Cato Daily Podcast

President Trump is taking a victory lap for brokering peace in Gaza—while simultaneously escalating the U.S. proxy war in Ukraine and launching airstrikes against suspected cartel boats. Our panel assesses Trump's Nobel ambitions, celebrates this year's actual Peace Prize winner, Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado.Featuring Ryan Bourne, Gene Healy, Justin Logan, & Ian VasquezJustin Logan, "The Case for Withdrawing from the Middle East," Defense Priorities, September 2020.Ian Vasquez, “Maria Corina Machado, Venezuelan Champion of Freedom, Wins the Nobel Peace Prize,” Cato at Liberty blog, October 10, 2025.Ian Vasquez and Marcos Falcone, “Liberty Versus Power in Milei's Argentina,” Free Society, October, 2025. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

According to recent government data, immigration enforcement has become a much more dangerous job. David Bier and Patrick Eddington discuss the policy tradeoffs driving these numbers, previous administrations' efforts at mitigating mass immigration, and how to craft a more just, effective and safe immigration policy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

President Trump's new “Compact with Academia” aims to reshape higher ed using the leverage of federal funds. Our panel unpacks the constitutional risks of Washington's latest salvo in the campus culture wars. Plus, shutdown week two: will the administration deliver on federal job cuts or is it Grim Reaper cosplay? Featuring:Ryan Bourne, Gene Healy, Neal McCluskey and Adam Michel Neal McCluskey, "Higher Ed Compact Is More of the Same, Worse," Cato at Liberty blog, October 7, 2025.Adam Michel, "Six Reasons to Not Extend the Enhanced Obamacare Subsidies," Cato at Liberty blog, October 7, 2025.Neal McCluskey, "Court Rightly Finds for Harvard Against Trump Administration," Cato at Liberty blog, September 4, 2025.Dominik Lett, "Revoking IEEPA Tariffs Will Not “Lead to Financial Ruin,”" Cato at Liberty blog, October 3, 2025. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Robby Soave, senior editor at Reason and co-host of The Hill's Rising, join's Cato's Thomas A. Berry and David Inserra to discuss the state of free speech following the Charlie Kirk assassination and Jimmy Kimmel suspension. They examine how recent administrations have engaged in government jawboning to suppress speech and conclude that consistent First Amendment principles must prevail regardless of which party controls government power.Show Notes:https://www.cato.org/blog/kimmel-cancellation-dangerous-sign-free-speechhttps://www.cato.org/blog/americans-must-remain-committed-free-expression-after-assassination-charlie-kirk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The federal government shuts down as the Supreme Court returns. Our panel looks at the Trump team's plan to use the shutdown for mass layoffs —and previews a new Supreme Court term packed with big fights over tariffs, emergency powers, and the future of “independent” agencies.Featuring: Ryan Bourne, Gene Healy, Thomas Berry, and Jeffrey MironRomina Boccia, "Thoughts About The Impending Government Shutdown," The Debt Dispatch, September 30, 2025.Jeffrey Miron, "Some Libertarians Cheer When Government Shuts Down: Here's Why They Shouldn't," Vox, January 21, 2018.Ryan Bourne, "The Libertarian Experiment That Isn't," Cato at Liberty blog, January 11, 2019.Thomas A. Berry, Brent Skorup, and Charles Brandt, "Learning Resources v. Trump," Cato Amicus Brief, July 30, 2025. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Will congressional inaction lead to a government shut down? Do shutdowns halt the government in its tracks, and if not, who decides what stays and what goes? What does it mean for President Trump -- or the rest of us? Cato's VP for Government Affairs, Chad Davis, in conversation with Patrick Eddington, senior fellow in homeland security and civil liberties at the Cato Institute. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

FCC chair Brendan Carr's “easy way or hard way” threat to TV broadcasters lit a censorship firestorm this week. Our Cato panel digs into the government's jawboning, broadcast licensees' “junior-varsity” First Amendment rights, and whether it's time to scrap the FCC altogether. Plus, the latest on AI regulation and the art of the TikTok deal.Featuring Gene Healy, Ryan Bourne, Brent Skorup and Jennifer HuddlestonBrent Skorup, "Jimmy Kimmel, the FCC, and Why Broadcasters Still Have “Junior Varsity” First Amendment Rights," September 19, 2025.Ilya Somin, "Abolish the FCC," September 18, 2025.David Inserra and John Samples, "Kimmel Cancellation a Dangerous Sign for Free Speech," September 24, 202Jennifer Huddelston, "Trump's TikTok Reprieve Won't Fix the Law's Free Speech Problems," February 3, 2025. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce joins Jennifer Schulp and Cato's Norbert Michel to discuss how government financial surveillance has eroded Americans' constitutional privacy rights through tools like the Consolidated Audit Trail. Peirce advocates for principles-based regulation that protects individual financial privacy while allowing innovation to flourish, arguing that current prescriptive rules create barriers to entry and stifle competition. The conversation explores how new technologies could restore individual sovereignty over personal financial data, enabling Americans to reclaim control over their private information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are Americans becoming dangerously tolerant of political violence? After Charlie Kirk's assassination, our Cato panel looks at trends in public opinion, past episodes of political terrorism, and new risks to free expression. Plus, Milei's electoral setback in Buenos Aires province—what now for Argentina's libertarian experiment?Alex Nowrasteh, "Politically Motivated Violence Is Rare in the United States," September 11, 2025.Emily Ekins, "The State of Free Speech and Tolerance in America," October 2017 Survey Report.YouGov, "What Americans really think about political violence," September 12, 2025.Ian Vasquez, "Deregulation in Argentina." Spring 2025.Lorenzo Bernaldo de Quirós, "Argentine President Milei Should Let the Peso Float," September 17, 2025. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When Syracuse University forced its social work faculty to partner with a for-profit corporation that takes two-thirds of online tuition revenue, professor Kenneth Corvo began investigating where student money actually goes in higher education. His findings reveal a systemic problem across American universities: more administrators than faculty at the college level, expanding bureaucracies focused on "student experience" and compliance, and minimal transparency about how tuition dollars are spent. The discussion with Cato's Walter Olson traces how federal funding, regulatory requirements, and the erosion of scientific rigor have combined to create institutions that increasingly fail their core educational mission. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Congress returns to looming shutdowns and a “pocket-rescission” power grab. Abroad, President Trump pushes “America First” by rebranding the Pentagon as the Department of War—and launching an airstrike on a Venezuelan cartel boat. Our panel asks what all this says about America's fiscal sanity and its foreign-policy compass.Featuring Ryan Bourne, Gene Healy, Adam Michel, & Brandan BuckAdam N. Michel and Dominik Lett, “Reconciliation 2.0: Fix or Fiasco?,” Cato at Liberty (September 3, 2025)Romina Boccia and [co-author unspecified], “Coming Budget Debates and How Congress Should Navigate Them,” Cato at Liberty (September 2025)Brandan P. Buck, “The Lost Liberalism of America First,” Free Society (June 30, 2025)Brandan P. Buck, “The Cognitive Shift: How the Terrorist Label May Lead to Another Forever War,” Cato at Liberty (March 19, 2025) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Norbert Michel and Dominic Lett square off over whether fiscal or monetary policy is the bigger mess. Lett highlights how entitlement programs like Social Security and Medicare are driving unsustainable debt levels, while Michel explains how post-2008 Federal Reserve changes have created risks of “fiscal dominance,” where monetary policy is increasingly shaped by government borrowing needs. Both stress that without structural reforms and political restraint, the U.S. faces uncertain and potentially catastrophic economic consequences.Show Notes:https://www.cato.org/policy-analysis/comprehensive-evaluation-policy-rate-feedback-rules#https://www.cato.org/books/crushing-capitalismhttps://www.cato.org/blog/medicaid-driving-deficits-republicans-are-scarcely-tapping-brakeshttps://www.cato.org/news-releases/senate-bill-could-increase-debt-6-trillion-cato-analysis# Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What should “public health in a free society” look like, and what limits should courts impose on executive trade powers? This week's panel covers the shakeup at the CDC, asks whether America really needs a Surgeon General, and unpacks a blockbuster ruling from the Federal Circuit declaring most of President Trump's global tariffs illegal.Featuring Ryan Bourne, Gene Healy, Jeffrey A. Singer, & Scott LincicomeAdam Thierer, “Breaking the Government's Grip on the Medical Debate,” Cato at Liberty (August 28, 2025) J.A. Singer, “Unnecessary Relics,” Policy Analysis (July 2025)Thomas A. Berry, Brent Skorup, and Charles Brandt, “V.O.S. Selections, Inc. v. Trump,” Legal Briefs (July 8, 2025)Brent Skorup, Ilya Somin, and Walter Olson, “Tariffs, Emergencies, and Presidential Power: A Conversation with Ilya Somin and Walter Olson,” Multimedia Event (May 27, 2025) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join Cato's Alex Nowrasteh and Travis Fisher as they unpack a pivotal moment in climate policy reform. The duo explores Fisher's tenure at the Department of Energy and the groundbreaking report that could reshape the discourse on greenhouse gases.Travis Fisher, “Why I Helped Organize the Department of Energy's Climate Report,” Cato at Liberty (August 6, 2025)Travis Fisher and Joshua Loucks, “The Budgetary Cost of the Inflation Reduction Act's Energy Subsidies,” Policy Analysis (March 11, 2025)Patrick J. Michaels, “Cato Releases Report on EPA Endangerment Finding,” News Releases (October 31, 2012) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"Golden shares” at home, grand bargains abroad. In this episode, Cato scholars weigh Trump's push for equity stakes in U.S. firms under the CHIPS Act and his effort to strike a quick deal with Putin on Ukraine. What does state capitalism at home mean for American liberty—and can deal-making diplomacy abroad actually end the U.S. entanglement in Ukraine?Featuring Ryan Bourne, Gene Healy, Norbert Michel, and Justin LoganScott Lincicome, “The government's Intel stake is antithetical to American greatness”https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2025/08/24/trump-intel-government-marketplace/Justin (and Dan Caldwell) on security guarantees: https://thefederalist.com/2025/08/26/if-ukraine-wants-security-guarantees-it-should-get-them-from-europe/Ryan Bourne, “Trump's cronyism is quietly unravelling American capitalism,”https://www.thetimes.com/us/business/article/trumps-cronyism-is-quietly-unravelling-american-capitalism-jxlwwf7dwRyan Bourne, Industrial Policy was the Gateway Drug to Cronyism Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cato's Jennifer Huddleston and Tommy Berry examine the 2024 TikTok divest-or-ban law and what it means for Americans. They explain how the law could reshape the app market, restrict free speech, and expand government power far beyond TikTok itself.Jennifer Huddleston, “Could the Latest TikTok ‘Ban' Pass Constitutional Muster?,” Cato at Liberty (blog) (March 12, 2024)Jennifer Huddleston, “Competition and Content Moderation: How Section 230 Enables Increased Tech Marketplace Entry,” Policy Analysis no. 922 (January 31, 2022)Jennifer Huddleston and Tommy Berry, “TikTok Users Await Looming US Ban; SCOTUS May Intervene,” Cato Daily Podcast (January 16, 2025) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As President Trump's “crime emergency” puts troops on D.C.'s streets, socialist Zohran Mamdani surges ahead in the New York mayoral race. On the panel, Cato scholars debate whether America's capitals of politics and finance are becoming laboratories for failed ideas.Featuring Ryan Bourne, Gene Healy, Clark Neily, and Marian TupyRyan Bourne, “Zohran Mamdani's ‘War on Prices',” Commentary (June 13, 2025) cato.orgScott Lincicome, “State-Run Supermarkets: A (Bad) Statist Solution in Search of a Problem,” Commentary (July 10, 2025) cato.orgMarian L. Tupy, “Marian L. Tupy Discusses His Experiences Living Under Communism on Prager U's Stories of Us Podcast,” Media Highlights TV (November 14, 2023) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Justin Logan and Clark Packard break down the twists and turns of the U.S.-China relationship—from trade liberalization and consumer benefits to lost manufacturing and rising geopolitical tensions. They unpack how economic integration shaped today's challenges and what it means for America's future.Justin Logan, “Liberty at Home, Restraint Abroad: A Realist Approach to Foreign Policy,” Free Society (June 20, 2024) Justin Logan, “Uncle Sucker: Why U.S. Efforts at Defense Burdensharing Fail,” Policy Analysis no. 940 (March 7, 2023) Clark Packard, Course Correction, Policy Analysis no. 897 (July 21, 2020)Clark Packard and Scott Lincicome, “Presidential Tariff Powers and the Need for Reform,” Briefing Paper no. 179 (October 9, 2024) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As President Trump pushes to unwind one proxy war—with Russia in Ukraine—he's ramping up another in this hemisphere: ordering the Pentagon to ready battle plans against Latin American drug cartels. On our panel, Cato scholars weigh the odds of a Putin deal and the risk of replaying past drug war disasters.Featuring Ryan Bourne, Ian Vásquez, Gene Healy, and Justin LoganLinks for Show NotesJustin Logan, “Trump Shouldn't Settle for European Spending Pledges,” Foreign Policy, July 25, 2025Brandan P. Buck, “Invading Mexico Will Not Solve the Cartel Problem,” The American Conservative, December 17, 2024Ian Vasquez, “Deregulation in Argentina: Milei Takes “Deep Chainsaw” to Bureaucracy and Red Tape,” Free Society (Spring 2025) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Senior Fellow in Technology Policy Jennifer Huddleston and Technology Policy Research Fellow Matthew Mittelsteadt break down the Trump administration's new AI Action Plan and what it means for American innovation. Matt Mittelsteadt, “The AI Action Plan: Taking AI Innovation Seriously,” Cato at Liberty (July 28, 2025)Matt Mittelsteadt, “The Safety Risks of the Coming AI Regulatory Patchwork,” Cato at Liberty (June 24, 2025)Jennifer Huddleston, “Content Creators, Entrepreneurial Users, and the Impact of Tech Policy,” Policy Analysis (April 29, 2025)Jennifer Huddleston, “Is AI a Horse or a Zebra When It Comes to the First Amendment,” Cato at Liberty (July 28, 2025) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last week, President Trump ramped up pressure on two favorite targets: elite universities and Fed Chair Jerome Powell. In the “War on Woke U,” the administration landed a $50 million settlement from Brown—the third Ivy to cut a deal—and added Duke and UCLA to the hit list with new civil rights probes and a funding cutoff. Meanwhile, after the Fed held rates steady, Trump escalated his campaign to oust Powell, denouncing him as a “stubborn MORON” on Truth Social.In this episode, Cato scholars break down the Art of the Forcible Deal. What risks do Trump's pressure tactics pose for monetary stability? Will they reform broken institutions—or just deepen their politicization? And is Trump's strongarm approach an aberration, or a preview of the modern presidency's future?Featuring Gene Healy, Ryan Bourne, Emily Ekins, and Jeffrey MironShow Notes:David Beckworth, “The Consolidated Government Budget Constraint Does Not Care About Your Fed Independence Feelings,” Substack (July 25, 2025)Ryan Bourne, “A Case for Federal Deficit Reduction,” Cato Policy Analysis no. 973 (April 18, 2024)Michael Chapman, “A Win for Liberty: Congress Defunds CPB, NPR, and PBS,” Cato@Liberty (July 23, 2025)Jeffrey A. Miron and Jacob P. Winter, “Giving Up Federal Funds Would Do Harvard Good,” Harvard Crimson (April 30, 2025)Norbert Michel and Jai Kedia, “A Check-In on the Fed: Why Politically Motivated Monetary Policy Is Dangerous and Counterproductive,” Cato Video (July 22, 2025) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Peter Van Doren and David Kemp bring libertarian skepticism to the bipartisan political support for nuclear power. They analyze why regulatory reform alone may not solve nuclear's economic problems and discuss how recent U.S. projects have failed to deliver on promises of cost-effectiveness even after a supposed "renaissance" in the late 2000s. They finish up with a discussion on whether small modular reactors (SMRs) are the nuclear silver bullet.Show Notes:Peter Van Doren and David Kemp, Nuclear Power in the Context of Climate Change, Cato Institute Working Paper, April 27, 2023. https://www.cato.org/working-paper/nuclear-power-context-climate-change.David Kemp and Peter Van Doren, "Would a Carbon Tax Rejuvenate Nuclear Energy?" Regulation 45, no. 3 (Fall 2022). https://www.cato.org/regulation/fall-2022/would-carbon-tax-rejuvenate-nuclear-energy.David Kemp, "Nuclear Power's Newest Cautionary Tale," Cato at Liberty (blog), January 23, 2024. https://www.cato.org/blog/nuclear-powers-newest-cautionary-tale. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cato's Clark Neily and Mike Fox give the most recent SCOTUS term a B- grade on criminal law. While they celebrate some unanimous victories like Barnes v. Felix (requiring courts to consider totality of circumstances in police use-of-force cases) and Martin v. United States (allowing federal tort claims against law enforcement), they express frustration with the Court's repeated refusal to hear cases involving the "petty offense doctrine," appellate waivers in plea bargains, and felon-in-possession gun laws—all issues with clear circuit splits that affect large numbers of people.The episode concludes with a celebration of Fox's efforts that led to presidential pardons for John Moore and Tanner Mansell, achieving justice where the courts failed. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thomas A. Berry and Brent Skorup analyze five major Supreme Court cases from the recently concluded term, describing it as a "mixed bag" with more government victories than libertarians would prefer. They discuss key decisions including Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton (upholding Texas age verification requirements for adult content), Trump v. Casa Inc. (ending universal injunctions by federal judges), and several other significant rulings on transgender rights and religious liberty in schools. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adam Michel, Michael Cannon, and Dominik Lett break down the One Big Beautiful Bill. Is it $3.4 trillion, or actually $6 trillion? Is Medicaid getting a cut or a trim? With spending cuts pushed to later years and tax benefits front-loaded, the scholars dissect the political calculations and baseline accounting that shaped this massive piece of legislation.Show Notes:Michael F. Cannon, Krit Chanwong, and Dominik Lett, "Congress Must Cut and Reform Medicaid" cato.org, April 28, 2025Domink Lett, "The Senate's Big Beautiful Blunder Could Increase the Debt by $6 Trillion" cato.org, July 2, 2025Adam Michel, "A Fiscal Hawk's Defense of the GOP's Deficit-Busting Budget Bill" cato.org, July 10, 2025 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Michael F. Cannon and Neal McCluskey let us listen in on their ongoing 20-year debate over who has the more difficult job -- fixing health care or education. McCluskey argues that government's monopolistic control over K-12 education and compulsory schooling creates a more fundamental threat to freedom, while Cannon contends that health care is even more dysfunctional due to cascading government interventions that have created the world's most expensive and gap-ridden health system. Both scholars explore how government subsidies drive up costs in their respective sectors and outline their visions for more libertarian, market-based alternatives.Show Notes:https://www.cato.org/free-society/summer-2025/federal-failure-parental-freedom-story-movement https://www.cato.org/blog/supreme-court-right-reading-opt-outs-thats-not-enough https://www.cato.org/blog/top-5-reasons-end-us-department-education Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Justin Logan and Jon Hoffman delve into Hoffman's latest policy analysis, "Aimless Rivalry: The Futility of U.S. China Competition in the Middle East." They debunk justifications for U.S. Middle East policy based on competition with China and challenge prevailing narratives in international relations. Tune in for a thorough discussion that puts threats in context and examines U.S. policy through a skeptical lens.Show Notes:Jon Hoffman, "Aimless Rivalry: The Futility of US–China Competition in the Middle East" Policy Analysis No. 1000, July 10, 2025Justin Logan, “Why the Middle East Still Doesn't Matter,” Politico Magazine, October 9, 2014 Justin Logan, “The Case for Withdrawing from the Middle East,” Defense Priorities, September 30, 2020 Justin Logan, “Middle East Security,” Cato Handbook for Policymakers, 9th Edition, 2022Jon Hoffman, "The U.S. Has Nothing to Fear from China in the Middle East" World Politics Review, December 6, 2023Jon Hoffman, “U.S.-China competition and the value of Middle East Influence” Defense Priorities, June 10, 2025 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What are stablecoins, how do they work, and what does the future hold for these innovative financial instruments? Join Norbert Michel and Jennifer Schulp from the Cato Institute's Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives as they delve into the evolving landscape of stablecoin legislation. Whether you're a seasoned crypto enthusiast or just curious about digital currencies, this discussion will provide valuable insights into the regulatory environment and the potential impacts on the financial system.Show Notes:Jennifer J. Shculp, "Stablecoin Bills Galore, but How Do They Stack Up?", cato.org, February 27, 2025Jennifer J. Schulp, "Stablecoin Legislation Must Ensure Financial Privacy", CoinDesk, April 24, 2025Norbert Michel, "The GENIUS Act Is a Good Start, But Congress Could Make It Smarter", Forbes, June 4, 2025Jennider J. Schulp and Eleanor Mueller, "Stablecoins, Market Structure, and More – Evaluating the Crypto Legislative Landscape", Cato Institute Live Event, June 17, 2025 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Alex Nowrasteh and Ryan Bourne delve into the intriguing journey of Doge 1.0 under Donald Trump's administration. From Elon Musk's ambitious overhaul to the eventual departure of key figures, they explore the chaotic, amusing, and concerning facets of this government efficiency experiment. With insights into the economic impacts, legislative hurdles, and potential future in Doge 2.0, this discussion sheds light on the complexities of attempting a bureaucratic revolution. Join Alex and Ryan as they dissect the promises, failures, and hopes of a libertarian downsizing dream.Show Notes:Alex Nowrasteh and Ryan Bourne, "Cato Institute Report to the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)" White Paper, December 11, 2024Ryan Bourne and Alex Nowrasteh, "Small-Government Conservatives Should Give DOGE a Chance" The Dispatch, December 30, 2024Ryan Bourne and Alex Nowrasteh, "DOGE Can't Just Trim Waste. It Has to Cut Government — A Lot" U.S. News & World Report, January 7, 2025Ryan Bourne, "DOGE: Efficiency Requires Elimination" The War on Prices, March 14, 2025Alex Nowrasteh and Ryan Bourne, "Six Ways to Understand DOGE and Predict Its Future Behavior" cato.org, March 17, 2025Ryan Bourne, "Does DOGE Show That There's Little Government Waste?" The War On Prices May 9, 2025 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is misinformation really a new crisis—or just the latest chapter in a centuries-old debate over truth, speech, and power? In this episode, Cato Institute's Jennifer Huddleston and David Inserra unpack the cultural and policy panic surrounding misinformation and disinformation in the age of AI, deepfakes, and viral tweets. Who should decide what counts as truth online? Plus, why humility, media literacy, and a competitive internet might be better solutions than censorship.Show Notes:Jennifer Huddleston, "AI and the Future of Our Elections" Testimony, September 27, 2023Jennifer Huddleston and David Inserra, "Oversight Board Comment on Misinformation and Manipulated Media: The Importance of Free Expression in the Debate over Misinformation" cato.org, October 25, 2023Jennifer Huddleston, "The Rush to Regulate AI Coule be the Death of Parody" National Review (Online), January 26, 2024David Inserra and Jennifer Huddleston, "Actually, Tim Walz, the First Amendment Does Protect Misinformation and ‘Hate Speech'" National Review, August 11, 2024Jennifer Huddleston and Emma Hopp, "What the Past Can Teach Us about Our AI Fears" Reason, October 29, 2024David Inserra and Brent Skorup, "Comments in Response to FCC “Delete, Delete, Delete” Initiative" cato.org, April 11, 2025David Inserra, "The Misleading Panic over Misinformation" Policy Analysis No. 999, June 26, 2025 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is your financial life really private? In this eye-opening episode, Cato Institute's Norbert Michel and Nicholas Anthony take us deep into the world of financial surveillance, starting with the 1970 Bank Secrecy Act. What was originally sold as a tool to catch tax cheats has quietly evolved into a sprawling system of government oversight—with banks and financial institutions acting as unwitting watchdogs. From suspicious activity reports to the third-party doctrine, Norbert and Nicholas explain how the erosion of Fourth Amendment protections has happened largely out of public view. They break down the law's legacy, how it expanded post-9/11, and why $10,000 isn't the large sum it once was. But there's reason for optimism. With growing public awareness, privacy-focused tech, and new reform legislation finally on the table, change might be within reach. If you thought your bank account was your business, think again—this episode will make you see it in a whole new light.Show Notes:Norbert Michel and Jennifer J. Schulp, "Revising the Bank Secrecy Act to Protect Privacy and Deter Criminals" Policy Analysis No. 932, July 26, 2022Nicholas Anthony, "The Right to Financial Privacy" Policy Analysis No. 945, May 2, 2023Norbert Michel, "The Bank Secrecy Act Is a Bigger Threat than FISA" Forbes, April 17, 2024Nicholas Anthony and Naomi Brockwell, "The Illusion of Financial Privacy" Reason.com, May 30, 2024 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Cato Institute's Scott Lincicome and Adam Michel dive deep into the sweeping new legislation—dubbed "The One Big Beautiful Bill"—moving through Congress. They break down what's at stake as key provisions of the 2017 tax reform are set to expire, unpack the bill's complex mix of tax cuts, new carve-outs, and industrial subsidies, and examine why temporary tax policy and policy uncertainty could derail economic growth. Plus, they confront the fiscal fiction behind tariffs as a reliable revenue source and make the case for a cleaner, more permanent pro-growth tax system. If you're looking for a sharp, honest take on where tax and trade policy stand in 2025—and where they should go—this one's for you.Show Notes:Adam Michel, "Republicans' One, Big, Beautiful Tax Bill Needs a Makeover" Cato.org, May 14, 2025Adam Michel, "Four Things the Senate Can Do to Improve the House Tax Bill" Cato.org, May 22, 2025Scott Lincicome, "Republicans Can't Pay for Their Tax Cuts with Fantasy Revenue Sources" The Washington Post, May 27, 2025Scott Lincicome, "Trump's Latest Tariff Idea Is Dangerously Foolish" The Dispatch, June 19, 2025Adam Michel, "Senate Big Beautiful Bill: More Growth, More Subsidies, More Debt" Cato.org, June 30th, 2025 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Starting July 1, we'll be trying some new things on this feed, starting with conversations between Cato Institute scholars. We hope you'll join us. Please consider listening to some of our other podcasts on cato.org/podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Caleb O. Brown hosted the Cato Daily Podcast for nearly 18 years, producing well over 4000 episodes. He has gone on to head Kentucky's Bluegrass Institute. This is one among the best episodes produced in his tenure, selected by the host and listeners.An engineer and brewer thought he would take up home distilling as a hobby, but he then learned it's a federal crime. In Ream v. U.S. Department of Treasury, he's fighting back. The Buckeye Institute's Robert Alt explains. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Caleb O. Brown hosted the Cato Daily Podcast for nearly 18 years, producing well over 4000 episodes. He has gone on to head Kentucky's Bluegrass Institute. This is one among the best episodes produced in his tenure, selected by the host and listeners.The housing crunch affects so many parts of the country. In Arizona, it's harder to build than you might think. Leo Biasiucci is the Republican majority whip of the state's House of Representatives. We talked about how best to advance flexibility for new housing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Caleb O. Brown hosted the Cato Daily Podcast for nearly 18 years, producing well over 4000 episodes. He has gone on to head Kentucky's Bluegrass Institute. This is one among the best episodes produced in his tenure, selected by the host and listeners.The people who write the rules under which we must live generally ought to be subject to accountability from voters. That's not a controversial proposition, but how it works in practice is more complicated. Daniel Dew of the Pacific Legal Foundation comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Caleb O. Brown hosted the Cato Daily Podcast for nearly 18 years, producing well over 4000 episodes. He has gone on to head Kentucky's Bluegrass Institute. This is one among the best episodes produced in his tenure, selected by the host and listeners.What happens when public university officials violate your free speech rights? Often, they get qualified immunity, thus shielding them from the consequences of those actions. Casey Mattox with Americans for Prosperity comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Caleb O. Brown hosted the Cato Daily Podcast for nearly 18 years, producing well over 4000 episodes. He has gone on to head Kentucky's Bluegrass Institute. This is one among the best episodes produced in his tenure, selected by the host and listeners.Psychedelics have powerful impacts on the human mind, and researchers are finding new ways to use those drugs to help people overcome mental difficulties. Do they also herald a new freedom of thought? Mason Marks of the Petrie-Flom Center comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Caleb O. Brown hosted the Cato Daily Podcast for nearly 18 years, producing well over 4000 episodes. He has gone on to head Kentucky's Bluegrass Institute. This is one among the best episodes produced in his tenure, selected by the host and listeners.Impeachment isn't a dirty word. Gene Healy explains why Congress should consider it more often. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Caleb O. Brown hosted the Cato Daily Podcast for nearly 18 years, producing well over 4000 episodes. He has gone on to head Kentucky's Bluegrass Institute. This is one among the best episodes produced in his tenure, selected by the host and listeners.Textiles are everywhere, and before the Industrial Revolution, even tiny advances in textile development had massive ripple effects. Virginia Postrel traces this amazing history in The Fabric of Civilization: How Textiles Made the World. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Caleb O. Brown hosted the Cato Daily Podcast for nearly 18 years, producing well over 4000 episodes. He has gone on to head Kentucky's Bluegrass Institute. This is one among the best episodes produced in his tenure, selected by the host and listeners.Religious charter schools may grow in the coming years, but it's not clear what the benefits are to the schools or religious institutions that would run them. Neal McCluskey comments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Caleb O. Brown hosted the Cato Daily Podcast for nearly 18 years, producing well over 4000 episodes. He has gone on to head Kentucky's Bluegrass Institute. This is one among the best episodes produced in his tenure, selected by the host and listeners.The world lost the great civil libertarian, journalist, and Cato scholar Nat Hentoff last week. Scott Bullock comments on his several legacies. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Caleb O. Brown hosted the Cato Daily Podcast for nearly 18 years, producing well over 4000 episodes. He has gone on to head Kentucky's Bluegrass Institute. This is one among the best episodes produced in his tenure, selected by the host and listeners.What should the U.S. do to adjust to China's rise? Tariffs and shattering the global trading system aren't the answer, according to Scott Lincicome. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Caleb O. Brown hosted the Cato Daily Podcast for nearly 18 years, producing well over 4000 episodes. He has gone on to head Kentucky's Bluegrass Institute. This is one among the best episodes produced in his tenure, selected by the host and listeners.Cato Executive Vice President David Boaz answers a few questions about and related to his new book, The Libertarian Mind. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Caleb O. Brown hosted the Cato Daily Podcast for nearly 18 years, producing well over 4000 episodes. He has gone on to head Kentucky's Bluegrass Institute. This is one among the best episodes produced in his tenure, selected by the host and listeners.Parents might embrace their children's independence, but how much support do those parents have in the form of local infrastructure? Andrea Keith of Let Grow explains. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.