Cato Event Podcast

The REAL ID Act is a law that Congress passed without hearings in 2005, which sought to make state driver licensing into a national ID system. The law tries to coerce state compliance with federal identification standards by threatening that the Transportation Security Administration will refuse driver’s licenses and IDs from noncompliant states when Americans go to travel. This fall, a Department of Homeland Security campaign to stir up fears that the TSA will refuse drivers licenses at airports across America was so successful that passport offices in New Mexico were swamped, and a DHS official recently published a piece in the Albuquerque Journal backtracking on a widely reported January 2016 deadline for state compliance.DHS claims that all but a few holdout states stand in the way of having a national ID. But no state is in compliance today, and no state will be for the foreseeable future. Congress continues to fund this intrusive federal power grab, even as recent experience shows that national identification requirements are ineffective in enhancing security. Join us for a discussion of the national ID law, the ongoing implementation issues, and the reasons to abandon the policy of having a U.S. national ID. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) is authorized by Section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930 to restrict the importation of articles that infringe patents and other intellectual property rights. In its ClearCorrect decision, which involves clear plastic teeth straighteners, a 5–1 ITC majority found that electronic data transmissions also qualify as articles under Section 337. A three-judge panel at the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit recently issued a 2-1 verdict against the ITC, but that split ruling may be subject to further review.Does the ITC’s decision in ClearCorrect reflect a correct reading of the statute, or has the majority gotten it wrong? If the judicial system eventually agrees with the Commission, will the precedent have only limited effect, or will Internet freedom be compromised by potential ITC scrutiny of imported digital data? Please join us to hear diverse perspectives on these issues. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Liberal democracy improves foreign policy. That, at least, is the view of most political scientists and the idea behind the U.S. Constitution’s assignment of war powers to both executive and legislative branches. The need for public consent, the theory goes, prevents leaders from launching reckless wars. Divided power and a free press generate debate that exposes bad ideas. U.S. politics inhibits foolish wars.In a new book, Deceit on the Road to War: Presidents, Politics, and American Democracy, John Schuessler darkens that story. The need for broad support in democracies, he argues, also encourages leaders to deceive the public. Examining the U.S. debate about entry into World War II, the Vietnam War, and the recent Iraq War, Schuessler finds that presidents used information advantages over the public to manipulate it into war. The result was good in World War II, but this history suggests that democracies, at least this one, might not be so wise about starting wars. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Featuring Terence Kealey, Author, The Economic Laws of Scientific Research,Adjunct Scholar, Cato Institute; Ronald Bailey, Author, The End of Doom:Environmental Renewal in the Twenty-first CenturyScience Correspondent, Reason; Peter Goettler, President and CEO, Cato Institute; and George Selgin, Senior Fellow and Director, Center for Monetary andFinancial Alternatives, Cato Institute.12:40 – 2:00PMLuncheon Address—Truman, Eisenhower and LBJ WereRight to Be Skeptical about Government Funding ofScienceTerence Kealey, Author, The Economic Laws of Scientific Research,Adjunct Scholar, Cato Institute Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Featuring Terence Kealey, Author, The Economic Laws of Scientific Research,Adjunct Scholar, Cato Institute; Ronald Bailey, Author, The End of Doom:Environmental Renewal in the Twenty-first CenturyScience Correspondent, Reason; Peter Goettler, President and CEO, Cato Institute; and George Selgin, Senior Fellow and Director, Center for Monetary andFinancial Alternatives, Cato Institute.Online registration is now closed. 10:30 – 10:50AM.Registration10:50 – 11:00AMWelcoming RemarksPeter Goettler, President and CEO, Cato Institute 11:00 – 11:40AMKeynote Address—The End of DoomRonald Bailey, Author, The End of Doom: Environmental Renewal in the Twenty-first CenturyScience Correspondent, Reason11:40AM – 12:10PM Instead of the Fed: How Financial Deregulation Could Have Ended Financial Crises a Century Ago, and How It Still CanGeorge Selgin, Senior Fellow and Director, Center for Monetary andFinancial Alternatives, Cato Institute Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The highly publicized officer-involved killings of Tamir Rice, Walter Scott, Freddie Gray, and others have prompted renewed discussions about American law enforcement. Police departments face increasing criticism from protesters, the media, and the federal government. President Obama’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing published its recommendations earlier this year, but what do they mean for officers and the communities they patrol? Is sweeping reform necessary? With approximately 18,000 police agencies operating in the United States, is such reform even possible?American policing is changing. Emerging technologies provide new methods both for police accountability and surveillance capabilities. Law enforcement scholars and practitioners continue to develop innovative strategies to address crime and disorder. In many cities, police agencies are wrestling with how to increase public safety while respecting the dignity of individuals, particularly in minority communities.An array of law enforcement experts will explore these issues and more at the Cato Institute’s conference “Policing in America.” We hope that you will join us for a lively discussion of the developing changes and looming challenges in American law enforcement policy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The highly publicized officer-involved killings of Tamir Rice, Walter Scott, Freddie Gray, and others have prompted renewed discussions about American law enforcement. Police departments face increasing criticism from protesters, the media, and the federal government. President Obama’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing published its recommendations earlier this year, but what do they mean for officers and the communities they patrol? Is sweeping reform necessary? With approximately 18,000 police agencies operating in the United States, is such reform even possible?American policing is changing. Emerging technologies provide new methods both for police accountability and surveillance capabilities. Law enforcement scholars and practitioners continue to develop innovative strategies to address crime and disorder. In many cities, police agencies are wrestling with how to increase public safety while respecting the dignity of individuals, particularly in minority communities.An array of law enforcement experts will explore these issues and more at the Cato Institute’s conference “Policing in America.” We hope that you will join us for a lively discussion of the developing changes and looming challenges in American law enforcement policy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The highly publicized officer-involved killings of Tamir Rice, Walter Scott, Freddie Gray, and others have prompted renewed discussions about American law enforcement. Police departments face increasing criticism from protesters, the media, and the federal government. President Obama’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing published its recommendations earlier this year, but what do they mean for officers and the communities they patrol? Is sweeping reform necessary? With approximately 18,000 police agencies operating in the United States, is such reform even possible?American policing is changing. Emerging technologies provide new methods both for police accountability and surveillance capabilities. Law enforcement scholars and practitioners continue to develop innovative strategies to address crime and disorder. In many cities, police agencies are wrestling with how to increase public safety while respecting the dignity of individuals, particularly in minority communities.An array of law enforcement experts will explore these issues and more at the Cato Institute’s conference “Policing in America.” We hope that you will join us for a lively discussion of the developing changes and looming challenges in American law enforcement policy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The highly publicized officer-involved killings of Tamir Rice, Walter Scott, Freddie Gray, and others have prompted renewed discussions about American law enforcement. Police departments face increasing criticism from protesters, the media, and the federal government. President Obama’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing published its recommendations earlier this year, but what do they mean for officers and the communities they patrol? Is sweeping reform necessary? With approximately 18,000 police agencies operating in the United States, is such reform even possible?American policing is changing. Emerging technologies provide new methods both for police accountability and surveillance capabilities. Law enforcement scholars and practitioners continue to develop innovative strategies to address crime and disorder. In many cities, police agencies are wrestling with how to increase public safety while respecting the dignity of individuals, particularly in minority communities.An array of law enforcement experts will explore these issues and more at the Cato Institute’s conference “Policing in America.” We hope that you will join us for a lively discussion of the developing changes and looming challenges in American law enforcement policy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The highly publicized officer-involved killings of Tamir Rice, Walter Scott, Freddie Gray, and others have prompted renewed discussions about American law enforcement. Police departments face increasing criticism from protesters, the media, and the federal government. President Obama’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing published its recommendations earlier this year, but what do they mean for officers and the communities they patrol? Is sweeping reform necessary? With approximately 18,000 police agencies operating in the United States, is such reform even possible?American policing is changing. Emerging technologies provide new methods both for police accountability and surveillance capabilities. Law enforcement scholars and practitioners continue to develop innovative strategies to address crime and disorder. In many cities, police agencies are wrestling with how to increase public safety while respecting the dignity of individuals, particularly in minority communities.An array of law enforcement experts will explore these issues and more at the Cato Institute’s conference “Policing in America.” We hope that you will join us for a lively discussion of the developing changes and looming challenges in American law enforcement policy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The highly publicized officer-involved killings of Tamir Rice, Walter Scott, Freddie Gray, and others have prompted renewed discussions about American law enforcement. Police departments face increasing criticism from protesters, the media, and the federal government. President Obama’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing published its recommendations earlier this year, but what do they mean for officers and the communities they patrol? Is sweeping reform necessary? With approximately 18,000 police agencies operating in the United States, is such reform even possible?American policing is changing. Emerging technologies provide new methods both for police accountability and surveillance capabilities. Law enforcement scholars and practitioners continue to develop innovative strategies to address crime and disorder. In many cities, police agencies are wrestling with how to increase public safety while respecting the dignity of individuals, particularly in minority communities.An array of law enforcement experts will explore these issues and more at the Cato Institute’s conference “Policing in America.” We hope that you will join us for a lively discussion of the developing changes and looming challenges in American law enforcement policy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The highly publicized officer-involved killings of Tamir Rice, Walter Scott, Freddie Gray, and others have prompted renewed discussions about American law enforcement. Police departments face increasing criticism from protesters, the media, and the federal government. President Obama’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing published its recommendations earlier this year, but what do they mean for officers and the communities they patrol? Is sweeping reform necessary? With approximately 18,000 police agencies operating in the United States, is such reform even possible?American policing is changing. Emerging technologies provide new methods both for police accountability and surveillance capabilities. Law enforcement scholars and practitioners continue to develop innovative strategies to address crime and disorder. In many cities, police agencies are wrestling with how to increase public safety while respecting the dignity of individuals, particularly in minority communities.An array of law enforcement experts will explore these issues and more at the Cato Institute’s conference “Policing in America.” We hope that you will join us for a lively discussion of the developing changes and looming challenges in American law enforcement policy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since assuming the presidency of China in 2013, Xi Jinping has become the most powerful Chinese leader since Mao Zedong, centralizing his authority over the Communist Party, the military, and the government. Eminent scholars and civil rights activists from China will describe the deterioration of human rights under Xi’s rule, citing the rise of arbitrary arrests and detentions; a crackdown on academic freedom; the persecution of some ethnic groups; and increasing restrictions on journalists, the internet, religious organizations, and other groups in civil society. The speakers will discuss those developments within the context of other policies, including a new national security law, an anti-corruption campaign, and economic measures in the face of a significant growth slowdown. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

10:30 – 10:50AM.Registration10:50 – 11:00AMWelcoming RemarksPeter Goettler, President and CEO, Cato Institute11:00 – 11:40AMKeynote Address—Debunking the Myths of Dynastic WealthRob Arnott, Founder, Chairman, and CEO, Research Affiliates 11:40AM – 12:10PM Freedom and Progress around the World Ian Vásquez, Director, Center for Global Liberty and Prosperity, Cato Institute Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Judge Alex Kozinski recently published a scathing critique of the American criminal justice system in an article titled “Criminal Law 2.0.” According to Judge Kozinski, we should be alarmed by the number of people who have been exonerated by DNA testing. That testing has exposed a system that is rife with false confessions, unreliable eyewitnesses, junk forensics, and misbehaving prosecutors, among other problems. Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson, on the other hand, says critics have exaggerated the problems and ignored the virtues of our institutions. Although the American criminal justice system has its share of failings, it gets a lot of things right and is thus worthy of our admiration and respect. Please join us for a vigorous debate between two of our most experienced and learned judges. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Finland's top scores on the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) have prompted policymakers worldwide to seek the source of that nation's seemingly meteoric shot to prominence and to replicate its policies. Standard explanations for Finland's rise include its focus on equity and the absence of standardized tests, accountability, and market-based reforms such as school choice. But Finland's growth began well before the policies credited for its success, and its PISA scores have recently been in decline. Real Finnish Lessons explores the role of Finland's complicated and unique history in its educational trajectory and shows the powerful role of Finnish culture in the country's success. Please join us as we tackle Finland's rise, decline, and the deeper explanations needed to make Finland's experience truly informative for all nations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since the 2008 financial crisis, there has been a convergence of monetary policies by major central banks aimed at keeping benchmark interest rates near zero and supporting asset prices in the hope of stimulating economic growth. Yet global growth is still sluggish and the risk of asset bubbles is mounting. The distinguished speakers at this conference will consider the risks of unconventional monetary policy, the steps that need to be taken to normalize policy, and the fundamental question of rules versus discretion in the conduct of monetary policy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since the 2008 financial crisis, there has been a convergence of monetary policies by major central banks aimed at keeping benchmark interest rates near zero and supporting asset prices in the hope of stimulating economic growth. Yet global growth is still sluggish and the risk of asset bubbles is mounting. The distinguished speakers at this conference will consider the risks of unconventional monetary policy, the steps that need to be taken to normalize policy, and the fundamental question of rules versus discretion in the conduct of monetary policy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since the 2008 financial crisis, there has been a convergence of monetary policies by major central banks aimed at keeping benchmark interest rates near zero and supporting asset prices in the hope of stimulating economic growth. Yet global growth is still sluggish and the risk of asset bubbles is mounting. The distinguished speakers at this conference will consider the risks of unconventional monetary policy, the steps that need to be taken to normalize policy, and the fundamental question of rules versus discretion in the conduct of monetary policy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since the 2008 financial crisis, there has been a convergence of monetary policies by major central banks aimed at keeping benchmark interest rates near zero and supporting asset prices in the hope of stimulating economic growth. Yet global growth is still sluggish and the risk of asset bubbles is mounting. The distinguished speakers at this conference will consider the risks of unconventional monetary policy, the steps that need to be taken to normalize policy, and the fundamental question of rules versus discretion in the conduct of monetary policy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since the 2008 financial crisis, there has been a convergence of monetary policies by major central banks aimed at keeping benchmark interest rates near zero and supporting asset prices in the hope of stimulating economic growth. Yet global growth is still sluggish and the risk of asset bubbles is mounting. The distinguished speakers at this conference will consider the risks of unconventional monetary policy, the steps that need to be taken to normalize policy, and the fundamental question of rules versus discretion in the conduct of monetary policy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since the 2008 financial crisis, there has been a convergence of monetary policies by major central banks aimed at keeping benchmark interest rates near zero and supporting asset prices in the hope of stimulating economic growth. Yet global growth is still sluggish and the risk of asset bubbles is mounting. The distinguished speakers at this conference will consider the risks of unconventional monetary policy, the steps that need to be taken to normalize policy, and the fundamental question of rules versus discretion in the conduct of monetary policy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since the 2008 financial crisis, there has been a convergence of monetary policies by major central banks aimed at keeping benchmark interest rates near zero and supporting asset prices in the hope of stimulating economic growth. Yet global growth is still sluggish and the risk of asset bubbles is mounting. The distinguished speakers at this conference will consider the risks of unconventional monetary policy, the steps that need to be taken to normalize policy, and the fundamental question of rules versus discretion in the conduct of monetary policy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The way human history is taught is misleading, argues Matt Ridley. Far too much emphasis is placed on the “top-down twitch” — the belief that change comes from on high: the politicians who run countries, scientists who discover truths, inventors who make breakthroughs, men and women who head companies. In fact, Ridley says, bottom-up progress through evolution is far more crucial. From the natural forces that formed the universe and human life itself to the cultural mechanisms that have shaped everything from our educational system and global financial structure, to the products we buy and the language we speak, “evolution is far more common, and far more influential, than most people recognize.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Economist and historian Robert Higgs has advanced our understanding of the causes, means, and effects of government power and the need to deconstruct statism and re-establish institutions that protect and advance liberty, prosperity, and peace. His work has engaged such issues as health care, the environment, law and economics, urban development, race discrimination, agriculture, immigration, war and peace, economic development, government spending and debt, welfare, money and banking, presidential power, civil liberties, the Great Depression, science, unemployment, and far more.His new book offers general readers keen analysis and engaging wit, informed by humility and compassion. Higgs examines the moral and practical imperatives of individual liberty, entrepreneurship and innovation, peace, economic growth, personal responsibility, civic virtue, and the rule of law. Taking a Stand’s 99 short, accessible chapters present a powerful and uplifting vision for the future. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In late November world leaders will gather in Paris at the United Nations Climate Change Conference for what is viewed as the last great chance for a sweeping international agreement to limit carbon dioxide emissions. The consequences of this gathering may be enormous. Please join us to hear distinguished climate scientists and legal experts assess the issues sure to drive the debate before, during, and after the Paris meeting.Conference attendees will receive a free print edition of the new ebook Lukewarming: The New Climate Science That Changes Everything, by Patrick Michaels and Paul Knappenberger, being released in the next several weeks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Many people have heard of the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, two prospective “mega-regional” trade agreements involving the United States. But less is known about some of the other trade and economic architecture that is emerging across the globe. For example, the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) is a customs and economic union among Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and the Russian Federation, which took effect on January 1 of this year. The EAEU plans to expand to include other countries in the immediate region and to forge union-wide free trade agreements with external countries, as it already has with Vietnam.What exactly is the EAEU and what are its rules and goals?  How does it complement or clash with World Trade Organization rules? What does this relatively new entity mean for regional trade and investment?  How will the emergence and evolution of the EAEU interplay with the TPP, TTIP, other mega-regionals, and the WTO?  And, lastly, how might it affect Russia’s relations with the West?Please join us for a discussion of these and other relevant questions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In late November world leaders will gather in Paris at the United Nations Climate Change Conference for what is viewed as the last great chance for a sweeping international agreement to limit carbon dioxide emissions. The consequences of this gathering may be enormous. Please join us to hear distinguished climate scientists and legal experts assess the issues sure to drive the debate before, during, and after the Paris meeting.Conference attendees will receive a free print edition of the new ebook Lukewarming: The New Climate Science That Changes Everything, by Patrick Michaels and Paul Knappenberger, being released in the next several weeks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In late November world leaders will gather in Paris at the United Nations Climate Change Conference for what is viewed as the last great chance for a sweeping international agreement to limit carbon dioxide emissions. The consequences of this gathering may be enormous. Please join us to hear distinguished climate scientists and legal experts assess the issues sure to drive the debate before, during, and after the Paris meeting.Conference attendees will receive a free print edition of the new ebook Lukewarming: The New Climate Science That Changes Everything, by Patrick Michaels and Paul Knappenberger, being released in the next several weeks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In late November world leaders will gather in Paris at the United Nations Climate Change Conference for what is viewed as the last great chance for a sweeping international agreement to limit carbon dioxide emissions. The consequences of this gathering may be enormous. Please join us to hear distinguished climate scientists and legal experts assess the issues sure to drive the debate before, during, and after the Paris meeting.Conference attendees will receive a free print edition of the new ebook Lukewarming: The New Climate Science That Changes Everything, by Patrick Michaels and Paul Knappenberger, being released in the next several weeks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After 6 years of negotiations, a Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement among 12 countries on 4 continents was struck in Atlanta this month. The deal, should it be ratified and implemented, would constitute the world’s largest trade agreement since the Uruguay Round produced the World Trade Organization in 1995.But ratification is not assured. Objections to the TPP’s terms from Congressional Democrats and Republicans alike ensure that 2016, in the midst of the political debates, elections, and conventions, will provide the backdrop for a national referendum on the TPP and on trade and globalization more broadly.Join Cato trade policy scholars for a discussion of the most salient issues going into 2016 and what needs to happen to ratify and implement the TPP. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How do economics and game theory explain the dating scene in D.C.? To find out, join us on October 27 at 6:00 p,m. for a reception and book forum with journalist Jon Birger, author of Date-onomics: How Dating Became a Lopsided Numbers Game. Using a combination of basic economic principles, demographics, game theory, and number crunching, Jon Birger explains America’s curiously lopsided dating and marriage market among single, college-educated, looking-for-a-partner women.Birger investigates not only the consequences of this unequal ratio of college-educated men to women on dating but also a host of other social issues. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It has been a dizzying year in the world of surveillance: In June, nearly two years after Edward Snowden shocked the world with unprecedented leaks revealing the scope of National Security Agency spying, Congress moved to limit the bulk collection of domestic communications data via the USA FREEDOM Act — first introduced at a Cato conference in 2013 — but how much privacy protection will the law’s reforms truly provide?Meanwhile, courts and policymakers struggle to keep up with a rapidly evolving array of high-tech threats to privacy, each posing difficult policy questions. Should encryption technologies be engineered to include back doors for government, as some law enforcement officials have proposed? How should companies respond to ever-growing demands for user data on a borderless Internet — and what consequences will the answer hold for America’s technology sector and global freedom? What tools can individuals rely on to protect themselves from intrusive states and malicious hackers? Does cybersecurity require sharing ever more information with government? Are new laws required to regulate the increasing use of cell phone location tracking by police?The Cato Institute’s Second Annual Surveillance Conference will explore these questions and more with the top scholars, litigators, intelligence officials, activists, and technologists working at the intersection of privacy, technology, and national security. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It has been a dizzying year in the world of surveillance: In June, nearly two years after Edward Snowden shocked the world with unprecedented leaks revealing the scope of National Security Agency spying, Congress moved to limit the bulk collection of domestic communications data via the USA FREEDOM Act — first introduced at a Cato conference in 2013 — but how much privacy protection will the law’s reforms truly provide?Meanwhile, courts and policymakers struggle to keep up with a rapidly evolving array of high-tech threats to privacy, each posing difficult policy questions. Should encryption technologies be engineered to include back doors for government, as some law enforcement officials have proposed? How should companies respond to ever-growing demands for user data on a borderless Internet — and what consequences will the answer hold for America’s technology sector and global freedom? What tools can individuals rely on to protect themselves from intrusive states and malicious hackers? Does cybersecurity require sharing ever more information with government? Are new laws required to regulate the increasing use of cell phone location tracking by police?The Cato Institute’s Second Annual Surveillance Conference will explore these questions and more with the top scholars, litigators, intelligence officials, activists, and technologists working at the intersection of privacy, technology, and national security. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It has been a dizzying year in the world of surveillance: In June, nearly two years after Edward Snowden shocked the world with unprecedented leaks revealing the scope of National Security Agency spying, Congress moved to limit the bulk collection of domestic communications data via the USA FREEDOM Act — first introduced at a Cato conference in 2013 — but how much privacy protection will the law’s reforms truly provide?Meanwhile, courts and policymakers struggle to keep up with a rapidly evolving array of high-tech threats to privacy, each posing difficult policy questions. Should encryption technologies be engineered to include back doors for government, as some law enforcement officials have proposed? How should companies respond to ever-growing demands for user data on a borderless Internet — and what consequences will the answer hold for America’s technology sector and global freedom? What tools can individuals rely on to protect themselves from intrusive states and malicious hackers? Does cybersecurity require sharing ever more information with government? Are new laws required to regulate the increasing use of cell phone location tracking by police?The Cato Institute’s Second Annual Surveillance Conference will explore these questions and more with the top scholars, litigators, intelligence officials, activists, and technologists working at the intersection of privacy, technology, and national security. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It has been a dizzying year in the world of surveillance: In June, nearly two years after Edward Snowden shocked the world with unprecedented leaks revealing the scope of National Security Agency spying, Congress moved to limit the bulk collection of domestic communications data via the USA FREEDOM Act — first introduced at a Cato conference in 2013 — but how much privacy protection will the law’s reforms truly provide?Meanwhile, courts and policymakers struggle to keep up with a rapidly evolving array of high-tech threats to privacy, each posing difficult policy questions. Should encryption technologies be engineered to include back doors for government, as some law enforcement officials have proposed? How should companies respond to ever-growing demands for user data on a borderless Internet — and what consequences will the answer hold for America’s technology sector and global freedom? What tools can individuals rely on to protect themselves from intrusive states and malicious hackers? Does cybersecurity require sharing ever more information with government? Are new laws required to regulate the increasing use of cell phone location tracking by police?The Cato Institute’s Second Annual Surveillance Conference will explore these questions and more with the top scholars, litigators, intelligence officials, activists, and technologists working at the intersection of privacy, technology, and national security. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It has been a dizzying year in the world of surveillance: In June, nearly two years after Edward Snowden shocked the world with unprecedented leaks revealing the scope of National Security Agency spying, Congress moved to limit the bulk collection of domestic communications data via the USA FREEDOM Act — first introduced at a Cato conference in 2013 — but how much privacy protection will the law’s reforms truly provide?Meanwhile, courts and policymakers struggle to keep up with a rapidly evolving array of high-tech threats to privacy, each posing difficult policy questions. Should encryption technologies be engineered to include back doors for government, as some law enforcement officials have proposed? How should companies respond to ever-growing demands for user data on a borderless Internet — and what consequences will the answer hold for America’s technology sector and global freedom? What tools can individuals rely on to protect themselves from intrusive states and malicious hackers? Does cybersecurity require sharing ever more information with government? Are new laws required to regulate the increasing use of cell phone location tracking by police?The Cato Institute’s Second Annual Surveillance Conference will explore these questions and more with the top scholars, litigators, intelligence officials, activists, and technologists working at the intersection of privacy, technology, and national security. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It has been a dizzying year in the world of surveillance: In June, nearly two years after Edward Snowden shocked the world with unprecedented leaks revealing the scope of National Security Agency spying, Congress moved to limit the bulk collection of domestic communications data via the USA FREEDOM Act — first introduced at a Cato conference in 2013 — but how much privacy protection will the law’s reforms truly provide?Meanwhile, courts and policymakers struggle to keep up with a rapidly evolving array of high-tech threats to privacy, each posing difficult policy questions. Should encryption technologies be engineered to include back doors for government, as some law enforcement officials have proposed? How should companies respond to ever-growing demands for user data on a borderless Internet — and what consequences will the answer hold for America’s technology sector and global freedom? What tools can individuals rely on to protect themselves from intrusive states and malicious hackers? Does cybersecurity require sharing ever more information with government? Are new laws required to regulate the increasing use of cell phone location tracking by police?The Cato Institute’s Second Annual Surveillance Conference will explore these questions and more with the top scholars, litigators, intelligence officials, activists, and technologists working at the intersection of privacy, technology, and national security. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It has been a dizzying year in the world of surveillance: In June, nearly two years after Edward Snowden shocked the world with unprecedented leaks revealing the scope of National Security Agency spying, Congress moved to limit the bulk collection of domestic communications data via the USA FREEDOM Act — first introduced at a Cato conference in 2013 — but how much privacy protection will the law’s reforms truly provide?Meanwhile, courts and policymakers struggle to keep up with a rapidly evolving array of high-tech threats to privacy, each posing difficult policy questions. Should encryption technologies be engineered to include back doors for government, as some law enforcement officials have proposed? How should companies respond to ever-growing demands for user data on a borderless Internet — and what consequences will the answer hold for America’s technology sector and global freedom? What tools can individuals rely on to protect themselves from intrusive states and malicious hackers? Does cybersecurity require sharing ever more information with government? Are new laws required to regulate the increasing use of cell phone location tracking by police?The Cato Institute’s Second Annual Surveillance Conference will explore these questions and more with the top scholars, litigators, intelligence officials, activists, and technologists working at the intersection of privacy, technology, and national security. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It has been a dizzying year in the world of surveillance: In June, nearly two years after Edward Snowden shocked the world with unprecedented leaks revealing the scope of National Security Agency spying, Congress moved to limit the bulk collection of domestic communications data via the USA FREEDOM Act — first introduced at a Cato conference in 2013 — but how much privacy protection will the law’s reforms truly provide?Meanwhile, courts and policymakers struggle to keep up with a rapidly evolving array of high-tech threats to privacy, each posing difficult policy questions. Should encryption technologies be engineered to include back doors for government, as some law enforcement officials have proposed? How should companies respond to ever-growing demands for user data on a borderless Internet — and what consequences will the answer hold for America’s technology sector and global freedom? What tools can individuals rely on to protect themselves from intrusive states and malicious hackers? Does cybersecurity require sharing ever more information with government? Are new laws required to regulate the increasing use of cell phone location tracking by police?The Cato Institute’s Second Annual Surveillance Conference will explore these questions and more with the top scholars, litigators, intelligence officials, activists, and technologists working at the intersection of privacy, technology, and national security. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Liberal democracies such as the United States face an acute dilemma in the conduct of foreign relations. American national interests sometimes require cooperation with repressive, corrupt, or otherwise odious regimes. But close working relationships with autocratic regimes should not be undertaken lightly. Such partnerships risk compromising, or even making a mockery of, America’s values of democratic governance, civil liberties, and free markets. In their new book, Perilous Partners: The Benefits and Pitfalls of America’s Alliances with Authoritarian Regimes, Cato Institute senior fellow Ted Galen Carpenter and Cato adjunct scholar Malou Innocent contend that U.S. officials have amassed a less-than-stellar record of grappling with ethical dilemmas. When are alliances with “friendly dictators” necessary for America’s security? When are such alliances a gratuitous betrayal of fundamental American values? And when is the situation a close call? Please join the authors and two distinguished commentators for a spirited discussion of these and other relevant questions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Zoning has shaped American cities since 1916, when New York City adopted the first comprehensive ordinance. It has remained a popular and widely used institution, particularly for homeowners wishing to protect the value of their homes. As values have soared in recent years, however, this protection has accelerated to the degree that new housing development has become unreasonably difficult and costly. The widespread Not in My Backyard (NIMBY) syndrome is driven by voters’ excessive concern about their home values and creates barriers to growth that reach beyond individual communities. Those barriers contribute to suburban sprawl, entrench income and racial segregation, retard regional immigration to the most productive cities, add to national wealth inequality, and slow the growth of the American economy. Zoning Rules, an update of Fischel’s 1985 classic book The Economics of Zoning, examines this history while offering solutions to the unintended consequences of zoning. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A heightened sense of anxiety on Europe's eastern border has renewed geopolitical concerns on the Continent. This panel will focus on the security rationale for TTIP, discuss the interplay between economic security and national defense, and describe the relative importance of geopolitical considerations to the launch and success of the TTIP. Panelists will discuss the implications of the TTIP for energy security, privacy protection, cybersecurity, NATO, and other policies at the intersection of economics and security.Moderated by: Bill Watson, Cato InstituteFran Burwell, Atlantic CouncilPhil Levy, The Chicago Council on Global AffairsPeter Rashish, Transnational Strategy Group Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Touted as the portion of the negotiations that could produce the largest economic gains, the regulatory coherence negotiations are complicated by several factors, including the level of technical detail involved, the reliance of negotiators on domestic regulators (who may have a professional interest in scuttling a deal) for expertise, and the wide disparity in approaches contemplated by U.S. and EU negotiators. Panelists will break down the negotiations and provide greater clarity with respect to the possibilities and probabilities.Moderated by: Simon Lester, Cato InstituteAlberto Alemanno, HEC Paris & NYU LawPer Altenberg, Swedish Board of TradeGreg Shaffer, University of California, Irvine School of Law Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Common to most trade negotiations are estimates of the likely economic benefits of a completed deal. Often, these estimates vary, as they are based on different assumptions in the models. Sometimes it is difficult to understand how estimates for an agreement with yet-to-be-determined provisions can have any credibility. Panelists will discuss the basics of the economic modeling that is common to estimating the benefits of trade agreements, describe how those estimates affect the negotiations, and explain divergences in the estimates of some of the most commonly referenced models.Moderated by: Hanna Norberg, TradeEconomista.comLaura Baughman, Trade PartnershipGabriel Felbermayr, Ifo InstituteGabriel Siles-Brugge, University of Manchester Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Whether a TTIP deal is achieved depends on the tenor and substance of the U.S.-EU negotiations. But those negotiations are shaped, to a great extent, by the parameters established through domestic political processes. This session will feature an interview between a host and three discussants who will focus on some of the domestic political landmines within the United States and the European Union, as well as strategies to mitigate risks and bridge political divides.Moderated by: Dan Pearson, Cato InstituteJim Kolbe, German Marshall FundEdward Alden, Council on Foreign RelationsDamien Levie, Delegation of the European Union to the United States Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Moderated by: Dan Ikenson, Cato Institute Susan Danger, American Chamber of Commerce to the European Union (AmCham EU)Nancy McLernon, Organization for International Investment Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The TTIP and other mega-regional trade negotiations have been garnering attention for both their potential to liberalize trade and their potentially adverse impacts on the existing multilateral trading system. This panel will discuss the implications of the TTIP for the World Trade Organization and its member states. It will include discussion of the prospects for multilateralization of TTIP's provisions; accession by other WTO members, the potential impact on the WTO dispute settlement body, prospects for developing countries, and the implications for U.S. and EU relations with the big economies left out of these deals — such as China and Brazil — if the TTIP succeeds in writing a new gold-standard of trade rules.Moderated by: Joakim Reiter, UN Conference on Trade and DevelopmentVinod Aggarwal, University of California, BerkeleyJoost Pauwelyn, Georgetown University Law CenterHarsha Singh, International Center for Trade and Sustainable Development Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It is clear that the first tank of gas on the road to TTIP has run out. So where do we go from here? This panel will discuss the state of the negotiations, describe what lies ahead, and ask whether the United States and the EU have bitten off more than they can chew. If the negotiations were less ambitious in scope, would a final agreement be more achievable? Are there alternative architectures worth considering? Should we abandon the "single undertaking" approach and instead aim for a series of annual or biannual agreements? Should we consider including other countries that are closely integrated with the United States and the EU — such as Canada, Mexico, and Turkey — in the negotiations? If an agreement as currently proposed is achievable, what will it take to make it happen? And after such an agreement is reached, how daunting will the ratification processes be? What will it take to get to the final stage implementation?Moderated by: Inu Barbee, Georgetown UniversityMichelle Egan, American UniversityJohn Gillingham, Harvard University Center for European StudiesGary Hufbauer, Peterson Institute Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What is at stake in these negotiations? Why are some issues more difficult to resolve than others, and how can compromise be reached? This panel will identify the low-hanging fruit, the sacred cows, and everything in between to provide a better understanding of the issues under negotiation, from the easiest to most difficult and consequential. Given the comprehensive nature of the agreement, there is room for debate on a number of topics, such as regulatory coherence, investor-state dispute settlement, privacy and data flows, financial services, government procurement, agriculture, services, labor and the environment, and, of course, tariffs. So what exactly is on the table, and what positions, if any, have both sides taken?Moderated by: Dan Ikenson, Cato InstituteSusan Aaronson, George Washington UniversityAxel Berger, German Development InstituteMarjorie Chorlins, U.S. Chamber of CommerceCeleste Drake, AFL-CIOIana Dreyer, BorderlexFredrik Erixon, ECIPE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.