Cato Event Podcast

The Cato Institute’s new edited volume, A History of Repeated Injuries , explores simple but profound questions: 250 years after the Declaration of Independence, how successful have we been in escaping tyranny? Are we entirely free of the “injuries and usurpations” of which the Framers complained? Or have modern analogues of old tyrannies crept into our own government, leading to losses of liberty...

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has long exercised significant authority over broadcast media beyond what is typically tolerated under the First Amendment. Under various chairs and presidential administrations, the FCC has overstretched its authority. Recent actions have drawn particular attention, such as when Chairman Brendan Carr publicly pressured and threatened to punish ABC/​Disn...

What does life on the front lines of criminal justice actually look like—and what can it teach us about the state of American law today? Please join us for a discussion with Randy Barnett on his new memoir,  Felony Review: Tales of True Crime and Corruption in Chicago , a gripping behind-the-scenes account of his years as a young prosecutor in the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office during...

In the recently published  No Compulsion in Religion—No Exceptions: Islamic Arguments for Religious Freedom , Cato senior fellow Mustafa Akyol collaborated with a team of international Muslim scholars to articulate a noncoercive vision of Islam. Among the issues addressed in the book are blasphemy laws that restrict free speech in dozens of countries—with Pakistan often regarded as home to some of...

Many Americans think they understand today’s Supreme Court: six conservative justices appointed by Republicans, three liberals appointed by Democrats, and predictably partisan outcomes, especially in the “big” cases. But Sarah Isgur, host of the  Advisory Opinions  podcast, editor of  SCOTUSblog , and one of the savviest Court-watchers in the country, is here to tell you that’s wron...

Does the Fourteenth Amendment guarantee birthright citizenship to persons born in the United States to parents without permanent immigration status? Please join us for an insightful discussion with a group of scholars who will break down Trump v. Barbara , consider the recent Supreme Court oral argument, and explore the approaches the Court might take as it reaches a decision. Hosted on Acast. See...

President Trump has repeatedly promised to withdraw US forces from Europe in an ongoing debate over America’s role in NATO. Earlier this month, the Pentagon announced that 5,000 troops will be withdrawn from bases in Germany over the next 6 to 12 months, out of roughly 36,000 US personnel based in the country. Although the justification was ostensibly Germany’s unwillingness to help reopen the Str...

The Summer of Our Discontent  confronts the breakdown of civility in American society. Civil discourse has given way to identitarianism, altering our media, education, policing, and the ambient language and culture we use to make sense of our lives. In his book,   Thomas Chatterton Williams chronicles the transformation of social justice activism following the summer of 2020. He explores...

The Trump administration has elevated the strategic importance of the Western Hemisphere to the United States at a time when countries in the region are turning away from leftist populism. Can dollarization play a key role in achieving stability and growth in Latin America? John Cochrane, David Malpass, and Emilio Ocampo will discuss the benefits of dollarization to Latin American countries with a...

A free, open, and civil society depends on the freedom of individuals and institutions to direct private resources toward the causes they value. Today, that freedom faces growing pressure as the federal government seeks to use nonprofit status as a lever of political control.  Join us for a conversation with President and CEO of DonorsTrust Lawson Bader, Cato Senior Fellow Walter Olson, and P...

Secretary of Energy Chris Wright is charged with leading the Department of Energy through unprecedented changes. His mandate to unleash energy dominance—often through deregulation that expands the supply and types of energy available by allowing markets to function more freely—is solidifying the United States as the global leader in energy production. Secretary Wright draws inspiration from a rare...

Social Security is widely portrayed as a self-financed program with a long-term trust fund solvency problem. But for more than a decade, the program has already been financed in part through federal borrowing. The trust fund is a political construct, not a true repository of savings or investments. Since 2010, the Treasury has borrowed more than $1.5 trillion to pay Social Security benefits, and b...

As America approaches the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence,  Proclaiming Liberty  revisits the revolutionary summer of 1776 through the minds of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, two men whose words and ideas gave birth to modern liberty. Timothy Sandefur’s engaging narrative brings to life the “American mind” of those extraordinary Founders—their arguments, ideals, an...

What does life on the front lines of criminal justice actually look like—and what can it teach us about the state of American law today? Please join us for a discussion with Randy Barnett on his new memoir,  Felony Review: Tales of True Crime and Corruption in Chicago , a gripping behind-the-scenes account of his years as a young prosecutor in the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office during...

The Future of Free Speech  confronts a stark truth: The right to speak freely is under siege. Once celebrated as a cornerstone of democratic societies, free expression is now met with growing suspicion and retaliation across the globe.  In this book ,  Jacob Mchangama and Jeff Kosseff present a panoramic view of how we arrived at this pivotal moment. They argue for a reinvigorated,...

The Federal Reserve, established in 1913, has evolved far beyond its original mandate, becoming one of the most debated institutions in the United States. Some critics blame it for economic instability and want it abolished, while some supporters advocate expanding its powers. Over time, the Fed has taken on more responsibilities like achieving specific macroeconomic goals, providing fiscal suppor...

In the wake of the February 2026 Supreme Court ruling on the legality of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) tariffs, the Trump administration has used alternative authorities to reimpose tariffs, including a 10 percent global tariff under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974. As written, Section 122 allows the president to impose a temporary import tariff of up to 15 percent t...

The universal human drive to matter—to feel our lives hold genuine significance—fuels both our greatest achievements and our deepest divisions. It inspires innovation, care, and cooperation while giving rise to ideological extremism, tribalism, and zero-sum conflicts that can challenge individual liberty and peaceful coexistence. MacArthur Fellow and National Humanities Medalist Rebecca Newberger...

In June 2025, when stepping into the Federal Reserve Board’s role of vice chair for supervision, Michelle W. Bowman announced a comprehensive review of the bank capital framework. Since that time, she has introduced changes to two of the framework’s four pillars, the supplementary leverage ratio and the stress-testing regime. As a next step in the comprehensive review, the Federal Reserve, togethe...

President Trump has launched a war with Iran, leaving the American public with more questions than answers. Great uncertainty remains around the war’s strategic objectives, the duration of the campaign, and its long-term impacts on the United States, Iran, and the Middle East. Join us for a conversation with leading experts who will examine the possible trajectories of Operation Epic Fury and its...

As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, many of us think about the heroic figures who formed the foundation of our democracy. The Prohuman Foundation and Sphere Education Initiatives are excited to support you in thinking about these brave Americans by highlighting five unsung heroines who greatly influenced America’s Founding: Elizabeth Freeman, Anna Smith Strong...

Thirty years ago, as part of the 1996 Telecommunications Act, Section 230 became law. The law was the result of a bipartisan effort that saw the potential of the internet and sought to encourage innovation and opportunities for online speech. Thirty years later, the law remains crucial to users and innovators of all sizes; however, it has been criticized by both the left and the right. Join us for...

Thirty years ago, as part of the 1996 Telecommunications Act, Section 230 became law. The law was the result of a bipartisan effort that saw the potential of the internet and sought to encourage innovation and opportunities for online speech. Thirty years later, the law remains crucial to users and innovators of all sizes; however, it has been criticized by both the left and the right. Join us for...

Thirty years ago, as part of the 1996 Telecommunications Act, Section 230 became law. The law was the result of a bipartisan effort that saw the potential of the internet and sought to encourage innovation and opportunities for online speech. Thirty years later, the law remains crucial to users and innovators of all sizes; however, it has been criticized by both the left and the right. Join us for...

Thirty years ago, as part of the 1996 Telecommunications Act, Section 230 became law. The law was the result of a bipartisan effort that saw the potential of the internet and sought to encourage innovation and opportunities for online speech. Thirty years later, the law remains crucial to users and innovators of all sizes; however, it has been criticized by both the left and the right. Join us for...