Cato Event Podcast

Purchase at AmazonRob Bradley, formerly Ken Lay's speechwriter and a 16-year Enron employee, argues that the Left has incorrectly blamed capitalism for Enron. But he also believes that the Right’s take on the company's collapse has scarcely acknowledged the extent to which the mixed economy and anti-capitalist doctrines allowed the worst to get on top.Bradley maintains that a preoccupation with the diagnostics of Enron's failure (the market did exact its revenge) has neglected the why behind the why. The systemic failure known as Enron, Bradley argues, not only exonerates free-market capitalism but also strengthens the capitalist worldview. Enron's boom and bust is the story of how company founder and chairman Ken Lay developed a sophisticated business model based on rent-seeking (political capitalism). Of particular note, Enron tried and failed to parlay climate alarmism, "energy sustainability," and social corporate responsibility into business viability. Bradley's unique, insider interpretation of Enron has direct implications for today's debates over energy and climate policy, business ethics theory, and best business practices. William Niskanen, who holds a somewhat different view, will comment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Africa is more democratic than ever before and elections more frequent, but poll results are often predetermined and much of the region remains in the hands of autocratic governments. How free are Africans in countries that have seen some degree of political or economic liberalization? Tony Leon, a longtime member and opposition leader in the South African Parliament who criticized first the National Party apartheid government and then the African National Congress government, will assess African states’ progress on the road to political, economic, and civil liberty. Ugandan journalist and political activist Andrew Mwenda will discuss ways in which Africans are fighting for their freedoms. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Cato Institute invites you to join us as we unveil The Encyclopedia of Libertarianism, the first comprehensive, encyclopedic treatment of the libertarian movement. Editor in Chief Ronald Hamowy, a distinguished scholar who studied under Mises, Hayek, and Friedman, has included more than 300 succinct, original articles on libertarian ideas, institutions, and thinkers. Contributors include James Buchanan, Richard Epstein, Tyler Cowen, Randy Barnett, Deirdre McCloskey, Ellen Frankel Paul, and more than 100 other scholars. This comprehensive book, years in the making, will become an indispensable guide to libertarianism in the years to come.Our distinguished guests will discuss the place of libertarianism in world and U.S. politics, the contributions of libertarian thought, and the challenges it faces from both left and right. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One message is delivered relentlessly in American education: Everyone should go to college. And then there's Charles Murray's message: Few people either need, or are able to handle, the rigorous liberal-arts training that college is supposed to provide. But this isn't a death sentence for those who are not academically inclined. Opportunities to enter well-paying professions and lead good lives abound for these people, and the sooner that's recognized, the sooner everyone can get the education they need. Christopher B. Nelson, whose 'great books' college provides the sort of liberal arts education Murray believes is beyond most people's reach, will respond. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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For thousands of years, slavery went unchallenged in principle. Then in a single century, slavery was abolished and more than seven million slaves were freed throughout the Western hemisphere. The scope and speed of this transformation make it one of the most amazing feats in modern history. Greatest Emancipations tells this fascinating story, focusing on abolitionists in areas where slavery was most entrenched: Haiti, the British Caribbean, the United States, Cuba, and Brazil. In this lively book, Jim Powell concisely illuminates the beginnings of the abolitionist movement, then proceeds through the processes, the battles, the final victory of emancipation, and the incredible impact of its aftermath. Ultimately, Powell argues, the more violence was involved in the emancipation process, the worse the outcomes were, making a provocative case for peaceful antislavery struggles. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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The collapse of WTO negotiations and the upcoming presidential election have deepened doubts about the future of free trade and the global economy. In an illuminating new book, Dr. Razeen Sally of the London School of Economics argues forcefully that trade policy has become disconnected from 21st-century business and consumer realities. As trade agreements yield diminishing returns, the world's fastest-growing economies in Asia have embraced freer trade and global integration unilaterally. The author renews the argument for free trade, warns of the imminent dangers of protectionism, and charts a new way forward for trade liberalization in the United States and globally. A top international economist at the World Bank will comment.New Frontiers in Free Trade: Globalization's Future and Asia's Rising Role is available at the Cato Bookstore. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Whenever gasoline prices are on the rise, so is the political interest in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, the largest single stockpile of crude oil in the world. Some argue that part of its approximately 700 million barrels should be released into the market to help relieve high prices at the pump. Others argue that the Reserve should be carefully husbanded for use in a future crisis. Jerry Taylor, author of “The Case against the Strategic Petroleum Reserve,” questions the very need for the SPR and calls not for release, but for total liquidation. Economist Steve Hanke argues that, if we’re going to have an SPR, it should be reformed so that it can play a constructive role in crude oil markets. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Prince George’s County police department is under fire for a recent drug raid on the home of Berwyn Heights mayor Cheye Calvo. Unbeknownst to Calvo, a box containing marijuana was delivered to his home. Shortly thereafter, police officers kicked in the front door and shot both of Calvo’s pet Labrador retrievers. The police have subsequently cleared Calvo of any wrongdoing but are unapologetic about their raid tactics. Are no-knock, paramilitary raids an appropriate tactic for drug investigations? Or do sudden, unannounced entries bring unnecessary violence to police investigations? Join us for a discussion of the Prince George’s incident and, more broadly, the militarization of police work in America. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Released to great acclaim in May 2008, The Dirty Dozen: How Twelve Supreme Court Cases Radically Expanded Government and Eroded Freedom analyzes 12 U.S. Supreme Court decisions that, according to coauthors Robert Levy of the Cato Institute and William Mellor of the Institute for Justice, changed the course of American history away from constitutional government. In addition, The Dirty Dozen provides insights into the proper role of the Court and calls for judicial engagement to remedy these harmful decisions. The book has rapidly become the catalyst for an energetic, wide-reaching debate about the Supreme Court, generating an extensive range of opinions among legal professionals, concerned non-lawyers, and Court followers about the 12 cases, their impact, and the role of the Court. The Cato Institute and the American Constitution Society are pleased to provide a public platform for this important debate. Leading practitioners and academics from different perspectives will discuss the cases and the authors’ legal analyses. Please join us for what promises to be a dynamic event made even more significant by the historic Court decisions that have been handed down since the book’s publication only 2 months ago. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The southern African countries of Botswana and Zimbabwe are neighbors. Botswana is peaceful, stable, and increasingly prosperous. Zimbabwe, in contrast, is beset by political and economic crises. Their diverging fortunes are partly explained by their government’s attitudes to economic freedom: Botswana is one of Africa’s economically freest states, and Zimbabwe is among Africa’s least free countries. Please join Zimbabwean human rights activist Rejoice Ngwenya and Cato’s Africa analyst Marian Tupy to discuss Zimbabwe’s meltdown, Botswana’s ascent, and lessons for the rest of Africa. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Among the highest remaining U.S. tariffs are those imposed on imported shoes, with the highest duties applying to the cheapest shoes. Critics of the tariffs contend that they fall most heavily on the poorest American households while “saving” few domestic jobs. Defenders argue that the tariffs provide revenue for the federal government, have little impact on consumer prices, and steer trade to our free-trade partners at the expense of China. A bill in Congress to eliminate certain shoe tariffs, the Affordable Footwear Act, currently has more than 140 co-sponsors in the House and may be attached to the upcoming Miscellaneous Tariff Bill. Please join us for a forum featuring a co-sponsor of the footwear act and two trade experts who will debate the merits of lowering tariffs on imported shoes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Improving the international trading system does not depend solely on new, comprehensive multilateral agreements. Countries can realize significant gains in commercial flows by undertaking trade facilitation—reforms that decrease administrative and physical impediments to transporting goods and services across borders. According to recent studies from several international economic institutions and a new Cato paper, trade facilitation reforms could increase global trade flows even more than further reductions in tariff rates and are primarily and substantially in the interest of the country implementing reform. Please join Cato trade scholar Daniel Ikenson and World Bank economist Simeon Djankov to discuss how to expand international commerce even without new multilateral trade agreements. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The world's largest democracy, India, is an emerging economic giant. Reforms that began in the late 1980s and accelerated in the 1990s have led to high growth and have reduced poverty by one third. Professor Panagariya will discuss changes in Indian society that favor continued rapid growth. He will also explain why India should avoid policies that focus on equality rather than poverty reduction, and he will propose innovative reforms—such as school vouchers or cash transfers for health care—where government services have failed the poor. Swaminathan Aiyar will comment on the book’s outlook for India. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the Doha Round lies in a cryogenic state, it is important to recognize that comprehensive, multilateral agreement to reduce trade barriers is not the only way to improve the international trading system. In fact, according to recent studies from the World Bank and other international economic institutions— a new study published by the Cato Institute —“trade facilitation” reforms could do more to increase global trade flows than further reductions in tariff rates. In broad terms, trade facilitation includes reforms aimed at improving the chain of administrative and physical procedures involved in the transport of goods and services across international borders. Countries with inadequate trade infrastructure, burdensome administrative processes, or limited competition in trade logistics services are less capable of benefiting from the opportunities of expanding global trade. And that goes for rich countries as well as developing countries. By streamlining and reforming bureaucratic procedures and encouraging competition in communications and transportation services, governments have been helping increase trade, investment, and growth in their economies. And these reforms have not required international consensus to implement. Please join us for a panel discussion with some of the world’s foremost experts on the topic of trade facilitation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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On a continent scarred by political repression and economic underdevelopment, Botswana and Mauritius stand out. In 2007, Freedom House certified both countries as free, and the Fraser Institute’s Economic Freedom of the World report found that Botswana and Mauritius had the two freest economies in Africa. According to the World Bank, the two also have—along with Seychelles—Africa’s highest per capita incomes. What explains that success? Why did the institutions of freedom take root in Botswana and Mauritius, while failing to do so in most other African countries? How do the two countries intend to maintain high growth in an increasingly globalized world? Please join us to hear our speakers elaborate on the past successes and future challenges facing Botswana and Mauritius. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a provocative new book, Jason Riley makes the case for welcoming more legal immigrants to the United States. Drawing on history, scholarly studies and first-hand reporting, Riley argues that today’s newcomers are fueling America’s prosperity and dynamism. He challenges the prevailing views on talk radio and cable TV that immigrants are overpopulating the country, stealing jobs, depressing wages, bankrupting social services, filling prisons, resisting assimilation and promoting big government. Comments will be provided by one of the nation’s leading political analysts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Prof. Philip Zimbardo, the conductor of the infamous 1971 Stanford Prison Experiment, has become a leading authority on the psychology of evil: How is it that people are induced to commit evil, even when they consider themselves “good” people? What social dynamics encourage—or discourage—cruelty toward other human beings? The Lucifer Effect offers a full reconstruction of the 1971 experiment based on archival video, subject diaries, exit interviews, and other contemporary material. It then gives an introduction to the psychology of social morality as it has developed over the years. The book culminates with an examination of the prisoner abuse scandals of Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo Bay, and elsewhere, challenging accounts that would hold individual soldiers solely responsible for their actions, and indicting the chain of command for knowingly creating conditions that would lead to degrading treatment and torture. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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What makes military occupations more or less likely to succeed? Drawing on 26 cases since 1815 where outside powers have seized territory without a claim to its sovereignty, David Edelstein attempts to determine why some occupations succeed and why so many seem doomed to failure.Edelstein combines detailed case studies with a theoretical approach and concludes that occupations face a paradox: Success requires a long-term and massive commitment of resources and attention; however, such large-scale occupations can elicit nationalist responses from the occupied populace. Further, as the occupier faces difficulty, discontent grows at home, and pressure builds to remove occupying forces. Examining the history of occupation as a component of grand strategy, Edelstein offers warnings for today’s policymakers, who seem tempted to include military occupations as part of the approach to countering terrorism.Please join the author and our distinguished commentators for a discussion of this timely and pathbreaking book. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In reauthorizing the federal gas tax and surface transportation funding, the next Congress can continue historic trends of dictating thousands of earmarks and other mandates that reduce our transportation efficiency and, like recent ethanol programs, have huge unintended consequences. Or it can streamline federal transportation programs to make urban and other surface transport systems run smoothly, efficiently, and with minimal waste of energy and greenhouse gas emissions. This policy forum will present a variety of proposals for breaking out of the transportation gridlock we currently suffer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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It is 2008. Research suggests the federal Medicare program spends as much as $100 billion per year on medical care that makes seniors no healthier or happier. Its payment system continues to reward low-quality and even harmful medical care. The trustees of the Medicare program have issued yet another annual report containing dire warnings about Medicare's financial sustainability, including an unfunded liability of $86 trillion. The picture is far worse than it was when politicians were developing fundamental Medicare reforms 10 years ago. Yet politicians today seem uninterested. The president has proposed reforms that would barely slow the program's growing dependence on general revenues-a proposal that Congress has largely ignored. Leading presidential candidates advocate tweaks-such as reducing payments for private plans and prescription drugs, or tying payments to quality measures-rather than fundamental reform. Come hear leading analysts discuss whether the case for Medicare reform is any less powerful now than in the past. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Starting in the 1970s, conservatives learned that electoral victory did not easily convert into a reversal of important liberal accomplishments, especially in the law. As a result, conservatives' mobilizing efforts increasingly turned to law schools, professional networks, public interest groups, and the judiciary—areas traditionally controlled by liberals. Drawing from previously unavailable internal documents, as well as interviews with key figures, The Rise of the Conservative Legal Movement examines this sometimes fitful, and still only partially successful, conservative (and libertarian) challenge to liberal domination of the law. Steven Teles explores how this mobilization was shaped by the legal profession and the difficulties in matching strategic opportunities with effective organizational responses. He explains how foundations and other groups promoting conservative ideas built a network designed to dislodge legal liberalism from American elite institutions. And he portrays the reality, not of a grand strategy masterfully pursued, but of individuals and political entrepreneurs learning from trial and error. The book provides an unprecedented look at the inner life of one of the most striking developments in American public affairs over the last several decades. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Following the Rose Revolution of 2003, the former Soviet Republic of Georgia began far-reaching reforms in governance and economic policy that are turning the country into a post-socialist success story. Georgia now ranks 44th out of 141 countries on the Economic Freedom of the World index, is cited by the World Bank as one of the world's leading reformers, and is sustaining economic growth of more than 9 percent per year. Kakha Bendukidze, one of Georgia's key reformers, will explain how his country is rapidly modernizing and will share his vision for continued high growth in a sometimes hostile neighborhood. Andrei Illarionov will assess Georgia's progress and highlight its remaining challenges in consolidating democratic capitalism. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Taxation was central to the evolution of government in colonial America, and complaints about taxation led directly to the Revolution in 1776. Taxation in Colonial America provides a definitive history of taxation in the colonies from Jamestown to the Revolution. In almost 1,000 pages, Rabushka’s book covers an array of fascinating subjects such as the monetary systems of the colonies, British governance and politics, tax evasion and tax revolts, the development of colonial legislatures, and differences in tax systems between the colonies. The level of interesting detail about both tax and nontax subjects in this book is astounding. This forum will be a treat for anyone interested in taxation, American history, or the development of English and American political structures. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Expanding on their widely discussed article on "libertarian paternalism," Professors Sunstein and Thaler argue that people often make bad choices on diet, retirement savings, health insurance, and contributing to climate change. In their new book they examine how human beings make decisions. Recent scientific research shows that people are susceptible to cognitive biases and blunders. Because we are human, we are fallible, and because we are fallible, we can use all the help we can get. Sunstein and Thaler argue that by knowing how people think, we can design choice environments that make it easier for people to choose what is best for themselves, their families, and their society. Using colorful examples from the most important aspects of life, Thaler and Sunstein demonstrate how thoughtful "choice architecture" can be established to nudge us in beneficial directions without restricting freedom of choice. Will Wilkinson and Terrence Chorvat will raise questions about the proper place of "choice architecture" in a free society and the plausibility of "libertarian paternalism." Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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