Cato Podcast

There appears to be some appetite for surveillance reform in Congress. Patrick Eddington discusses the reasons why. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A terrorist plot in Newburgh, New York turned out to be largely a production of federal law enforcement agencies. Filmmaker David Heilbroner details the case in his new film, "The Newburgh Sting."The Newburgh Sting and the FBI's Production of the Domestic Terrorism Threat Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What will legal marijuana look like in the years ahead? Bruce Barcott, author of Weed the People, offers his assessment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There are serious issues for any summit of the Americas, but those issues likely aren't on the table. Juan Carlos Hidalgo comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The DEA had its own phone records collection program years before September 11, 2001. Julian Sanchez comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sentencing reform should be a key element of any criminal justice reform package this year, according Mike Riggs of Families Against Mandatory Minimums. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How will "disparate impact" be viewed at the U.S. Surpeme Court this year? Walter Olson explains. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Religious Freedom Restoration Acts don't quite function the way you've been told, according to Mollie Hemingway, a senior editor at The Federalist. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Does the Religious Freedom Restoration Act passed by the federal government and 19 states enshrine discrimination as its critics claim? Roger Pilon offers his thoughts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Was Utah's compromise on discrimination and religious liberty a good deal? Walter Olson comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Would switching the Federal Reserve's target from interest rates to nominal GDP give the central bank much-needed discipline? Economist Scott Sumner says yes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Even if virtually everyone agrees that certain speech is offensive, it still deserves protection. Greg Lukianoff of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education explains why. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

So-called Blaine Amendments were created to keep states from sending public funds to support Catholic education. And today, those laws foil many efforts at giving parents more choice in education. Following the premiere of the Cato Institute film, Live Free and Learn: Scholarship Tax Credits in New Hampshire, Dick Komer, a senior attorney at the Institute for Justice, described the history and trouble with Blaine Amendments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stingrays trick your cellphone into connecting with local police, all without your knowledge. It's warrantless surveillance at the local level, says Adam Bates. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Far from being something Americans should try to wipe out or even merely tolerate, the presence of offensive speech indicates that we live in a free society. It should, therefore, be vigorously protected. Trevor Burrus comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Barack Obama's record as a drug warrior is somewhat mixed. At the very least, his record is more mixed than that of his predecessors. Adam Bates comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How does the U.S. relationship with Saudi Arabia complicate our foreign policy? Emma Ashford comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cato Executive Vice President David Boaz answers a few questions about and related to his new book, The Libertarian Mind. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What stands in the way of jumpstarting the economy? Robert Strom of the Kauffman Foundation offers a few ideas. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Civil disobedience over victimless crimes may be encouraged under an idea by author Charles Murray. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are we really spending more and getting less out of the U.S. military? Chris Preble comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The federal government owns most of the western states, but it's not clear why. Holly Fretwell from the Property and Environment Research Center has analyzed how well states and feds manage western lands. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If NATO members face such dire threats, why do those countries spend so little on their own defense? Doug Bandow comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Reputational capital has the potential to revolutionize commerce and development without the heavy hand of government. Max Borders, editor of The Freeman, comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A criminal record can permanently change your life for the worse. James B. Jacobs analyzes the use and abuse of criminal records in his new book, The Eternal Criminal Record. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Federal provision of "new start funding" for rail transit projects may lead local governments to spend more on shiny new projects and less on maintenance of existing transit. Randal O'Toole comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jay Cost argues that the United States has turned from a republic into a special interest democracy. His new book is A Republic No More. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Economist Antony Davies discusses the "we owe it to ourselves" theory of national debt. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Understanding the dynamics of income over time requires more than a few momentary snapshots. Economist Steve Horwitz explains. This interview was recorded at the International Students for Liberty Conference. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ending several cabinet-level departments would barely register in "flyover America." So says Kentucky U.S. Senator Rand Paul. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Calls for monetary reform have re-emerged, centered around the debate over creating constitutional provisions that empower government vs. provisions that prohibit the government interference with money. Lawrence H. White discusses his new book, Renewing the Search for a Monetary Constitution. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Maduro regime in Venezuela has taken additional steps to stifle speech and cow its opponents. Ian Vasquez comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Two intelligence agencies conspired to steal the keys to your phone's encryption. Julian Sanchez discusses the risks to privacy and security. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Kibbe, President of Freedomworks, discussed the new political landscape where libertarian ideas have a strong voice. This interview was recorded at the International Students for Liberty Conference in Washington, D.C. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At the 2015 International Students for Liberty Conference, former Texas Congressman Ron Paul discussed his optimism about the future of the liberty movement, the President's demands for more war powers and the growing movement to audit the Federal Reserve. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's not clear what need VIPR teams fill since they have no record of success and routinely violate Americans' rights. Patrick Eddington comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The President wants Congress to give him additional powers to go after the Islamic State, but it's not clear how the President's draft resolution would limit executive power to wage war globally for several years. Gene Healy comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is socialism morally superior to other systems of political economy, even if it faces practical difficulties? James Otteson discusses that claim among others in his new book, The End of Socialism. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Libertarianism — the philosophy of personal and economic freedom — has deep roots in Western civilization and in American history, and it’s growing stronger. Cato Institute Executive Vice President David Boaz talks about the renewed appetite for smaller government and more freedom.The Libertarian Mind: A Manifesto for Freedom by David Boaz Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With low crime rates, prospects are good for serious criminal justice reform - at least at the state level - in 2015. Tim Lynch comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

States could play a key role in diffusing the tense immigration debate in Washington. Alex Nowrasteh explains.Cato Policy Forum: State-Based Visas: A Federalist Approach to Immigration ReformPolicy Analysis: State-Based Visas: A Federalist Approach to Reforming U.S. Immigration Policy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The President once suggested that spending caps he signed into law shouldn't be thrown away. He has apparently changed his mind. Ben Friedman comments on the President's big spending plans at the Pentagon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As Obamacare heads back to the Supreme Court, Jonathan Adler explains everything you need to know ahead of the March 4 oral argument. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Republicans seem more likely to give President Obama trade promotion authority. Dan Ikenson says that's good news. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Should free trade agreements contain provisions punishing countries for how they value their currencies? Dan Pearson comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The cataloging and archiving of your travel details is more widespread than previously believed. Adam Bates explains. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Marco Rubio is going one step beyond even people who want to reauthorize domestic surveillance authorities under the Patriot Act. He wants to make those powers permanent. Julian Sanchez evaluates Rubio's claims. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Loretta Lynch, President Obama's nominee for Attorney General, doesn't appear to draw much of a distinction between civil and criminal asset forfeiture. Adam Bates says that's a big problem. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2015 may end up as another "Year of School Choice." Jason Bedrick discusses the possible reforms. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How does the Granite State do education reform? Charles Arlinghaus of the Josiah Bartlett Center in New Hampshire discusses scholarship tax credits, which allow low-income parents to send their children to a new school. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.