Cato Podcast

Caleb O. Brown has hosted the Cato Daily Podcast since 2007, CatoAudio since 2008, and all told has created several thousand interviews, videos, and other pieces for the Cato Institute. On his final episode, he is interviewed by Cato's Deirdre McCloskey about the art of the interview and his pending move to head Kentucky’s Bluegrass Institute . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more infor...

It should come as no surprise to learn that when some people in the US are targeted for their speech, it does no service to your right to speak freely. David Bier and Tommy Berry explain why immigration crackdowns triggered by speech are so dangerous. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

El Salvador is receiving prisoners snatched by the US federal government. The Supreme Court has ordered the Trump administration to "facilitate" the return of one prisoner. Ilya Somin details some of the more troubling aspects of this struggle. We spoke April 11, 2025. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Meta's trial for alleged monopolistic practices could change how mergers get done and if they get done. Cato's Jennifer Huddleston and CEI's  Alex Reinauer  comment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The so-called "Liberation Day" tariffs use emergency powers from a statute that makes no mention of tariffs. Ilya Somin explains why that's one reason the tariffs are on shaky legal/constitutional ground and why a new lawsuit is challenging them. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Federal withholding may among the most insidious of government policies. It hides the full scale of what government takes from us, and makes you feel like you're getting a bonus when you get your own money back. Cato’s Adam Michel makes the case. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cato's Adam Michel ran a bracket of the worst offenders among "tax expenditures," or special benefits for  some  taxpayers. Turns out people like their own tax benefits and dislike the ones that benefit someone else. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The case for tariffs hinges critically on a misunderstanding of the relevant data. Contrary to the claims from the President and Vice President, free trade has substantially enriched most Americans. Cato's Norbert Michel counters the false rhetoric. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The arguments for tariffs lack the kind of useful perspective provided by a basic economics course. Cato's Colin Grabow picks them apart. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The tariff policies dubiously adopted by President Trump have echoes of previous authoritarian governments. Ian Vasquez explains. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There are several errors, misconceptions, and confusing assumptions that went into the creation of Donald Trump's new wealth-destroying tariff regime. Scott Lincicome explains a few of them. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Federal Reserve can blunt the impact of a good deal of politically driven economic mischief. What about the new punitive tariff regime from the President? Jai Kedia suggests that you not get your hopes up. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With respect to the substantial federal power to repress and surveil Americans, how did we get here? Patrick Eddington provides the first part of the story in The Triumph of Fear: Domestic Surveillance and Political Repression from McKinley Through Eisenhower . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Big energy facilities make the grid more stable, but rooftop solar reduces the need for those plants. Regulators have a hard time negotiating the tension. Economist Lynne Kiesling comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

History can be a weapon. Obscuring inconvenient history can be a weapon. And Left and Right are both guilty of it. Phil Magness provides some helpful examples. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's become easier to hate those with whom we disagree on matters of policy and politics, and our ideological tribes insulate us from thoughtful challenge. Andrew Heaton hopes to help you navigate a coarsening culture with his book, Tribalism is Dumb . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Government-administered aid to the poor is routinely wasted. Many well-intended charitable programs undermine self-determination and fail to restore dignity. James Whitford discusses a new way to think about poverty and its alleviation in The Crisis of Dependency . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Several states have recently moved ahead with recognizing occupational licenses issued elsewhere. Ed Timmons explains what it means for employment, worker mobility, and consumer welfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ending the US Department of Education is an important policy goal that appears closer than ever, and it should occur both within the bounds of the US Constitution and as soon as possible. Tommy Berry and Neal McCluskey comment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A late change by President Biden in how alcohol is treated in dietary guidance will mean more finger wagging from health officials. The change highlights the problem of government health advice. Eric Boehm of Reason and Cato's Jeff Singer comment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Under the guise of targeting illegal immigration, the Trump administration is moving to curtail Americans' financial privacy even further. Nick Anthony explains how. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

They’re not real courtrooms, of course, but administrative courts are being used in the context of immigration. What is their role in adjudicating immigration issues? David Bier and Will Yeatman comment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pharmacists regularly help patients navigate both prescriptions and physicians’ advice, but they can do more. A few states have begun to recognize their capabilities that have otherwise largely gone untapped. Alicia Plemmons of the Knee Regulatory Research Center comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trump's use of the Alien Enemies Act to whisk alleged gang members to an El Salvador prison should not be allowed to stand for a variety of reasons. Ilya Somin explains why it might put Americans at risk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The federal government’s security resources should be allocated to the most efficient means of reducing the costs of terrorism. Alex Nowrasteh details a new paper . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.