Cato Podcast

Following an assault on author Salman Rushdie, it's worth remembering that even mainstream Muslims defend laws against blasphemy. Mustafa Akyol makes the case for more tolerance for a robust freedom of expression. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

President Biden aims to cancel a large piece of outstanding student loans in the United States. Neal McCluskey explains the numerous ways that's a bad idea. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Inflation Reduction Act has a lot of new spending in it. Big spending rarely does much to reduce inflation, but it does increase debt. And the U.S. is already saddled with massive debt. Romina Boccia explains. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Regulators are fighting over which of them get to regulate cryptocurrencies. A core question remains: Are cryptos securities? Jennifer Schulp and Jack Solowey comment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The 1619 Project aims to deepen our understand of American slavery, while also attempting to reframe current debate about it. Despite its laudable goal to elucidate the complexities of that institution, it fails on a number of fronts according to Phil Magness, author of The 1619 Project: A Critique . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Concerns from Senator Elizabeth Warren and others about the federal government earning a profit from student lending are substantially misguided. Neal McCluskey explains why. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ryan Yonk of the American Institute for Economic Research details some of the perverse and costly incentives built into our systems of zoning land for various uses. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lou Perez is a comedian and author of the new book, That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore: On the Death and Rebirth of Comedy . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A recent FBI search of former President Trump's home revealed many boxes containing classified documents that the federal government has been trying to recover for several months. Julian Sanchez and Cato's Patrick Eddington comment on the arguments defending Trump and how these cases typically resolve. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lowering costs for critical medical needs like insulin needn't be more mandates piled atop other mandates. Cato's Michael Cannon explains. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is the Securities and Exchange Commission well positioned to tell investors and the world what qualifies as environmentally friendly? Jennifer Schulp comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The incentives are aligned in a bad way for state governments pondering wasteful economic development giveaways. Economist Peter Calcagno explains. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Would it set a dangerous new norm to charge former presidents for crimes that they actually may have committed? Walter Olson weighs the considerations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Economists use a variety of metrics to pinpoint recessions, and those determinations often come after the fact. Social media companies nonetheless try to police language about recession. Ryan Bourne and John Samples discuss the fight over "recession." Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The apparent tenets of modern conservative thought have changed in recent years. So what do these "new conservatives" believe about the economy? Scott Lincicome and Norbert Michel comment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With millions of available and unfilled jobs, Alex Nowrasteh says job openings in the U.S. does more to explain migrant border crossings than almost any of the smaller details of immigration enforcement. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why has the baby formula crisis continued for so long? Cato's Gabriella Beaumont-Smith explains why it's largely domestic regulation and foreign trade rules standing in the way of a functioning market for this critical product. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Institute for Justice attorney Patrick Jaicomo discusses current litigation on qualified immunity and a new tool for discovering if you might be able to overcome the doctrine when your rights are violated by state agents. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the "modern budget era," we have federal spending increases baked into the cake. Economist Ed Lopez says that makes massive overspending in good times and bad extremely hard to avoid. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The United States has many foreign policy commitments that it may not be able to credibly execute in the coming years, most especially in Asia. Eric Gomez discusses what he believes should move U.S. Asia policy to a better state. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Karl Marx made serious contributions to the field of economics, but they don't justify his strangely elevated status in American university courses. Phil Magness with the American Institute for Economic Research details how the Soviets and universities rehabilitated the academic reputation of Karl Marx. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Some recent cases shed light on the degree to which federal administrative law courts deliver due process to defendants. Will Yeatman explains why it's concerning. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is fair trade coffee better? Does it help low-income farmers? Economist Victor Claar makes his case. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Economist Thomas Hogan discusses the ways in which the Federal Reserve's "dual mandate" has led monetary policy astray. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Vanessa Brown Calder details how some straightforward occupational licensing and other labor market reforms can help working families. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.