Cato Institute

Cato Podcast

Government EN ↓ 4841 episodes

Each week on Cato Podcast , leading scholars and policymakers from the Cato Institute delve into the big ideas shaping our world: individual liberty, limited government, free markets, and peace. Whether unpacking current events, debating civil liberties, exploring technological innovation, or tracing the history of classical liberal thought, we promise insightful analysis grounded in rigorous research and Cato’s signature libertarian perspective. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Episodes

The Explosion in Criminal Penalties 10.03.2014 14:22

The dramatic rise in criminal penalties at both the state and federal level is cause for concern. Marc Levin of the Texas Public Policy Foundation argues that many petty crimes, though rightfully illegal, shouldn’t carry jail time. Restitution, he argues, is often a more appropriate penalty. Welcome Rumblings of a Wider Drug War Clemency In the Name of Justice: Leading Experts Reexamine the Classi...

China's Influence in American Universities 07.03.2014 13:07

There has been an explosion of partnerships, exchanges, and programs between U.S. institutions of higher education and those in China. While made in the spirit of intellectual and scholarly collaboration, these relationships have proceeded without serious consideration of the practical and moral/ethical issues posed by dealing with authoritarian regimes. Chinese Intrusions into American Universiti...

Overseas Contingency Slush Fund 06.03.2014 9:02

Federal funds designated for “overseas contingency operations” are supposed to be for unplanned expenses associated with war. But the funds avoid federal budget caps on military spending and avoid normal scrutiny associated with other federal spending priorities. Now that the war in Afghanistan is winding down, Christopher A. Preble argues it’s time for lawmakers to zero out that spending. Truth i...

Obama's Odd myRA Proposal 05.03.2014 7:02

The President’s myRA proposal aimed at helping low-income Americans save for retirement seems to have missed a key element of helping low-income people save more: the tax break provided by traditional IRAs. The myRA proposal doesn’t provide that break and, says Jagadeesh Gokhale, that makes it an inapt savings vehicle for people with low incomes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more inf...

How to Identify Serious Pension Reform 04.03.2014 10:31

The state pension problem continues to worsen, but several states are moving ahead with positive reforms. Will Freeland is a research analyst at the American Legislative Exchange Council. We talked about which states are doing reform right and how to know if your state lawmakers are serious about fixing the problem. State and Local Pension Plans: Funding Status, Asset Management, and a Look Ahead...

State Attorneys General & Fidelity to the Constitution 28.02.2014 8:50

When state attorneys general refuse to defend in court certain laws, important principles come into conflict. Cato Institute senior fellow Walter Olson sorts out the issue as it relates to same-sex marriage. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fear of a Libertarian Planet 27.02.2014 9:26

From Cass Sunstein to Chris Christie, the fear of a libertarian planet seem more present than ever. Cato Institute Vice President Gene Healy says the fear lacks substance. False Idol: Barack Obama and the Continuing Cult of the Presidency (Digital) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Proposed IRS Rules Would Chill Public Advocacy 26.02.2014 12:16

Proposed IRS rules aimed at 501(c)(4) organizations could effectively force these groups to scrub their websites of even the most banal reference to a politician. Allen Dickerson is the legal director of the Center for Competitive Politics. Censorship Through the Tax Code: How the Proposed IRS Rules for Social Welfare Groups Stifles Political Activity Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for mor...

Trade Liberalization May Have to Wait 25.02.2014 8:19