Cato Podcast

Trump and Biden have different takes on CBDCs, to say the least. And now states are moving in a variety of ways to account for the proposed new currency in their commercial codes. Nick Anthony explains. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If an arrest warrant is issued without probable cause that a crime has been committed, the person arrested can sue for “malicious prosecution.” But there's a catch, and the Supreme Court will have to grapple with it this term. Tommy Berry explains. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has a role to play in managing the multistate movement of energy, but it's not clear the agency will be able to do the job in the near term. Cato’s Travis Fisher explains. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

His most recent package of reforms has stalled. Will Javier Milei now turn his full attention to securing dollarization to rescue Argentina from the costs of inflation? Daniel Raisbeck and Gabriela Calderon de Burgos explain the stakes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The US has a particular way of engaging with the Middle East, and it doesn't serve US interests particularly well. Jon Hoffman explains. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

State fiscal health was surprisingly good during and after the pandemic, but state debt expenses have increased as the Federal Reserve has tried to quell inflation. Marc Joffe offers some advice for states seeking cost savings. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When you hear complaints from the White House about "junk fees," it's worth digging into what that refers to and notably what it does not refer to. Ryan Bourne parses the rhetoric. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Over the last few decades, the share of spending subjected to a normal budget process has been very small. Fixing it should be a high priority in Congress. Romina Boccia explains the high stakes for acting sooner versus later. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The approval rate for green card applications is remarkably low. David Bier explains in a new paper how to improve the backlogged process of welcoming new people to the United States. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Author Alexander Hammond details the contributions that puts Frederick Douglass in the ranks of the Heroes of Progress. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Remarks from Donald Trump on how the US would treat a Russia-led attack on fellow NATO members earned the ire of the group’s defenders, so it's worth asking: What are US obligations to the alliance? Justin Logan comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In an era marked by global trade and digital transformation, the international tax landscape is at a crucial juncture. The OECD would like to create an international tax cartel. Adam Michel explains why Congress should reject the proposal. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

US-derived LNG exports can serve a variety of American interests at once, and yet the Biden White House seems to want to keep it in the ground. Travis Fisher details the President's error. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When the feds turn ads into spyware, surveillance tools demand more public scrutiny. Patrick Eddington explains. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In his new book, The Road to Freedom: Estonia’s Rise from Soviet Vassal State to One of the Freest Nations on Earth, Matthew D. Mitchell and his coauthors recount the fall and rise of Estonian freedom. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why did the Cato Institute land on the FBI's list of "vexsome" filers of FOIA requests? Patrick Eddington explains. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Medicaid is consistently among the top two expenditure categories in every state budget, but Medicaid spending levels vary greatly among states. Marc Joffe discusses how to shrink the program. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

An important way to tackle America’s debt problem is to devolve a large part of federal spending to the states, allowing them to fund it themselves. Chris Edwards explains in a new paper. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The anti-tobacco crusade morphed ever so slowly into an anti-nicotine crusade. If it continues unimpeded, the costs could be quite high. Jeff Singer explains. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

An attack on a US outpost leaves three service members dead, and some Republicans want war with Iran sooner than later. But the calls for war happily ignore several uncomfortable facts and critical context. Justin Logan explains. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's utterly irrational to expect that making illegal immigration the only immigration would give US policymakers better options at the border. David Bier explains.What Biden Can Do After Another Failed Border Deal Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Daniel Raisbeck evaluates both Javier Milei's message to the World Economic Forum and the status of the Milei agenda in Argentina. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How will elections in Taiwan change the country's posture with respect to China's desire to seize control? Cato's Eric Gomez comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Europe's heavy-handed regulatory approach to tech and speech may not leave US speakers unaffected. Cato's David Inserra and Jennifer Huddleston explain. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Taiwan should arm up according to Cato's Eric Gomez. Corruption and other problems in China's military could give them the time to do so. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When a New York regulatory agency tried to get groups doing business with the NRA to end those business relationships, it may have run afoul of the First Amendment. Cato's Walter Olson and Andrew Grossman comment on National Rifle Association v. Vullo. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the wake of the SEC's market-moving hack on social media, it's appropriate to examine where the agency ought to do more (securing its own data) and less (collecting too much data). Jennifer Schulp explains. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A new federal law means jail time and fines if you don't report the identities of people providing you with large amounts of crypto. Nick Anthony explains why it's another federal assault on financial privacy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why are some farmers so troubled by farm subsidies? Cato's Paul Best explains. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last year was a wild one for would-be tech regulators. State governments, Congress, and federal agencies are all still champing at the bit to impose some new restrictions on big and small tech firms alike. David Inserra and Jennifer Huddleston comment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nitazenes are a relatively new category of opioids, and their high potency demands a rational policy response. Jeff Singer explains. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Argentina’s Javier Milei has an ambitious regulatory agenda, but lawmakers will still have their say on a large portion of it. Daniel Raisbeck discusses what Argentina's new president has announced so far. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sociologist Herbert Spencer was "light years" ahead of his contemporaries in grappling with some very modern problems of political economy. Libertarianism.org's Paul Meany explains. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Herbert Spencer once loomed large in social science. Is he receiving his due in the modern era? Paul Meany discusses how a major thinker was celebrated, forgotten, and remembered again. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For many states in the southeast, certificate of need laws have needlessly complicated the delivery of health services. Cato's Jeff Singer describes some differences among CON and non-CON states. We spoke in November. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Human Freedom Index tracks human freedom across multiple dimensions for the bulk of humanity. Ian Vasquez details the latest iteration. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The FDA's decisions to approve or delay drugs can have major impacts well beyond the health of Americans. Michael Cannon explains how FDA's delays approving contraception impacted women in the labor market. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Even critics of globalization admit that it's delivered the world's bounty to our doorsteps. Gabriella Beaumont-Smith details how globalization also gives us back our valuable time. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trade is a positive-sum game, and when you keep a few fundamentals of trade front and center, it becomes harder for politicians to confuse the issue. Economist Andreas Freytag explains. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's getting more difficult to remember times when seasonal produce was only available for a brief window. Cato’s Scott Lincicome is old enough to remember those dark times of avocado deprivation. He explains how globalization has dramatically expanded the range of foods available all year. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How much blame should be given to institutional investors for our current housing woes? Vanessa Brown Calder comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This year was yet another banner year for educational freedom in states, and while a few states faced substantial setbacks, the broad trend toward more and universal school choice continues. Jason Bedrick details his research. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

States are starting to understand how zoning and other housing restrictions have contributed to the housing crisis gripping so much of the United States. Nolan Gray of California YIMBY explains. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Does "march in" authority have hope for bringing drug prices down? Should it? What are the secondary effects of changing who can produce what drugs? Cato's Michael Cannon and Peter Van Doren comment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joe Biden keeps advancing the delusion that Ukraine can achieve total victory against Russia. Congress is under no obligation to join in that delusion. Justin Logan explains. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

No matter how you slice the data, it tells a clear story: Certificate-of-need laws make health care services relatively less available or more costly. Jaimie Cavanaugh of the Institute for Justice explains. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ben Toma is the Republican Speaker of the Arizona House of Representatives. We discussed his state's role as the trendsetter for advancing educational freedom for families. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Presidential candidate Nikki Haley recently suggested that anonymity on the internet should be compromised on behalf of national security. Edward Longe of the James Madison Institute argues that it would trash an important element of free speech. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There are many kinds of medical professionals who are legally prevented from delivering care for which they are trained. Jeff Singer describes how pharmacists could be allowed to step up. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's hard to take seriously the federal agencies that undertake their own adjudications and often award damages to themselves. Adi Dynar of the Pacific Legal Foundation discusses how "due process" works in administrative law courts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.