Cato Podcast

The War on Terror was an ill-defined campaign that eroded the safeguards built into American institutions, enhanced execute power, and gave federal agencies license to engage in torture and other crimes. Spencer Ackerman is author of Reign of Terror. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Social media companies have differing ideas about allowing the Taliban on their platforms. Will Duffield explains what social media means for the people and (new) government of Afghanistan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Taliban has taken over Afghanistan. Is there any reason to think their assurances to Afghans are worth anything? Mustafa Akyol comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The expanding influence of the Taliban in Afghanistan, a decade or more of American government lies about “progress” in the war, and a fast U.S. military exit contributed to the Taliban’s speedy takeover of the country. Justin Logan offers perspective. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How much of the election reform passed this year in states makes sense? Walter Olson disentangles some of the motivations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the immediate wake of U.S. departure from Afghanistan and the rapid collapse of the government there, the U.S. owes something to the people who helped sustain this ill-fated war. Alex Nowrasteh details some history and offers ideas for the future. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Culture war battles, however seductive in the moment, are a distraction to the long-term fight for liberty, and broader perspective can help focus our attention. Wolf von Laer of Students for Liberty comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The attack on the Capitol in January was serious, but it's important not to overstate the size of the threat the groups involved pose. Abigail Hall comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Creating new cities or countries on the ocean has long been just a dream. Is seasteading getting closer. Joe Quirk of the Seasteading Institute thinks so. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The next school year looks to be as uncertain or more uncertain than the last one. Kerry McDonald discusses what the pandemic has changed. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Louisiana regulators have sharply limited competition in special-needs childcare because, well, it would make their jobs more difficult if they allowed it. Anastasia Boden of the Pacific Legal Foundation says that's not a good enough reason. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Drug War marks its 50th year this year. That's five decades too long. Democratic Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman of New Jersey has a few ideas about how to jumpstart the process. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

President Biden has been surprisingly frank in his belief that the eviction moratorium he's just extended probably won't hold up to legal scrutiny. In fact, it's what courts and his own legal counsel have told him. Walter Olson comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How does our own government's propaganda shape our views of efforts to fight wars or to even go to war in the first place? Abigail R. Hall is coauthor of Manufacturing Militarism: U.S. Government Propaganda in the War on Terror. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Regulation has the potential to stop new business before it starts. What if it didn't? Connor Boyack of the Libertas Institute details "the regulatory sandbox" experiment in Utah. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Supporters of ranked-choice voting argue that it might reduce partisanship and compel candidates to be less polarizing. New York’s recent confusing experience with ranked-choice voting offers some lessons. How does it work? Is it ready for greater adoption? Adam Kissel of the Cardinal Institute offers his take. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jarrett Skorup of the Mackinac Center explains some of the reasons why unionization in Michigan has fallen so dramatically after the Supreme Court's Janus decision in 2018 and what that might mean for unionization elsewhere. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The processes that have given rise to so much new knowledge show signs of sputtering. Jonathan Rauch, author of The Constitution of Knowledge argues that it's time to restore respect for the "how" of creating new knowledge. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When New York decided to stop cracking down on sex workers, it maintained harsh policing of sex workers' customers. Kaytlin Bailey of The Old Pro Project explains why New York should just decriminalize the whole enterprise. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

James Bacchus is author of the new paper, "Trade is Good for Your Health.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Members of Congress continue to fight against large technology platforms, and many hope antitrust claims will give them sway that the First Amendment does not. Elizabeth Nolan Brown of Reason discusses the contours of this new fight. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Whole Foods CEO John Mackey says the long-term changes to business many expect to come in the wake of the pandemic may be overstated. He discusses how the grocery chain has dealt with the pandemic, and how it's stressed labor markets and supply chains. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Residential zoning goes back a full century, and that zoning carried with it the specific intent of racial segregation. Patrick Tuohey of the Better Cities Project details why there should be a public reckoning over the racist legacy of zoning. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Do FBI agents have too much free time? Cato's Patrick Eddington has discovered that Concerned Women of America have been subjected to FBI inquiries with no claims of criminal activity. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A data leak reveals thousands of potential targets of digital surveillance using software from Israeli firm NSO Group. Targets include reporters, activists, and allegedly some leading government officials. Julian Sanchez and Patrick Eddington comment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Reducing social costs associated with drugs like heroin means seeking solutions beyond mere criminal enforcement.  Safe injection sites are one of these policies. Rhode Island has legalized safe injection sites, but federal hurdles remain. Jeff Singer comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Even some graduate degrees from elite institutions deliver few earnings benefits. Why do people get them? And how do government payoff programs make the cost of those degrees appear lower than they really are? Neal McCluskey explains. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The plea bargain as it's practiced by prosecutors has become a tool that helps pervert justice by penalizing people who seek a jury trial. Somil Trivedi of the American Civil Liberties Union is bringing a suit in Maricopa County, Arizona to challenge how the plea bargain is used. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The President wants to remove some barriers to shipping goods across the U.S. and among nations, but has been recently silent about restrictions that are substantially counterproductive to Americans’ well being. Colin Grabow and Scott Lincicome explain. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The planned U.S. departure from Afghanistan is underway, but the Biden Administration seems reluctant to give up the authority to go back in at any moment. John Glaser comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brandon Valeriano argues that defense against cyberattacks means actually doing the work of hardening systems against attacks rather than issuing threats after the fact. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the CCP marks 100 years, the party's human rights abuses, mass slaughter of Chinese people, crackdowns on free speech, and internment camps for minorities won't be front and center. Doug Bandow and Eric Gomez comment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At some point, says Gene Healy, Congress will get around to repealing the authorization for the use of military force that has enabled so much American-led global meddling. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In AFPF v. Bonta, the Supreme Court made clearer that donors to nonprofits deserve greater privacy protection from state actors. Trevor Burrus examines the case  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A case of university led prior restraint spurred Clarence Thomas to urge his fellow justices to take up a case regarding qualified immunity. Jay Schweikert details the case. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A Florida appeals court has let cops off the hook after they arrested a woman after she recorded those cops doing their jobs. James Craven details why clarity on this issue is more important than ever. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Persistent aerial surveillance may make the jobs of cops easier, but it's no solution if it endangers your rights. Matthew Feeney discusses the case of Balitmore's aerial surveillance program. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A patent case decided by the Supreme Court in June holds much larger implications for federal regulators. Thomas Berry comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In restricting transportation of all manner of products, the Jones Act disproportionately harms the poor and raises prices for everyone else. Republican Senator Mike Lee of Utah and Cato's Colin Grabow discuss the new effort to eliminate the law. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the wake of an especially massive outflow of federal money, the accounting for how the money was spent is just beginning. Cato's Will Yeatman says that we shouldn't get our hopes up that the money was spent well. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Supreme Court's ruling against the NCAA regarding benefits paid to student athletes virtually guarantees that there will be future litigation on strikingly similar issues. The NCAA is hoping for time to change its rules. Ilya Shapiro comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Federal sentencing for drug crimes has never made sense, most especially the disparity between cocaine and crack. Kevin Ring of FAMM details how we got here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Federal sentencing for drug crimes has never made sense, most especially the disparity between cocaine and crack. Kevin Ring of FAMM details how we got here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Interrogation methods that elicit false confessions speaks to the quality of policing. Marissa Boyers Bluestine of the Quattrone Center for the Fair Administration of Justice at the University of Pennsylvania Law School details the costs. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How much of the current difficulties faced by employers are driven by extra unemployment benefits? Ryan Bourne explains. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There's more to voting rights in the For the People Act, and the fact that the massive piece of legislation is only partially constitutional just isn't good enough. Walter Olson offers his thoughts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Conservatives like to bemoan their treatment at the hands of companies like Facebook and YouTube, but fostering decentralized alternatives is somehow nowhere in their stump speeches. Matthew Feeney comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

An obvious way to diffuse fights over schooling is to put parents more directly in charge of the kinds of educations their kids receive. Neal McCluskey comments in the context of the latest fight over public schooling and critical race theory. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Campaign finance laws are complicated. They leave well-meaning people on the hook for potential criminal violations. Allen Dickerson of the Federal Election Commission details just one example. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Michael Malice says many of the criticisms of anarchism boil down to a description of the status quo. His new book, The Anarchist Handbook, provides a useful diversity of anarchist views. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.