Cato Event Podcast

Some members of Congress are committed to holding the line on spending, but they face opposition from others more focused on busting spending caps and securing funds for pork programs. Yet federal deficits are soaring, and inefficient spending impedes economic growth by crowding out better state, local, and private alternatives.Sen. James Lankford (R-OK), on the discretionary side, has created a new and updated list of wasteful spending programs in his latest report, Federal Fumbles: 100 Ways the Government Dropped the Ball, vol. 3. Join the senator and leading budget experts to discuss the report and ways that fiscal hawks can cut unneeded spending today and set up responsible spending reforms for the future. Fortunately, around the world practical and successful systems are in place that U.S. lawmakers could, and should, consider emulating. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On December 5, 1933, the Twenty-First Amendment to the Constitution was ratified, supposedly ending our nation’s failed experiment with alcohol prohibition.Prohibition brought with it violence, organized crime, unsafe alcohol practices, and denial of basic civil liberties — and it almost killed the cocktail.Yet, 84 years later, we continue to feel the lingering effects of prohibition, both in policy and in culture —  from blue laws, dry counties, and state-run liquor stores to the selection of alcoholic beverages available and the culture surrounding them.On Wednesday, December 6, please join the Cato Institute for a celebration of the 84th anniversary of the repeal of alcohol prohibition and a discussion of the way in which Prohibition still impacts us today. Then, continue the conversation at a reception featuring beer, wine, and specialty Prohibition-era cocktails. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nearly four years have passed since Ukraine’s Revolution of Dignity brought down the corrupt government of Viktor Yanukovych. The revolution inspired widespread support and generated hope for a better future; yet Ukrainians’ expectations are far from being met. The economy has shrunk by 16 percent; the authorities have devalued the currency and defaulted on debt; living standards have plummeted; and growth remains weak. Levels of corruption and of political and civil liberties have hardly changed. The government’s unwillingness to reform has frustrated Ukrainians and foreign allies alike. Join us to hear a panel of experts explain Ukraine’s trajectory, make policy recommendations, and discuss prospects for change. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Amid much controversy, Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos recently began dismantling the federal guidance on campus sexual assault put in place by the Obama administration. DeVos said her predecessors had created a “failed system” that served neither accuser nor accused. Ending campus sexual assault was a signature issue of the Obama administration, which waged a concerted five-year effort to end what it said was an epidemic of sexual violence on college campuses. Emily Yoffe, contributing editor at the Atlantic, recently wrote a three-part series that examined federal and school policies on campus sexual assault and documented the systematic denial of due process for the accused, the junk trauma science used in adjudications, and the disproportionate number of African American students who are punished. In conversation with the Washington Post’s Ruth Marcus, Yoffe will discuss how this issue came to grip the nation, what the proposed Trump administration changes mean, and the strange new politics of campus sexual assault. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of the “wedding vendor” cases has finally arrived at the Supreme Court. Jack Phillips, owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop in suburban Denver, declined to make a wedding cake for a gay couple because of his religious objections to same-sex marriage. The Colorado Civil Rights Commission sued him under the state’s anti-discrimination law, eventually prevailing in state court. Phillips continues to assert his freedom of speech (more precisely, to be free from compelled speech) and freedom of religion, and the case raises other potential issues: Is there a difference between declining to serve a class of people versus a particular event? Does the level of customization of a product matter? Is artisanal baking even protected by the First Amendment? Shouldn’t all this boil down to the freedom of association — including the freedom not to associate — or maybe it’s no different than Jim Crow–era denials of service? Please join us for a spirited conversation between lawyers who filed briefs on opposite sides of Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission on the eve of Supreme Court oral argument. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Republicans in Congress are working on legislation for major tax reform. Their plan would cut the corporate tax rate and simplify individual income taxes by trimming deductions and reducing rates. Republicans and many economists argue that such reforms would boost the economy and substantially raise wages. Other economists have doubts about the proposed changes, given our large budget deficit and the apparently healthy economy.What will be the impact of tax reform on output, investment, and wages? Which corporate and individual reforms are most likely to spur growth? Kevin Hassett will address these questions in an interview, and the panel will comment on the economics of tax reform and the current legislation moving through Congress. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

President Trump used his recent trip to Asia to once again insist on “free, fair, and reciprocal” trade as part of a strategy to reduce bilateral trade deficits. The president also reiterated that multilateral free trade agreements are not an option for his administration, and that in order to maximize U.S. leverage, only bilateral agreements will be considered.Meanwhile, with finalization of the Trans-Pacific Partnership in sight, an announcement by the 11 remaining member countries provided a noted contrast with Trump’s rhetoric and underscored the point that the region is moving ahead on trade with or without the United States. Further, and without U.S. participation, China is leading efforts to spur new multiparty trade agreements in the Pacific region through the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, and in Eurasia, the Indian subcontinent, and Africa by way of the One Belt, One Road infrastructure initiative.What does it mean for regional trade liberalization as these two differing strategies play out? What should U.S. lawmakers understand about the situation, and how can we best ensure that the enhanced prosperity that often accompanies free trade continues into the future? Join our experts as they assess the implications of these developments and explore the overall state of trade in Asia. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Throughout much of the Western world, free speech is under assault. From the Muhammad cartoon controversy in Denmark to student protests against speakers with unorthodox views on U.S. campuses, journalists, academics, and public figures must moderate their views or find themselves being prevented from speaking out. Yet freedom of speech is central to the emergence and continued survival of a liberal society. How did we come to this? According to our speakers, the spread of Marxist ideas, facilitated by the communist regimes during the Cold War and by postmodern scholarship, deserve at least part of the blame. Please join us for a discussion of some of the lasting effects of Marxism on the world today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After more than nine years of unconventional monetary policy, it’s time to question the Fed’s strategy and offer new ideas for the future of monetary policy. At Cato’s 35th Annual Monetary Conference, leading scholars, policymakers, and journalists will examine the case for a rules-based international monetary system, consider steps to normalize monetary policy, debate the future of currency, and explore China’s future in the global monetary system. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After more than nine years of unconventional monetary policy, it’s time to question the Fed’s strategy and offer new ideas for the future of monetary policy. At Cato’s 35th Annual Monetary Conference, leading scholars, policymakers, and journalists will examine the case for a rules-based international monetary system, consider steps to normalize monetary policy, debate the future of currency, and explore China’s future in the global monetary system. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.