Cato Institute

Cato Podcast

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.

Author

Cato Institute

Category

Government

Podcast website

www.cato.org

Latest episode

Jul 9, 2026

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Episodes

Facebook and Credible Content Oversight 06.05.2020

Cato's John Samples will join Facebook's new oversight board. We discussed what content moderation looks like for big speech platforms today and what governance institutions might look like going forward. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

FDA Approves At-Home Coronavirus Test, But It's Already Banned in Some States 05.05.2020

When state law bans an at-home test for coronavirus before it's even approved, maybe it's time to be less aggressive. Walter Olson comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For States, Is It Bailout or Bankruptcy? 04.05.2020

Should the feds bail out states or maybe just states with better fiscal management? Is bankruptcy really on the table for cash-strapped states? Jonathan Williams of the American Legislative Exchange Council says it would be largely unprecedented. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Identifying #NeverNeeded Regulation after COVID-19 02.05.2020

Many of the regulations suspended during this outbreak aren’t needed at all. Identifying and eliminating those regulations systematically is the critical task. Matt Mitchell of the Mercatus Center comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Threat Perception and COVID-19 01.05.2020

How does a global pandemic reshuffle priorities given the threats that we face? Chris Preble comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Supreme Court Considering Challenges to Qualified Immunity 30.04.2020

The Supreme Court has been reluctant to take a case challenging qualified immunity, a doctrine that protects police from the consequences of violating Americans' rights. That may change soon, according to Cato's Jay Schweikert. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Role of Science during a Pandemic 29.04.2020

Why have some Asian nations performed so well relative to the United States in containing the coronavirus without nearly the devastating economic fallout? Terence Kealey argues that it comes down to prevailing attitudes about the role of science. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Evasive Entrepreneurs and the Future of Governance 28.04.2020

nnovators who don’t always conform to social or legal norms are using new technological capabilities to circumvent traditional regulatory systems. Adam Thierer is author of Evasive Entrepreneurs and the Future of Governance . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Asserting the Right to Know Your COVID-19 Status 27.04.2020

The right to know your own health status is no less important in a pandemic, and yet pre-emptive prohibitions on some kinds of tests can prevent you from exercising that right. Jeff Singer comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pandemic Lockdowns and Valuing Lives 24.04.2020

Economist David Henderson believes the lockdowns in response to COVID-19 need to end sooner than later. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trump Declares 'Total' Authority over Governors, Backs Down Almost Immediately 24.04.2020

It would be hard to misunderstand federalism more, particularly if you're the President of the United States. Gene Healy discusses a week in new and erroneous executive power claims amid the coronavirus outbreak. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A Trump Immigration Ban Would Slow Economic Recovery 22.04.2020

Even if an immigration ban made sense at this point in a global pandemic, it would harm the economic recovery while doing very little to stem the spread of the coronavirus. Alex Nowrasteh discusses the President's forthcoming executive order. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Negative Oil? Really? 21.04.2020

The bumpy ride for oil markets is far from over. How does the dramatic demand shock in the oil market change relations among large and influential oil-producing countries? Emma Ashford comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Regime Uncertainty for Developers of Coronavirus Tests 19.04.2020

When the FDA takes action against developers of diagnostic tests, it seems to come primarily during times when new tests are desperately needed. Will Rinehart of the Center for Growth and Opportunity discusses the problem. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pandemic Spurs States, Feds to Liberate Telemedicine 18.04.2020

Allowing medical services to cross state lines more easily may prove crucial during this stressful time for our medical system. Many states and the feds are wisely getting out of the way. Jeff Singer comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Will Sweden Prove to be a Model for Coronavirus Response? 17.04.2020

We won't know the truth for some time, but there are reasons to believe that Sweden's light touch in response to COVID-19 may ultimately be less costly than lockdowns and other harsh government mandates. Johan Norberg comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Some Bad Ideas for Fighting COVID-19” 16.04.2020

The Christmas tree that was the relief package that moved through Congress recently did manage to avoid some particularly bad ideas in its final form. Still, those ideas will be back, according to Diego Zuluaga. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Surveillance and Civil Liberties in a Pandemic 15.04.2020

Is there a role for government surveillance during a pandemic? And if so, does the genie go back in the bottle when the threat has passed? Matthew Feeney comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pointless Partisanship over Potential COVID-19 Treatments 14.04.2020

The struggle over how best to address COVID-19 has become increasingly partisan. The public fight over the value of hydroxychloroquine as a helpful treatment should be (but isn't) driven by the evidence, according to Cato's Jeff Singer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Conservative Nationalism’s Next Steps? 13.04.2020

Adrian Vermeule argues that traditional conservative views of the Constitution ought to be replaced. What he believes ought to replace it is pretty troubling if you care about liberty. Stephanie Slade of Reason Magazine comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Can the President Quarantine States? 11.04.2020

The President tossed out a tweet suggesting he might quarantine whole states where COVID-19 has hit especially hard. Is that constitutional? Gene Healy comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What's the Value Proposition for Higher Ed Now? 10.04.2020

The pandemic sweeping the globe has temporarily shuttered in-person higher education. Does the mass adoption of online education reduce the stigma long associated with institutions of higher learning that exist only online? Cato’s Neal McCluskey comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Noble Lies and COVID-19 09.04.2020

Lying for noble reasons is still lying, but those lies harm the credibility of people who are supposed to be experts. Alex Nowrasteh argues that noble lies about the coronavirus carry substantial costs. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Defense Spending Priorities and COVID-19 08.04.2020

What's the military's role in a global pandemic? How should spending priorities change in response? Chris Preble comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What Does Oversight Mean for That Sudden $2-Trillion in New Spending? 07.04.2020

What are the oversight structures built into the massive relief package recently approved by Congress? Will Yeatman describes the multiple layers of oversight included. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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