Cato Podcast

Walter Olson describes the career of his friend and wide-ranging writer Terry Teachout. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The next justice to serve on the Supreme Court should buck the long-term trend of successful candidates with experience working mainly on behalf of government. Clark Neily suggests a candidate who worked for the defense. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stephen Breyer has been a nuanced jurist on the Supreme Court. Cato's William Yeatman and Thomas Berry detail Breyer's work in administrative law and how he approached interpreting the Constitution and statutes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

According to the Constitution, the federal government has no role in education. So how can Congress best get out of the way of education reforms underway in several states? John Moolenaar is a Republican member of Congress from Michigan and is a member of the “School Choice Caucus.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What should trade policy look like in 2022? Inu Manak and Gabriella Beaumont-Smith say it should be a lot freer than it has been over the past five years. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For fans of educational freedom, is "Fund students, not systems" a slogan worth repeating? Does it earn new supporters or is it just insider language? Jason Bedrick offers his thoughts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This year has given schools no respite in responding to a global pandemic. It's unlikely that school choice reforms will top 2021, but this year could be another big year for educational freedom. Neal McCluskey comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The U.S. and Russia are ramping up pressure over Ukraine, but what exactly is the U.S. security interest there? Cato's Doug Bandow and Brandon Valeriano comment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Whether your concern is ballot harvesting, a lack of properly identified voters, or voter disenfranchisement, there are reforms people should be able to agree on to make election outcomes more credible. Walter Olson provides a few ideas. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Electoral Count Act is confusing and vague and could again contribute to confusion over just which candidate has won the White House. So why isn't it front and center for election reform? Walter Olson details some ways to fix it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When politicians start telling doctors how much pain medication they may prescribe, they're essentially practicing medicine. For pain patients, the consequences can be devastating. Jeff Singer argues that trusting patients and physicians is key to properly addressing patient needs. Law enforcement, he says, should play no role in questions about the standard of care patients should receive. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When you swear an oath to justice, you shouldn't follow through only when there's not a raging pandemic. Marc Levin discusses how COVID may have compelled some reforms that ought to stick around. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

So many voters chose Joe Biden to restore a sense of normalcy. His ambitious policy agenda and numerous attempts to intervene in Americans' lives have put that hope to rest. National Review editor Ramesh Ponnuru comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Supreme Court weighs in on the Biden administration's vaccine mandate. Ilya Shapiro provides his expectation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Taxes on cryptocurrencies are coming to the infant industry, though it's less than clear how Congress would do it and if their revenue estimates are rooted in reality. Nicholas Anthony comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s a tired old phrase meant to justify all manner of speech restrictions. People using it should at least understand what it means. Author Jeff Kosseff evaluates some of the political state of play over the freedom of speech online. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Where should states look for stable budgets that balance through business cycles? Kurt Couchman of Americans for Prosperity offers his thoughts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Even our best efforts at being rational are beset by biases that skew our thinking. Steven Pinker's new book is Rationality: What It Is, Why It Seems Scarce, Why It Matters. He spoke at the Cato Club retreat in 2021. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chile has elected a radical leftist as president, part of a long trend. There are lessons for the United States. Ian Vasquez describes what he believes enabled the shift. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As we approach the end of the first year of the Biden administration, his anemic immigration policy hasn't undone many of the restrictions left by the Trump administration. David Bier and Alex Nowrasteh discussed immigration for this month’s CatoAudio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When disasters hit, law enforcement leaps into action to punish some of the people bringing in desperately needed supplies. Ryan Bourne describes the overblown threat of price gouging. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Prominent Democrats have either denied the reality of inflation or prescribed the wrong solution. Norbert Michel describes what might come next on the inflation front. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's easy to imagine trade is entire countries making big decisions. As Scott Lincicome and Alex Nowrasteh explain, it's individuals making millions of small decisions to benefit themselves through voluntary exchange. Curtailing trade violates that liberty. They spoke at the 2021 Cato Club event. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Startups need capital to compete with bigger companies, and taxes on capital gains can stem the flow of angel investment. Chris Edwards makes his case for angel investors. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Charlie Katebi of Americans for Prosperity argues that some of the policy innovations driven by the pandemic have shown significant benefits and ought to continue even after the threat abates. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A few principles ought to guide efforts to push branches of government back into their proper roles. Daniel Dew of the Pacific Legal Foundation offers his recommendations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Human Freedom Index tracks freedom across a variety of metrics for most of the world's countries. The trend over the past decade has not been good. Ian Vasquez, the report's coauthor, describes the data. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How does the availability of school choice affect housing decisions? William Mattox of the James Madison Institute offers his thoughts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Despite some bumps in the road, advocates for ranked-choice voting see a bring future. Scot Turner, a former state lawmaker in Georgia, advocates for the instant runoff style of elections. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The coalition that wants to keep you from using your property in accordance with your needs and values is extremely bipartisan. Jarrett Skorup of the Mackinac Center discusses the busybody coalition that wants to ban short-term rentals and how states ought to fight back. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The rise of political polarization and hatred should be of genuine concern, and Joe Biden's pledge to deliver a sense of normalcy and boredom seems to have been just another broken campaign promise. Gene Healy made his case at the most recent Cato Club event. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The new spending approved under the Biden administration may soon top the new spending approved by two of his predecessors. Jonathan Bydlak walks through the implications. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Tuttle Twins series of books teaching economics and liberty-friendly values to young people is now an animated series. Book series author Connor Boyack describes the new venue. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Former U.S. Comptroller General David M. Walker has some ideas for restraining the spending and debt currently being accrued at a faster clip than ever. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Whether the proposed school choice program is big or small, the breathless warnings from public school defenders are predictably dire. Jason Bedrick of EdChoice says the lesson for lawmakers is clear: Choose the more robust choice program. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Among the many states that created or expanded school choice programs, West Virginia stands out for its innovative, big new program. Jessi Troyan with the Cardinal Institute explains. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How the Department of Labor regulates pension funds and other retirement plans holds big implications for retirees, so how do so-called ESG (environmental, social, and governance) preferences change things? Jennifer Schulp comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What powers does Congress have to access information from former executive branch officials? It's not totally clear, according to Julian Sanchez. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Turkey's president enjoys his control over various aspects of his country, and yet the value of Turkey's currency is demonstrably out of his control. Cato's Mustafa Akyol provides the context. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The metaverse offers an opportunity to replicate real-world human interaction, but it also presents some new and unique problems. Given the strength of current players in this market and the ever-present threat of regulation, how might the growth of this new simulated reality play out? Will Duffield comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To what extent can Congress delegate away the authority to make laws? Will Yeatman details a case before the Supreme Court that holds big implications for the future of delegated legislative power. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are Americans really suited to self-government? If so, why do so many who study politics seem to think otherwise? Tony Woodlief is author of I, Citizen: A Blueprint for Reclaiming American Self-Governance. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

By placing conditions on government benefits, gifts, or licenses, governments can often achieve compliance in ways that would otherwise be blatantly unconstitutional. Philip Hamburger details how it works in his new book, Purchasing Submission. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Where does the evidence stand on the so-called "lab leak" theory regarding the beginnings of Covid-19? Matt Ridley is coauthor of Viral: The Search for the Origin of Covid-19. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Optimism about achieving the American Dream is on the wane, or so we are told. Gonzalo Schwarz of the Archbridge Institute says that's not quite right. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The heavy lifts to getting government out of the way of innovation in many cases simply aren't happening. Will Rinehart of the Center for Growth and Opportunity believes the people who need to do that hard work are distracted. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

New Hampshire takes top honors in the Cato Institute's new Freedom in the 50 States report. Authors Will Ruger and Jason Sorens discuss the report and its criteria. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How should success be measured in state-led efforts to provide rural broadband? Will Rinehart of the Center for Growth and Opportunity comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In many states, when teacher or police unions bargain over wages, benefits, and accountability, the public is left entirely outside the process. Jason Mercier of the Washington Policy Center details how that complicates holding the public sector accountable. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How should states assert that police power to use new technology must exist within by basic constitutional limits? Kendall Cotton of Montana’s Frontier Institute comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.