Cato Event Podcast

Republicans and Democrats agree that more effort should be made to restore America’s infrastructure. But how should we decide what projects are funded? How much should be spent on new infrastructure and how much on reconstruction? How does funding and finance influence priorities? Should the goal be to create short-term jobs, long-term economic growth, or simply new transportation alternatives? Join four leading transportation experts in a discussion of highways, transit, intercity rail, airports and air traffic control, transportation finance, and regulation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is the Supreme Court "pro-business?" That's a claim often heard from critics of the Roberts Court, now circulating once more amid a likely battle over the confirmation of a successor to the late Justice Antonin Scalia. But what does the claim mean? Does it charge the Court with ruling wrongly in favor of business litigants, with shaping legal doctrine in unprincipled ways, or with something else? In Business and the Roberts Court, Professor Jonathan Adler assembles essays from scholars who consider how and whether Roberts Court decisions can or cannot be fairly deemed favorable to business. One pattern is that this Court follows doctrinal commitments — in areas from free speech to federalism to employment and securities law — that sometimes though not always coincide with the interests of producers and employers in the national economy. As the Senate considers President Trump's nomination of Neil Gorsuch to the vacant seat on the Court, join us for a book forum on one of the most important elements of Chief Justice John Roberts' rule — and Antonin Scalia's legacy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Should the United States continue to use its military to guarantee the flow of oil from the Persian Gulf?For more than 30 years, U.S. foreign policy has been shaped by a commitment to safeguard the flow of oil from the Persian Gulf. Yet profound changes in international oil markets, growth in domestic U.S. energy production, and dramatic shifts in the Middle Eastern balance of power suggest that it may be time to reconsider whether this commitment is still warranted.In Crude Strategy, a multidisciplinary team of political scientists, economists, and historians set out to explore the links between Persian Gulf oil and U.S. national security. Their essays explore key questions such as the potential economic cost of disruption in oil supply, whether disruptions can be blunted with nonmilitary tools, the potential for instability in Saudi Arabia, and the most effective U.S. military posture for the region.By clarifying the assumptions underlying the U.S. military presence in the Persian Gulf, the authors conclude that the case for revising America’s grand strategy towards the region is far stronger than is commonly assumed.Please join us for a discussion of this fascinating topic. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The last round of Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) occurred in 2005. Since then, Congress has repeatedly failed to authorize another one despite well documented evidence of overcapacity from the Department of Defense. Last year, in a thoroughgoing review, the Pentagon concluded that the U.S. military will have 22 percent excess capacity as of 2019. The Army will be carrying the greatest excess overhead—33 percent—while the Air Force will have a 32 percent surplus. The Navy and Marine Corps combined will have 7 percent surplus in 2019. Over the interim years, opponents have given a number of reasons to block another BRAC round, citing a weak economy, or saying that closing bases amounts to inefficient expenditures of public money, or that widespread economic hardship would irreparably affect the civilian support jobs surrounding closed bases. These outcomes need not be so, and proponents have a very different tale to tell based on the careful examinations of previous closures.Join us as our experts survey the political landscape and take a look at the real impact from past BRACs. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the 2016 campaign, Donald Trump said that he would stop Barack Obama’s Clean Power Plan, “cancel” the 2015 Paris Accord on greenhouse gases, and end what he called “the war on coal.” Now, the President says, is the time for action. What will he do regarding energy? How can he do it? What will be the consequences? Beyond those questions of the moment lies the larger issue: What should he be doing? Please join us for a lively look at energy policy in the new administration on February 22 at 4pm. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join us for a special briefing to celebrate the release of the 2017 edition of the Cato Handbook for Policymakers. This invaluable resource sets the standard in Washington for reducing the power of the federal government and expanding freedom to all Americans. Each chapter provides analysis of the critical issues of the day and provides policy recommendations for staffers interested in individual liberty, free markets, and peace.And while clearly dedicated to advancing a market-liberal policy agenda, the Cato Institute has always carefully avoided partisanship. It has been our position that, with some exceptions, Republicans, Democrats, and independents all share the same basic policy goals of peace, prosperity, and personal liberty. It is in that nonpartisan spirit that we invite staff and representatives from both parties to join us as we launch this eighth edition, introduce some of the key contributors, and chart a path toward a better tomorrow. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Predominantly Muslim societies suffer from low levels of political, economic, and civil liberties. Authoritarian political regimes, rigid social structures, and radical religious movements that suppress human liberty in the name of God loom large in the Muslim world. Is this liberty deficit due to a “dark age” of Islam, which can be overcome with reform and a different religious interpretation? Can Islam make its peace with liberal democracy, as Christianity and other religions did after their own illiberal ages? Or is there something different about Islam, making it inherently incompatible with a secular government and a free society? Mustafa Akyol, a longtime defender of "Islamic liberalism,” is optimistic. Shadi Hamid is more pessimistic, arguing that Islam is “exceptional,” in the sense of being essentially resistant to liberalism. Please join us for this timely and provocative debate. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you own a cell phone, you’re carrying a miniature tracking device in your pocket — a fact law enforcement agencies are increasingly taking advantage of to investigate crimes and monitor suspected criminals. “Cell-site simulators” or “Stingrays” — first designed for military use, but increasingly in the hands of local police forces — are the technology that makes it possible. Yet those agencies have fought fiercely against efforts to inform the public about how they are used, and a recent bipartisan report by the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform found there’s no consensus on the rules that should regulate their deployment, or even what legal authorities govern Stringray tracking.At this Cato Policy Forum, Rep. Jason Chaffetz will present his committee’s findings, followed by a panel discussion in which policy experts and technologists explore how law enforcement can exploit this powerful tool to fight crime — while also checking its enormous power to encroach on privacy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you own a cell phone, you’re carrying a miniature tracking device in your pocket — a fact law enforcement agencies are increasingly taking advantage of to investigate crimes and monitor suspected criminals. “Cell-site simulators” or “Stingrays” — first designed for military use, but increasingly in the hands of local police forces — are the technology that makes it possible. Yet those agencies have fought fiercely against efforts to inform the public about how they are used, and a recent bipartisan report by the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform found there’s no consensus on the rules that should regulate their deployment, or even what legal authorities govern Stringray tracking.At this Cato Policy Forum, Rep. Jason Chaffetz will present his committee’s findings, followed by a panel discussion in which policy experts and technologists explore how law enforcement can exploit this powerful tool to fight crime — while also checking its enormous power to encroach on privacy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

During the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump promised to “open up” libel laws to make it easier to sue news organizations. He also criticized political donors for fostering corruption and misrule. Later, as president-elect, Trump criticized First Amendment protections accorded to flag burning. His critics say these statements indicate President Trump may seriously undermine free speech. His defenders doubt that, and note that Trump has actually fought censorship by confronting political correctness. He has also pioneered using social media to campaign and, in all likelihood, to govern. Finally, apart from his own actions, President Trump will nominate new members of the U.S. Supreme Court, the final arbiter in First Amendment cases. Will President Trump be good or bad for free speech? Please join us as three First Amendment experts assess what’s to come. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.