Cato Podcast

The federal government has its own problematic junk fees, according to Cato's Nick Anthony. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's hard to get a handle on the breadth of protections handed to current and future presidents in Trump v. United States. Cato's Walter Olson says much of the immunity from prosecution handed to these heads of state is wholly invented by SCOTUS. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

State laws seeking to compel social media companies to allow certain content or people on their platforms failed to pass muster at the Supreme Court. Jennifer Huddleston evaluates what's next. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Murthy v. Missouri, the Supreme Court clarified the evidence that would be required to prove government coercion with respect to online speech platforms. Cato's Walter Olson and Brent Skorup discuss the case. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Supreme Court's Jarkesy decision will mean more cases brought federal agencies will end up in court instead of the court-like rooms inside the agencies themselves. Will Yeatman of the Pacific Legal Foundation and Cato’s Jennifer Schulp explain the importance of the change. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Supreme Court's decision giving absolute immunity to the President of the United States from prosecution for certain actions raises as many questions as it answers. Cato’s Clark Neily offers some initial thoughts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Declaration of Independence is one of the most important documents in human history. Cato's Roger Pilon details the philosophical underpinning of America's Birth Certificate. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Texas collects data on the immigration status of those accused of crimes in the state. What it tells us about the crime rates of immigrants versus native-born Americans is valuable. Alex Nowrasteh explains. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Courts will no longer defer to federal agencies when it comes to interpreting certain statutes. Tommy Berry explains the Supreme Court's opinion that ended so-called Chevron deference. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One galling and unAmerican provision typical of recent National Defense Authorization Acts may finally be on the way out. Patrick Eddington details how it happened. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Streetcars are great for politicians' ribbon cutting events, but not much else. Marc Joffe explains. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After President Joe Biden appeared distracted in last night’s debate with Donald Trump, some lawmakers are now discussing the 25th Amendment's provisions to remove a mentally unfit chief executive. And how would a political party replace a candidate after the selection process in states has largely concluded? Gene Healy and John Samples explain. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Some members of Congress want to make it easier to draft both men and women into wartime military service. Doug Bandow explains why that's a terrible idea at odds with liberty in America. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Big changes may be ahead for legal gun ownership in the United States. Clark Neily explains the potential implications following the Supreme Court's Rahimi decision. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When police use underhanded tactics to wrongly charge you with a crime, should they get a free pass if they bring along some legitimate charges, as well? The Supreme Court says "no." Tommy Berry explains the case of Chiaverini v. City of Napoleon, Ohio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Supreme Court hasn't closed the door entirely on taxes on unrealized income, but the door isn't exactly open. Thomas A. Berry explains the court's decision in Moore v. United States. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For many Americans, it is jarring to find themselves subject to severe financial, reputational, and professional penalties in adjudications very different from a courtroom. Brent Skorup explains. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The CFPB has long been controversial. Its unique structure makes it powerful in ways other agencies are not. Jennifer Schulp and Tommy Berry detail the recent Supreme Court holding that the agency's funding doesn't violate the Appropriations Clause. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Arguments on behalf of central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) don't stand up to scrutiny. Nicholas Anthony runs down and interrogates the arguments in his new book, Digital Currency or Digital Control?: Decoding CBDC and the Future of Money. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Between the needless complications of the tax code and various special-interest giveaways in it, overall tax rates are higher than they could be otherwise. Adam Michel explains in a new paper what would be required for Congress to lower overall rates. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A new executive order from President Joe Biden will make seeking asylum in The Land of the Free that much more difficult. David Bier explains. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The conviction of the President's son, Hunter Biden, on charges relating to lying about drugs to get a gun makes for an interesting case for those who care about Second Amendment rights and ending the War on Drugs. Clark Neily comments on the case, appeals, and the broader justice system. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

David Boaz was an intellectual leader of the Cato Institute for four decades and a libertarian thinker of the first order. In addition to his speeches, books, and clear-headed communication of libertarian ideas in the public sphere, David was a friend and mentor. David passed away on June 7, 2024. Aaron Ross Powell, founding director of Libertarianism.org, and Cato Senior Fellow Tom G. Palmer discuss the work and legacy of David Boaz.Related:The Libertarian Mind by David BoazThe Libertarian Reader edited by David Boaz“David Boaz: Liberty’s North Star” by Aaron Ross Powell“David Boaz Is with Us” by Tom G. Palmer“The Separation of Art and State” by David BoazThe Crisis in Drug Prohibition edited by David Boaz“David Boaz: ‘Now It’s Your Turn’” featuring David Boaz and Caleb O. Brown Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

David Boaz, longtime executive vice president of the Cato Institute, has passed away at the age of 70. His contributions to the advance of libertarian ideas in the public sphere are hard to overestimate. These are his remarks at the Students for Liberty LibertyCon in February.David Boaz Memorial Page Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Following his related testimony on Capitol Hill, Cato's Adam Michel details why Congress should move toward ending a wide variety of penalties aimed squarely at Americans who save. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Slowing or freezing technological advancement could be devastating for the many benefits that artificial intelligence can bring to a wide variety of problems we face. Jack Solowey and Jennifer Huddleston explain what's at stake. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Presidents of both parties have been handed – decade over decade – a growing list of powers to be only unlocked in the event of an emergency, but those powers rarely get reviewed on a consistent basis. What's a better path for handing over and taking back emergency power? Satya Thallam of Americans for Responsible Innovation comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Serving the underserved is a well-established path to profits for entrepreneurs and acceptance for minority populations. Economist Nathan Goodman explains. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Former President Donald Trump has been convicted on felony charges of falsifying business records to conceal crimes. Cato's Clark Neily discusses the trial in the context of how criminal prosecutions work generally. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Social mobility means helping people improve their prospects for creating and building long-term wealth. What stands in the way? The Archbridge Institute's Gonzalo Schwarz discusses what he's learned. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Should Congress take steps to ban certain foreign-made drones that, despite being owned and used by Americans in a wide variety of helpful ways, could be sending sensitive data to antagonistic foreign governments? Will Duffield discusses the state of play. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Two notably illiberal politicians headlined at the Libertarian Party's convention over the weekend. What does it reveal about the brand of libertarianism advanced by the LP? Aaron Steelman and Andy Craig comment.Related: “Trump is hardly libertarian. But neither is today’s Libertarian Party.” By Peter Goettler, The Washington Post, May 23, 2024 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Will a new president in Taiwan mean a greater focus on defending against a potential Chinese attack? Eric Gomez comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How much US land receives Fourth Amendment protections under the so-called "Open Fields Doctrine"? Authors Joshua Windham and David Warren explore that issue in a new article in Regulation Magazine. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Should the government prove you shouldn't be allowed to immigrate, or should individuals have to prove that they should be allowed to immigrate? A century ago today, immigration policy shifted from the former to the latter. David Bier explains how the change has implicated Americans’ rights. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The notion that there can ever be a "level playing field" between decentralized, private cryptocurrencies and state-issued ones is entirely wrong. Nick Anthony explains. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The contours of freedom advanced in The Subjection of Women apply to us all. The influence of his wife, Harriet Taylor Mill, in the work’s final form is hard to miss. That is in part why the essay remains a favorite of Libertarianism.org's Grant Babcock. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Humility is a good starting point for lawmakers seeing to understand content moderation. David Inserra offers a helpful guide to policymakers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Paul Meany of Libertarianism.org walks us through the importance of John Stuart Mill through his powerful treatise On Liberty. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the wake of protests at many universities over the Israeli war in Gaza, what's the role for Congress to regulate? Unsurprisingly, it's not much. Cato's Neal McCluskey and Nico Perrino of FIRE comment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In David Beckworth's essay in The War on Prices, he explains what must be true for narratives of a pandemic-driven inflation to be true. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The US wage gap between men and women consistently drives calls for deep federal intervention into the labor market in the name of preventing discrimination. Analyzing that gap more critically reveals far less clarity about its causes and potential solutions. Vanessa Brown Calder explains in her essay in the new book, The War on Prices. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rent control doesn't make housing more affordable. It makes affordable housing less available. Jeff Miron explains in his essay in the new book, The War on Prices. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are the prices men and women pay for similar products evidence of discrimination that calls for a heavy-handed government response? Ryan Bourne is editor of the new Cato book, The War on Prices. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For the marginally creditworthy, mandatory interest rate caps on credit cards would end access to a convenient form of credit. Nick Anthony discusses his essay in Cato's new book, The War on Prices. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's not exactly a silver lining, but data from the pandemic has some lessons in it about the effectiveness of price gouging laws. Gavin Roberts, an economist at Weber State University, discusses his findings. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As smaller local newspapers continue to shrink, what's the potential for AI to help deliver local news to happy customers? Paul Matzko makes his hopeful case to foster a better-informed public. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

European leaders think very differently than US officials about China, both as a rising economic power and a military threat. Doug Bandow discusses why. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ideological commitments shouldn't harm your ability to receive medical treatment. Erec Smith and Jeff Singer discuss a troubling evolution in how medical education is delivered in the US. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There aren't big, glaring differences between Trump and Biden on giving Americans maximum freedom to trade across the globe, but the style of the candidates' protectionism differs somewhat. Scott Lincicome explains. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.