth the effort? Or is it excessive given the danger that terrorism actually presents? The authors will present their findings followed by questions and discussion related to the U.S. fight against terrorism. Please join us for what is sure to be a lively event. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There is, perhaps, no bigger name in American education than John Dewey, and he wrote, arguably, nothing more influential than Democracy and Education, which turns 100 years old this year. How has the book held up over the century, with its prescription for schools to use children's natural inclinations to both educate them and unite diverse people? How educationally and socially effective have those ideas been, and how lasting their influence? Join us as we reflect on 100 years of this seminal work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Colombia’s half-century war with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) has cost the lives of hundreds of thousands of people and remains Latin America’s longest armed conflict. After more than three years of talks, the Colombian government and the guerrillas are nearing a self-imposed deadline for the completion of peace negotiations. Despite the support that the peace process enjoys outside Colombia, key provisions already agreed to are leading many to reject the agreement. José Miguel Vivanco will explain why the lack of meaningful accountability for crimes against humanity committed by both parties contravenes international law, delegitimizes the negotiations, and undermines the chance for sustainable peace. Adam Isacson will make the case in favor of the agreement. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Supporters claim the dependent-coverage mandate is one of the most popular provisions of the Affordable Care Act. This provision requires employer-based insurance plans that offer dependent coverage to cover dependents up to age 26. Scholars are just beginning to measure the benefits and costs of this mandate. In a forthcoming study, Stanford University economist Jay Bhattacharya examines the effect of this mandate on wages, finding it has reduced cash compensation by $1,200 per covered worker. Asako S. Moriya from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has measured the effect of the mandate on inpatient hospitalizations among young adults, emergency department use, and other measures. We hope you’ll join our expert panel to discuss new research on this still-controversial law. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 2015 Japan passed landmark reforms of its national security laws, including a reinterpretation of its constitutional prohibition against collective security activities. Now Japan can legally cooperate with the United States in defensive military operations, leading many observers to declare that Japan has abandoned its post–World War II “pacifist principles.”Are such pronouncements correct? Or are the national security reforms simply the most recent recalibration of Japan’s postwar grand strategy? In her new analysis, Jennifer Lind argues the latter, stating that cries of “Japan is abandoning pacifism” are not only misleading, but distort the magnitude of recent changes. According to Lind, while Japan prefers to buck-pass to the United States, it has historically accepted more responsibility in the alliance when its threat environment grows increasingly dangerous and uncertainty exists about the U.S. commitment.But what are the implications for U.S. security of a more assertive Japan? And does Japan’s acceptance of more responsibility suggest that other U.S. allies would act accordingly if Washington were to step back? Lind along with a distinguished panel will discuss these and other important questions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Every year, federal, state, and local governments spend nearly $1 trillion to fight poverty, yet millions of Americans remain trapped in poverty with little hope for the future. Could the welfare system itself be part of the problem? Phil Harvey and Lisa Conyers make the case that our current welfare system has failed the poor, hurting the very people it is supposed to help. They suggest that good intentions are not enough and that if we truly want to reduce poverty, we need to understand the limits of government and radically reform our approach to welfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Domestic minerals and metals are a cornerstone of the U.S. economy, but data just published by the Energy Information Agency (EIA) show that investment in U.S. mining and exploration declined an incredible 35 percent last year—from $135 billion in 2014 to $88 billion in 2015—representing the second largest decline since 1948. The withdrawal of federal lands, often with permanent restrictions on mining force manufacturers to look elsewhere, and the permitting process is long and drawn out. Federal holdings used to be called the “land of many uses,” but increasingly Washington has decided that one of those uses is no longer the mining of coal and minerals. Millions of acres, largely in the West, are now zoned for no mining, no matter how remote or rich they might be.Mamula, a PhD geologist with extensive experience in both private industry and government (with the U.S. Geological Survey and the Central Intelligence Agency), will discuss the causes of and the solutions for this problem which is increasing in strategic importance for the United States. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Between January and March 2015, U.S. Special Operations forces deployed to over 80 countries. Although many of these deployments focused on training exercises or advisory roles, it is an astounding measure of the scope of the U.S. military's involvement around the world. U.S. forces are engaged in active conflict in at least 6 countries, ranging from the well-known (Iraq; Afghanistan) to the largely invisible (Somalia; Yemen).The public often seems blissfully unaware of America's wars, reflecting a blurring of the line between war and peace. The ubiquity of the "Global War on Terror," the emergence of non-state actors, and technological advances have contributed to a situation in which the United States is involved in a range of conflicts around the world, most of which are invisible to the people who pay for them.What is the nature and scope of America's involvement in these conflicts? Does lack of public awareness impact U.S. national security debates? And does U.S. involvement actually serve U.S. interests? Join our panelists for a discussion of these questions in the context of three "invisible" wars: Yemen, Pakistan, and Somalia. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Two years ago, in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby, the Supreme Court ruled that regulations implementing Obamacare’s “preventive care” mandate violated the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) for certain closely held corporations. Employers with religious objections to some of the contraceptives that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) required them to cover had to be exempt from that regulation. They thus joined churches and their “auxiliaries,” which HHS had exempted from the contraceptive mandate after public outrage at the scope of the initial regulation. But what about nonprofits that HHS considered insufficiently religious to merit exemption? Religious schools, charities, and the like were instead offered an “accommodation”: These employers had to give the government information about their insurers and sign forms allowing their health plan to provide contraceptives. The only justification for this differential treatment was that employees of organizations that aren’t houses of worship are less likely to share their employer’s faith. In other words, HHS refused to exempt people who work for groups like Little Sisters of the Poor — a group of nuns who vow obedience to the Pope! — because they’re less committed to a religious mission. Thus the Supreme Court has taken up the issue of whether the contraceptive mandate and its “accommodation” violate RFRA by forcing religious nonprofits to act in violation of their sincerely held religious beliefs when the government has not proven that this compulsion is the least restrictive means of advancing any compelling interest. Please join us for a discussion of all the issues these cases raise, including what to look for at oral argument the following week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

American public schools often censor controversial student speech that the Constitution protects. Lessons in Censorship brings clarity to a bewildering array of court rulings that define the speech rights of young citizens in the school setting. Ross examines disputes that have erupted in our schools and courts over the civil rights movement; war and peace; rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals (LGBT); abortion; immigration; evangelical proselytizing; and the Confederate flag. She argues that the failure of schools to respect civil liberties betrays their educational mission and threatens democracy.From the 1940s through the Warren years, the Supreme Court celebrated free expression and emphasized the role of schools in cultivating liberty. But the Burger, Rehnquist, and Roberts courts retreated from that vision, curtailing certain categories of student speech in the name of order and authority. Drawing on hundreds of lower court decisions, Ross shows how some judges either misunderstand the law or decline to rein in censorship that is clearly unconstitutional, and she powerfully demonstrates the continuing vitality of the Supreme Court's initial affirmation of students' expressive rights.Lessons in Censorship was named the best book of 2015 on the First Amendment by Concurring Opinions (First Amendment News 91). More reviews of the work may be found at catherinejrosslawprof.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Less than 18 months ago, a cover story for the New York Times Magazine asked, “Has the ‘libertarian moment’ finally arrived?” From public suspicion of the surveillance state, to increasing tolerance for marijuana legalization, to marriage equality, to weariness with war—the article argued that after years of intellectual work, “for perhaps the first time,” libertarianism has “genuine political momentum on its side.” However, the Rand Paul presidential campaign failed to catch fire. The two breakout candidates of the presidential campaign have been a socialist and an authoritarian. The idea of tolerance seems increasingly quaint, as Mexicans and Muslims have become the target of public frustrations. And the public seems to have forgotten its weariness with war, as the Islamic State continues its brutal terrorism. Was all this talk of the libertarian moment simply wishful thinking? Or was the libertarian moment never about politics in the first place? Join David Boaz, Matt Welch, Ramesh Ponnuru, and Conor Friedersdorf for a wide-ranging conversation on the future of libertarianism. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Four years ago, in Sackett v. EPA (2012), the Supreme Court unanimously rejected the EPA's effort to deny judicial review of its determination that a rural lot where an Idaho couple was building their home was a federal wetland. The Army Corps of Engineers makes tens of thousands of similar wetlands determinations each year under the Clean Water Act (CWA), but it claims that Sackett doesn't apply because these determinations are legally different from the EPA's orders. On March 30, the Supreme Court will hear argument in U.S. Army Corps of Engineers v. Hawkes Co. to decide whether landowners have access to court to challenge agency rulings that their property contains wetlands that are subject to federal regulation. While 30 states are now suing to overturn the newest CWA rule expanding power over "waters of the United States," invalidating that rule won't change existing federal control over individual landowners if the agencies continue to assert similarly overbroad authority. What recourse do landowners have when federal agencies decide that private property contains wetlands? According to the Obama administration, landowners first must spend hundreds of thousands of dollars and many years seeking a permit from the same officials who may not have the proper regulatory authority to begin with. The Supreme Court rejected that approach in Sackett. A win for Hawkes here would provide much broader relief from abusive agency rulings and procedures. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Libertarians and conservatives held high hopes for a return to limited, constitutional government and fiscal responsibility with the arrival of the Tea Party movement in 2008 and 2009. Today, Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders are making credible runs for the White House. What happened? Was the commitment to Founding Era principles weakly held, after all? Join us on March 10th at 4 p.m. for a discussion about what, exactly, happened to the Tea Party.Ask your questions to the panel using the hashtag #CatoConnects. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dramatic improvements in robotics, artificial intelligence, additive manufacturing (3D printing), and nanoenergetics are dramatically changing the character of global conflicts. The convergence of these new and improving technologies increases the capabilities available to smaller and smaller political entities—extending even to the individual. In a new Cato Policy Analysis author T. X. Hammes explores these developments and ponders their impact on U.S. national security. How should policymakers and military planners take these changes into account as they consider future policies? And in what ways do the convergence of technologies and the proliferation of new military capabilities challenge the conventional wisdom surrounding how to fight—and even whether to fight? The author will present his findings, followed by comments and questions from our distinguished panelists. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since Milton Friedman, school choice proponents have argued that vouchers and other private choice programs would improve student performance, and nearly every “gold-standard” study has found they do – until now. Recent studies of Louisiana’s voucher program have found that it actually reduced students’ performance on standardized tests. Why? In this forum top experts will discuss several possible reasons for this, including the role of various regulations, and will debate what the body of research says about how to design choice policies. We hope you’ll join us for this crucial conversation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Drug trafficking is one of the most resilient and lucrative industries in the world, with estimated revenues of $300 billion a year. Despite the tens of billions of dollars that governments spend every year trying to disrupt them, drug cartels have shown tremendous ingenuity, adaptability, and entrepreneurship to satisfy over a quarter billion customers worldwide. Tom Wainwright will use insights from classical economics and modern business theory to explain how drug cartels work, why they're thriving, and how the illicit business could be defeated by the laws of economics—that is, by recognizing the futility of prohibition. Moisés Naím will relate the book’s insights to current hemispheric affairs. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In an effort to combat the Great Recession, the Federal Reserve embarked on an unprecedented program of quantitative easing (QE) — the large-scale purchase of financial assets using freshly created money. The idea was to lower interest rates, encourage spending and investment, and thereby boost growth and jobs. By late 2014, the Fed had added more than $3.5 trillion to its books — effectively quintupling the size of its balance sheet. But did it work? Did QE boost growth and jobs? Did it save the American economy from the abyss? Or did it merely sow the seeds of the next crisis? Join us as our expert panel debates one of the defining monetary policy issues of our time — the legacy of QE. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since the end of the Cold War, the United States has conducted a number of humanitarian interventions. Following the UN’s enshrinement of the “responsibility to protect,” and in the midst of ongoing international instability, Washington is bound to face pressure to perform more such operations. Given that likelihood, policymakers need standards for deciding when to intervene abroad. In his new book, Michael Doyle provides a sophisticated analysis of the circumstances in which moral and security considerations supersede the norm of state sovereignty and justify foreign intervention. Building on John Stuart Mill’s 1859 essay “A Few Words on Non-intervention,” Doyle argues that the default principle of non-intervention should only be overridden in grave situations following multilateral deliberation. Please join us for an engaging discussion. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the past, the European Union was seen as a force for economic liberalization. Brussels broke down many barriers to the free movement of goods, services, people, and capital. As such, the EU was credited with growing prosperity and stability on the continent. In recent decades, however, the EU became synonymous with unwieldy bureaucracy and overregulation. Today, many see the EU as a source of Europe’s problems, including slow growth, high unemployment, and rising social tensions. The "Index of Liberalization," published by the Italian think tank Instituto Bruno Leoni, identifies barriers to entry in key economic sectors across the EU. Massimiliano Trovato will present the latest data and discuss the role that Brussels is playing, and fails to play, in returning the EU to a path of growth. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The No Child Left Behind Act, with its rules about everything from teacher qualifications to school interventions, has finally been replaced. What took so long? Finally getting the left and right to agree that Washington had gone too far. But is the Every Student Succeeds Act, NCLB’s replacement, really designed to withdraw Washington from the nation’s classrooms? And is there danger that the U.S. Department of Education will write regulations maintaining federal power no matter what the statute’s intent? We hope you’ll join us for a crucial discussion about the newest federal education law. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Derivatives have been called “weapons of mass destruction” and have been accused of not only magnifying but also causing the recent financial crisis. In the wake of the crisis, many called for increased regulation of these products, and Dodd-Frank delivered. But what are derivatives? Do they have a beneficial role in our economy? Do they deepen financial markets and contribute to stability or are they disruptive? And are Dodd-Frank’s provisions likely to be effective? What do derivatives have to do with beer? We will address these and related issues as we delve into derivatives and their regulation. We hope you will join us. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 1792 James Madison, the principal author of the Constitution, wrote that “Government is instituted to protect property of every sort.” But from the 20th century on the Supreme Court has upheld one inroad after another on the property rights of Americans, culminating in the notorious Kelo decision of 2005, which upheld the city of New London, Connecticut’s transfer of Suzette Kelo’s home to a private developer. That prompted Cato to publish, six months later, Timothy Sandefur’s Cornerstone of Liberty, a detailed account of the demise of property rights in America. Perhaps the Court was listening, because since then it has issued a number of rulings that give hope that the tide may be turning. At least, we have now a full update of Tim’s first book, coauthored this time with his wife Christina, which throws the gauntlet down again before the Court. Please join us for what should be a spirited discussion of the state of property rights in America today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Economic sanctions have become a key component of the U.S. response to any crisis. Indeed, the Obama administration has imposed sanctions on countries as diverse as Russia, Iran, and Egypt, drawing on the strength and global reach of the U.S. financial system to coerce these states. There is no denying that sanctions can be powerful tools of statecraft. Yet the evidence also suggests a more complicated picture.Not only are sanctions often ineffective, they can also carry significant costs for U.S. businesses. In the most recent case—those levied against Russia for its aggression in Ukraine—it is unclear whether sanctions have produced any political change. At the same time, other nations are learning from the American example, experimenting with their own sanctions. Join us for an in-depth discussion of the future of economic coercion, the limitations of sanctions, and the ways in which policymakers can mitigate them. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With the Federal Aviation Administration’s authorization expiring in March, aviation experts are urging Congress to overhaul our air traffic control (ATC) system. The system suffers from uncertain funding, is bogged down by bureaucracy, and may not be able to meet growing demands for air travel.Other nations have transformed their ATC systems, creating more entrepreneurial structures. Canadian reforms, in particular, have caught the eye of U.S. policymakers. That nation privatized its ATC as a self-supporting nonprofit corporation.Join our panel of experts to discuss the advantages of restructuring America’s air traffic control system. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In his final State of the Union address, President Obama hinted at plans for his last year in office, which included efforts to further regulate the economy as a means of addressing policy issues like climate change and income inequality, and paid only scant attention to the Constitution where executive power is concerned. What does the president’s agenda mean for free markets and personal freedom? What can liberty-minded policymakers do to address pressing issues while still working to reduce the size and scope of government?Please join us as Cato policy experts discuss the current state of the union with respect to the courts, criminal justice reform, immigration, and taxation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Five U.S. states either permit aid in dying or are poised to do so shortly. Several others are considering legislation and/or court judgments that may find in favor of it in various ways. Yet the ethical questions surrounding aid in dying run deep, as even its advocates must admit: Is the choice to hasten a terminally ill patient’s death ever an ethical one? If so, what legal safeguards may be necessary? How do proponents answer charges that aid in dying will result in elder abuse, the degradation of the value of life, and the risk of a slippery slope toward premeditated killing?As with those of many other political persuasions, libertarians may be divided on this issue. Yet it remains important to us, as to all others. Serious questions about individual autonomy and self-ownership are involved here no matter which side is in the right. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For thousands of years, farmers used selective breeding to produce more plentiful harvests and increase the usefulness of domesticated animals. Today, genetic engineering allows businesses to do the same—but more cheaply, precisely and speedily. Unbeknownst to most people, the use of genetically modified organisms is not limited to agriculture. GMO technology is all around us, helping to produce life-enhancing products, such as synthetic insulin, and life-saving medicines, such as cancer-fighting Avastin. Still, controversy surrounding GMOs persists. Join us to hear our two distinguished speakers discuss the risks and benefits associated with GMO science. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The benefits from international trade have been huge. However, because of a deep flaw in global markets for natural resources like oil, consumers are forced to enrich repressive governments and armed groups overseas when paying at the pump, in stores, and online.In his book, Blood Oil, Leif Wenar shows how an antiquated, anti-market rule at the foundations of global trade can be replaced by a rule of law that will get consumers out of business with autocrats, militias, and extremists abroad. Princeton’s Angus Deaton, winner of the 2015 Nobel Prize in Economics, calls Blood Oil “the indispensable guide, combining politics, economics, and ethics to tell us just how and why we are all involved, and what we ought to do to make the world a better place.” Harvard’s Steven Pinker praised it as “a fantastically stimulating read: analytic, informative, rationally optimistic, and written with erudition and panache.”Wenar, a professor at the King’s College London School of Law, has written a timely and provocative book. Please join us for a full discussion of his findings, and their policy implications. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the morning of January 7, 2015, Cherif and Said Kouachi, two brothers deeply offended by satirical drawings of the Muslim prophet Mohammad published in the French weekly newspaper Charlie Hebdo, exacted their own punishment for perceived blasphemy. They forced their way into a staff meeting in the newspaper’s offices and massacred 12 people. The phenomenon of killing or threatening to kill those who insult you or your way of life has come to be known as the assassin’s veto.Where should the law come down on this? Should it defend free expression at all costs no matter how inflammatory or who is offended? Or should it permit the state’s coercive power to silence those who trade in insult or invective? This conflict poses a fundamental question: how much expression must a free society tolerate?European nations have often restricted “extreme speech” while the United States has protected speech short of immediate incitement to violence. Yet Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer has urged his fellow jurists to learn from the laws of other nations. Should the United States sustain its broad protections for speech or find a better, more European balance between freedom and other values? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In his new book The Economics of Immigration: Market-Based Approaches, Social Science, and Public Policy, editor and economics professor Benjamin Powell brings together several immigration scholars to discuss how immigrants affect the wages of American workers and government budgets, as well as how they assimilate into American culture. The book also presents different policy recommendations in light of the economic evidence—including proposals for a market in visas, open borders, and cuts in legal immigration. The author and editor will be joined by Neil G. Ruiz, PhD, Executive Director of the Center for Law, Economics, and Finance at George Washington University, who will offer his own comments and criticisms. Please join us as four economists discuss the economic impact of immigration. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

During his first presidential run, Barack Obama repeatedly promised to roll back the imperial presidency that had grown inexorably over the past half century. Then he was elected. Since 2009 Obama has claimed unprecedented power for himself while advancing a novel argument about his duty as president to ignore the separation of powers and act unilaterally to overcome congressional gridlock. "We can't wait," has been his refrain — though he has, of course, been unable to cite a "presidential power when Congress won't act" clause in the Constitution in defense of his actions. In Lawless, George Mason University law professor David Bernstein takes readers on a whirlwind tour through the Obama administration's bureaucratic overreaching; dubious assertion of executive authority over both foreign and domestic policy; unilateral changes, modifications, and delays to existing law; and implausible interpretations of constitutional law. Obama's defenders, however, claim that he has actually been restrained compared to his predecessors and that claims of rampant illegality amount to not much more than partisan sniping. Who's right? To help us untangle the legal web, the author of this provocative new book will be joined by Ilya Shapiro and Simon Lazarus. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“We’ve paid a heavy price for having a president whose priority is expanding his own power,” then-senator Barack Obama proclaimed on the campaign trail in 2007. As president, he promised, “I’ll turn the page on the imperial presidency.”And yet, as Pulitzer-prize winning journalist Charlie Savage documents in his new book Power Wars, from the early days of the Obama administration, “policy choices that departed from Bush-era programs dwindled, and those that continued— or even expanded— Bush-era programs rose.” Indeed, as president, Obama has launched more than seven times as many drone strikes as his predecessor, including the remote-control execution of an American citizen. He’s continued and expanded dragnet domestic surveillance programs based on a secret interpretation of the PATRIOT Act and launched two wars without authorization from Congress. Much has changed in the Obama era, but the imperial presidency endures and thrives.Based on interviews with more than 150 current and former government officials, Savage’s Power Wars stands as the most comprehensive account yet of the internal deliberations within the Obama administration. It’s an indispensable source for anyone seeking to understand the factors that drove such powerful continuity between two seemingly very different presidents. Please join us for a lively and timely discussion of the politics and law of presidential power. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.