Cato Podcast

A discussion on the concept of 'junk fees' highlighted by the president, exploring surprise charges like service fees at restaurants. Debates on the economic rationale behind these fees, their impact on consumers, and the Biden administration's strategy to regulate them in industries like airlines and hotels.

Discussing the broken budget process in Congress and the need for reforms. Exploring the misuse of emergency spending, particularly in defense. Advocating for stricter guidelines to ensure fiscal responsibility and accountability. Emphasizing the importance of raising the voting threshold for emergency spending to enforce spending cuts.

Explore the remarkably low approval rate for green card applications in the United States. Learn about the historical evolution of U.S. immigration policy and its impact on admission rates. Discover the high demand for green cards and the restrictive nature of the immigration system. Delve into the cost of obtaining a green card and how it could potentially reduce illegal immigration. Find out about the proposed solution to the green card backlog and its potential impact on assimilation and population growth.

Author Alexander Hammond details the contributions that puts Frederick Douglass in the ranks of the Heroes of Progress. This chapter explores Frederick Douglas' advocacy for equality, his life from slavery to activism, and the remarkable contributions of unsung heroes in various fields.

Analyzing the US commitments to NATO and the implications of disregarding them. Discussion on flaws of NATO, need for unified European defense. Analyzing Trump's approach toward European countries not paying enough to NATO and the anxiety it caused. Consequences of social media politics and proposals for balancing European security.

The podcast discusses the OECD's plan to create an international tax cartel and why Congress should reject it. They delve into the complexities of global business operations and profit shifting, as well as the impact of international tax standards on innovation. The potential negative effects on companies and the potential hindrance to competition and growth are also explored.

The podcast discusses the Biden administration's decision to pause LNG exports, the US's transition from importer to exporter, and the benefits of US LNG export. It also explores the emissions implications of LNG and the political motivations behind the pause on LNG export approvals.

The podcast discusses the use of ad-based spyware by US intelligence agencies and the reauthorization debate on section 702 surveillance. It also addresses deceptive data collection and storage practices, and the implications of surveillance and profiling in FBI investigations.

In his new book, The Road to Freedom: Estonia’s Rise from Soviet Vassal State to One of the Freest Nations on Earth, Matthew D. Mitchell and his coauthors recount the fall and rise of Estonian freedom. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Learn about the Cato Institute's efforts to hold the FBI accountable through FOIA requests, including uncovering FBI monitoring of nonviolent groups. Explore the bias of being on the FBI's list of frequent filers and efforts to address this issue through government committees and a forthcoming book on domestic surveillance.