Cato Podcast

Understanding the causes of vaping-related deaths has massive implications for public health. Jeff Singer comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Whistleblowing in the national security sphere is complicated and difficult. Irvin McCullough of the Government Accountability Project says the current Ukraine whistleblower is a poster child for following the rules. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why do whistleblowers do it? It's not like they're in for immediate adulation. It's a very difficult and stressful decision, and a long and difficult road. Tom Mueller is author of Crisis of Conscience. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Among countries that report to no higher authority for their actions, assuring that war crimes are punished properly remains a serious challenge. John Glaser comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A claim that has made the rounds this week in conservative media goes like this: Until recently, would-be whistleblowers needed firsthand knowledge of wrongdoing in order to see their claims advanced. The problem with the claim is this: It's wrong. Julian Sanchez comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bernie Sanders wants to create a public credit scoring system. What does that mean for understanding borrowers' ability to repay? Diego Zuluaga comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

States still lead the way on criminal justice reform, but what bright spots exist at the federal level? John Malcolm of the Heritage Foundation comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gene Healy discusses the U.S. House impeachment inquiry launched this week. Healy is author of Indispensable Remedy: The Broad Scope of the Constitution’s Impeachment Power. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The official boozy bubbly of this Summer was White Claw. Why didn't this happen sooner? Cato's Will Yeatman discusses the tax implications of spiked seltzer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Conservatives’ tolerance for illiberal views needs to end sooner than later. Do libertarians have a similar problem? David Boaz makes his case. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Would prosecutors object if they faced more judges who'd spent their earlier careers working for the defense? Clark Neily comments on his new study. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Congress is considering a ban on cashless stores. What does that mean for businesses that already don't take cash? Cato's Diego Zuluaga comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

State-level changes can protect the privacy of residents from the prying eyes of governments. So how should states do it? Jonathon Hauenschild of the American Legislative Exchange Council comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When you die, there are few benefits you can receive for a political donation. Why does that matter? Attorney Alan Gura is challenging some recent changes to rules for political donations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Would a prohibition on flavored vaping products be a net-negative in reducing smoking-related illness? Jeffrey Miron discusses the apparent White House plan to ban flavors of vaping products. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The attack on a Saudi oil facility has many in the Trump Administration pushing for a U.S. response. John Glaser and Doug Bandow say the U.S. ought to stay out of another Saudi-led war. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The White House’s potential plan to use consumer tech to monitor those deemed mentally ill for potential violence already has some bipartisan support. The problem is that it won't work. Julian Sanchez comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why take seriously San Francisco's declaration that the National Rifle Association is a domestic terror group? Walter Olson explains. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A few Democratic candidates running for President have flagged the police protection known as qualified immunity as worthy of reform. Clark Neily discusses the various criminal justice proposals offered by Democratic White House hopefuls. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ending or sharply curtailing U.S.-led wars across the globe has popular support. How should that energy translate to action? Stephen Wertheim is a cofounder of the new Quincy Institute. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What opportunities for better foreign policy emerge in John Bolton's departure from the White House? Eric Gomez and Chris Preble comment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lyman Stone argues that, yes, even libertarians should care about the policies that affect fertility rates. Stone is a senior fellow at the Institute for Family Studies. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are school choice advocates indifferent to segregation? Neal McCluskey counters the new/old argument against school choice. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There may be some benefit to expanding the pay rates at which workers are eligible for overtime, but Ryan Bourne argues those benefits will be short term. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A presidential tweet ordered American companies to begin looking away from China for trade. What's the legal basis for such a claim? Gene Healy comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What do conservatives think of the emerging nationalist conservatism that rejects much of recent decades of conservative and libertarian thinking? Richard Reinsch of Law and Liberty gives his assessment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are property rights the enemy of conservation? Holly Fretwell of the Property and Environment Research Center comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Johnson & Johnson went to court to fight claims of its contribution to the "public nuisance" of the opioid crisis. They lost. Walter Olson discusses what public nuisance torts mean for future litigation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson has altered Obama-era federal housing rules. What does that mean for making housing more affordable and plentiful? Emily Hamilton of the Mercatus Center comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Leading Democratic presidential contenders want the feds to bail out students with school debt. What about the young people who made more modest choices? Christian Barnard of the Reason Foundation comments.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A case in federal court challenge the Trump Administration over steel tariffs. Cato's Simon Lester and Will Yeatman comment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are rules governing housing finance setting the stage for the next crash? If so, what ought to change? Diego Zuluaga comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Like the promise of Medicare cuts, the so-called "Cadillac Tax" on health plans was probably never going to last long. David Hyman explains why. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nationalist conservatives like Oren Cass are pushing industrial policy. Ryan Bourne says the case for this manufacturing-focused industrial policy is weak. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A British Parlimentarian suggests giving British citizenship to people in Hong Kong. Is it a good idea, and what would be the likely impacts? Chris Preble and Alex Nowrasteh comment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How might the protests in Hong Kong end? Can Hong Kong residents expect China to back down or accept reasonable protections for civil liberties? Doug Bandow comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

An assault in Manhattan leads a prosecutor to get a warrant for cellphone location data from Google. Is this how it's supposed to work? Julian Sanchez comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are China's moves to prop up the RMB more than a reaction to Trump Administration tariffs? Cato's Dan Ikenson comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nationalism largely rejects individualism, and conservative nationalism is no different. Historian Anthony Comegna argues that "national purpose" is at best a misnomer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When public officials or those running for office call out the political donations of people they don't like, what's the goal? Is it merely to shame them? Walter Olson comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Department of Homeland Security finalized a regulation this week that bans “public charges” from receiving legal status in the United States, a sweeping change. David Bier comments on the likely consequences for immigration. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A new Cato policy analysis makes the case for ending America's longest war. John Glaser is co-author of that report. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For the crime of working in the U.S. without relevant paperwork, workplace immigration raids are a great way for the feds to project power and punish consensual work arrangements. Problem is that they aren't very effective at dealing with illegal immigration. Cato's David Bier comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The FBI, Facebook, and the Federal Trade Commission need to have a talk about what it means to "secure user data.” The FBI wants to engage in more surveillance and the FTC wants Facebook to do a better job protecting user data from outsiders. Matthew Feeney comments on a new fight over surveillance and Facebook user privacy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The ideologies that drove mass killings in Texas and Ohio are still not totally clear, but how valuable is it to know that information? Should all mass killings be characterized as terrorism? Alex Nowrasteh comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Most neat and clean solutions to the problem of gun violence have significant problems. Trevor Burrus comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) says social media is addictive and Big Tech hasn’t done much for the public interest lately. What should that mean for government regulation of big tech? Ryan Bourne and Matthew Feeney comment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Elizabeth Warren's priorities for trade agreements may differ from the current President, but the final result may simply be less liberalized trade. Dan Ikenson and Simon Lester comment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When Congress delegates its regulatory authority, the regulators take the ball and run. How should Congress reengage with its essential oversight functions with respect to regulation? Will Yeatman comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The aims of national conservatism (or conservative nationalism) will differ based on who you ask, but it rejects a great deal of the conservatism of the last few decades, and libertarian thinking is among the ideologies in its crosshairs. Aaron Ross Powell and Stephanie Slade discuss why it should be taken seriously. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.