Cato Podcast

California wildfires are not yet fully contained, and the policy choices that led to the death and destruction deserve examination. Cato's Ryan Bourne and Steve Slivinski break down how California can improve as it rebuilds. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The divest-or-ban order deadline for the social media app, TikTok, is just days away. SCOTUS may weigh in at any time. Jennifer Huddleston and Tommy Berry evaluate the oral argument. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As state legislatures get back to work, where are the best opportunities for getting government out of the way of civil society? Steve Slivinski has a rundown.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Will spending by 'dark money' groups face more restrictions from Congress? Luke Wachob of People United for Privacy believes it may depend on how politically threatened incumbents feel by that kind of speech. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Your lack of wealth shouldn't limit your investment options, but the SEC has for decades actively prevented lower-wealth Americans from making certain investments. Nick Morgan of the Investor Choice Advocates Network and Cato's Jennifer Schulp explain. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The housing market needs less government intervention, both in terms of zoning and building codes that add enormously to construction costs. Emily Hamilton of the Mercatus Center comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the campaign trail, Donald Trump said that his political rivals should be prosecuted. Now, his appointees will head the Justice Department and other federal law enforcement agencies. Clark Neily discusses the potential turnabout in the use of federal law enforcement’s coercive tactics. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A little-noted federal law – currently on hold – dramatically expands government surveillance of millions of Americans by requiring tens of millions of businesses to collect and send specific data about the businesses' beneficiaries. Jennifer Schulp and Brent Skorup comment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hayek's The Constitution of Liberty is worth revisiting in part because of its call for a liberalism that takes seriously the contributions of fields well beyond economics. Paul Meany explains why that's important. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

John Hasnas says the common law has a lot to recommend it over lawmaker legislating. He makes his case in Common Law Liberalism: A New Theory of the Libertarian Society. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Who controls currently federal lands can tell us quite a bit about how wildfire risks are likely to be managed. Hannah Down of the Property and Environment Research Center comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What's the middle ground between local zoning tyrannies and state preemption? Mark Miller of the Pacific Legal Foundation discusses ways to expand housing production amid restrictionist local zoning. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Flavored e-cigarettes are a popular whipping boy for would-be regulators. Jeff Singer explains why it's terrible policy to punish would-be former smokers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Downtowns built 100 years ago are still viable, so why are they so hard to build today? Andrew Cline is president of the Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy. We talked about what's instructive about the changes in New Hampshire's zoning rules that have left so many towns unable to renew themselves. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The history of government control over how and where people live is told in Nowhere to Live: The Hidden Story of America's Housing Crisis. Jim Burling is the book's author. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The major questions doctrine from the Supreme Court places some limits on the kinds of questions the executive branch can handle alone. Are there similar "too large" delegations at the state level? Adi Dynar of the Pacific Legal Foundation comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Human Freedom Index is now in its tenth year. What have we learned about the state of and trends in human freedom? Author Ian Vasquez explains. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How would states respond to the threat posed by central bank digital currency? Niklas Kleinworth of the Idaho Freedom Foundation has considered how states have and should respond to the looming possibility of a federal CBDC. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Federal courts won't be deferring to federal agencies as often going forward. How does that change Congress's need for expertise when legislating? Joe Luppino-Esposito of the Pacific Legal Foundation has a few ideas. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has been tasked with identifying regulatory and spending reforms to shrink government. The new report for the informal agency from the Cato Institute identifies trillions in spending cuts and other reforms. Cato’s Alex Nowrasteh and Ryan Bourne detail the substantial spending and regulatory cuts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

States with certificate of need laws, where incumbent firms get to shut down their would-be competitors' plans, had more difficulties handling the pandemic. Jaimie Cavanaugh of the Pacific Legal Foundation explains. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Evidence suggests breastfeeding protects babies against short- and long-term health problems, so why license those who would help women do it? Cato's Jeff Singer and coauthor Sofia Hamilton discuss their new paper. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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It's hard to take seriously a push for decarbonization that doesn't involve nuclear power and yet might impose large personal costs on individual consumers. Jason Hayes of the Mackinac Center details some of the tradeoffs involved in changing energy markets with an eye toward reducing carbon emissions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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The US has given the green light for Ukraine strike targets deep into Russia with US weapons. Eric Gomez comments on that and other big shifts in Russia's war on Ukraine ahead of the US transfer of executive power. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dr. Marty Makary has been nominated to head the Food and Drug Administration. In October, he sat down with Cato's Jeff Singer to discuss his new book, Blind Spots: When Medicine Gets It Wrong, and What It Means for Our Health. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Whether you're a generous supporter of the Cato Institute or any other nonprofit, make no mistake: Threats to donor privacy and tax-advantaged giving are still out there, and are largely politically motivated. Luke Wachob and Peter Lipsett explain. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Concerns over fentanyl imports are leading some in Congress to call for an actual invasion of Mexico with the US military. Brandan Buck explains why a fresh war with a next-door neighbor continues to be a terrible idea. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When the FBI searched hundreds of safe deposit boxes, they kept the contents of safes containing more than $5000 in cash or valuables. A challenge is now in federal circuit court in Washington, DC. Tommy Berry explains what the court should do. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How much should we expect in terms of enhanced liberty and savings for taxpayers from the "Department" of Government Efficiency? Cato's Tom Firey and the Pacific Legal Foundation's Willie Yeatman break down some elements of the challenge. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The next Trump Administration will feature a new head of the FCC, Brendan Carr. He's said he stands on the side of the First Amendment when it comes to some FCC roles, but also views many tech firms as central to a "censorship cartel." Cato’s Jennifer Huddleston and Brent Skorup comment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A key figure in the end of slavery in America has never been treated to proper biography until now. Caleb Franz is author of The Conductor: The Story of Rev. John Rankin, Abolitionism's Essential Founding Father. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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The economics of nuclear power should signal that Biden's late-term commitment to its expansion doesn't mean a whole lot, at least not for a few decades. David Kemp comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Central bank digital currency will be a looming threat for some time to come, and arguments in their favor often depend on your ignorance of the power of the technology. Will Luther and Nick Anthony explain. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The sci-fi classic The Illuminatus! Trilogy is well-suited to our current moment of widespread, mindbending conspiracy theories with real-world impacts. Bobby Campbell is heading up a comic book adaptation of that series. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Though ending the Department of Education is a good idea, even fans of school choice ought to be wary of President-elect Trump's plan to nationalize school choice. Neal McCluskey explains why. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

No, it's not real. The Social Security trust fund is a gimmick. And if it were real, it would be full of IOUs. Romina Boccia lays to rest several fictions surrounding Social Security. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Robert Kennedy Jr. may carry significant influence in public health policy in the near term. Even if he seems to recognize a few big problems inherent to federal policymaking, many of his most prominent ideas are seriously misguided. Jeff Singer comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

State governments regularly engage in corporate handouts to boost their electability. The evidence that they're good for taxpayers is still weak. John Mozena of the Center for Economic Accountability and Cato’s Steve Slivinski comment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Immigration and inflation loomed large in the race for the White House. Emily Ekins details the what changed since 2020. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Americans voted on more than just a contentious Presidential fight. Ranked-choice voting, labor reform, and drugs were among the issues decided. Walter Olson details a few of them. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For freedom-enhancing policy, a second Trump term provides obvious, large downsides and risks, but there are likely policy upsides to a second Trump term. Alex Nowrasteh explains what Donald Trump might do in his now-secured second term. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A man currently on death row in Texas is probably innocent, and it’s taken more effort than you might hope to get his case re-examined. Republican State Rep. Brian Harrison comments on the legislature’s temporary delay to Robert Roberson’s execution. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The work of judges is often opaque to the public and poorly understood generally, and yet voters are regularly expected to vote on them. Clint Bolick of the Arizona Supreme Court makes his case for a better way. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Biden administration's FTC has earned the ire of many who support a more freewheeling business sector. Would a Harris administration maintain that skepticism toward big business? Or are those ideas about punishing big companies more suited to Team Trump? Jennifer Huddleston comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Public machinations over in vitro fertilization have stepped up since the Supreme Court's Dobbs decision, including a high-profile endorsement of federal subsidies from presidential candidate Donald Trump. Vanessa Brown Calder says that plan is wrongheaded and provides some context. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Robert Nozick's Anarchy, State, and Utopia is 50. Professor Eric Mack discusses its relevance today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The introduction of soldiers from both North and South Korea in Russia's assault on Ukraine poses significant risks for the US. Cato's Doug Bandow explains. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.