Podcasts about financial alternatives

George Selgin is a senior fellow and director emeritus at the Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives at the Cato Institute, as well as the author of the new book titled False Dawn: The New Deal and the Promise of Recovery, 1933-1947. George returns to the show to discuss the complicated economic history of the Great Depression, how that history has led us to the macro-events of 2008, 2010, and 2020, how we can apply lessons from the Great Depression to macroeconomic policy to the current moment, and much more. Check out the transcript for this week's episode, now with links. Recorded on May 13th, 2025 Subscribe to David's Substack: Macroeconomic Policy Nexus Follow David Beckworth on X: @DavidBeckworth Follow the show on X: @Macro_Musings Follow George on X: @GeorgeSelgin Check out our new AI chatbot: the Macro Musebot! Check out our Macro Musings merch! Subscribe to David's new BTS YouTube Channel  Timestamps 00:00:00 - Intro 00:00:25 - Welcoming George Selgin and False Dawn 00:03:25 - Why Another Book on the Great Depression? 00:06:37 - The New Deal's Role in Recovery from the Great Depression 00:08:50 - Myths About the New Deal Overview of the Great Depression 00:12:30 - Measuring Unemployment 00:16:42 - The Gold Standard and the Great Depression 00:27:05 - Helpful: Suspension of the Gold Standard and the Bank Holiday 00:35:47 - Unhelpful: Reconstruction Finance Corporation 00:38:02 - Helpful: Creation of the Home Owners Loan Corporation 00:42:31 - Unhelpful: The National Recovery Administration 00:48:42 - Unhelpful: Fiscal and Monetary Policy and Ignoring Keynes 00:57:17 - Lessons for Today: Uncertainty 01:00:56 - The Lesson of Level Targeting 01:06:42 - Breaching Contracts 01:11:40 - Outro

Join us on Madison's Notes as we sit down with George Selgin, senior fellow and director emeritus of the Cato Institute's Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives and professor emeritus of economics at the University of Georgia. In this insightful conversation, Selgin unpacks the myths and realities of FDR's New Deal through the lens of his book, False Dawn: The New Deal and the Promise of Recovery, 1933–1947 (University of Chicago Press, 2025). While the New Deal is often celebrated as a bold and successful response to the Great Depression, Selgin argues that many of its policies actually prolonged economic suffering—with unemployment remaining staggeringly high years later. Drawing on extensive historical and economic analysis, he separates the New Deal's successes from its failures, examines the distinct roles of fiscal and monetary policy, and reveals the overlooked factor that truly ended the Great Depression (hint: it wasn't just WWII). This episode challenges conventional narratives and offers crucial lessons for navigating future economic crises. Tune in for a nuanced discussion on why we must assess policy decisions carefully—learning from the past to build a more resilient future. Madison's Notes is the podcast of Princeton University's James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions. Contributions to and/or sponsorship of any speaker does not constitute departmental or institutional endorsement of the specific program, speakers or views presented. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/american-studies

Join us on Madison's Notes as we sit down with George Selgin, senior fellow and director emeritus of the Cato Institute's Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives and professor emeritus of economics at the University of Georgia. In this insightful conversation, Selgin unpacks the myths and realities of FDR's New Deal through the lens of his book, False Dawn: The New Deal and the Promise of Recovery, 1933–1947 (University of Chicago Press, 2025). While the New Deal is often celebrated as a bold and successful response to the Great Depression, Selgin argues that many of its policies actually prolonged economic suffering—with unemployment remaining staggeringly high years later. Drawing on extensive historical and economic analysis, he separates the New Deal's successes from its failures, examines the distinct roles of fiscal and monetary policy, and reveals the overlooked factor that truly ended the Great Depression (hint: it wasn't just WWII). This episode challenges conventional narratives and offers crucial lessons for navigating future economic crises. Tune in for a nuanced discussion on why we must assess policy decisions carefully—learning from the past to build a more resilient future. Madison's Notes is the podcast of Princeton University's James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions. Contributions to and/or sponsorship of any speaker does not constitute departmental or institutional endorsement of the specific program, speakers or views presented. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join us on Madison's Notes as we sit down with George Selgin, senior fellow and director emeritus of the Cato Institute's Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives and professor emeritus of economics at the University of Georgia. In this insightful conversation, Selgin unpacks the myths and realities of FDR's New Deal through the lens of his book, False Dawn: The New Deal and the Promise of Recovery, 1933–1947 (University of Chicago Press, 2025). While the New Deal is often celebrated as a bold and successful response to the Great Depression, Selgin argues that many of its policies actually prolonged economic suffering—with unemployment remaining staggeringly high years later. Drawing on extensive historical and economic analysis, he separates the New Deal's successes from its failures, examines the distinct roles of fiscal and monetary policy, and reveals the overlooked factor that truly ended the Great Depression (hint: it wasn't just WWII). This episode challenges conventional narratives and offers crucial lessons for navigating future economic crises. Tune in for a nuanced discussion on why we must assess policy decisions carefully—learning from the past to build a more resilient future. Madison's Notes is the podcast of Princeton University's James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions. Contributions to and/or sponsorship of any speaker does not constitute departmental or institutional endorsement of the specific program, speakers or views presented. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/politics-and-polemics

Join us on Madison's Notes as we sit down with George Selgin, senior fellow and director emeritus of the Cato Institute's Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives and professor emeritus of economics at the University of Georgia. In this insightful conversation, Selgin unpacks the myths and realities of FDR's New Deal through the lens of his book, False Dawn: The New Deal and the Promise of Recovery, 1933–1947 (University of Chicago Press, 2025). While the New Deal is often celebrated as a bold and successful response to the Great Depression, Selgin argues that many of its policies actually prolonged economic suffering—with unemployment remaining staggeringly high years later. Drawing on extensive historical and economic analysis, he separates the New Deal's successes from its failures, examines the distinct roles of fiscal and monetary policy, and reveals the overlooked factor that truly ended the Great Depression (hint: it wasn't just WWII). This episode challenges conventional narratives and offers crucial lessons for navigating future economic crises. Tune in for a nuanced discussion on why we must assess policy decisions carefully—learning from the past to build a more resilient future. Madison's Notes is the podcast of Princeton University's James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions. Contributions to and/or sponsorship of any speaker does not constitute departmental or institutional endorsement of the specific program, speakers or views presented. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join us on Madison's Notes as we sit down with George Selgin, senior fellow and director emeritus of the Cato Institute's Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives and professor emeritus of economics at the University of Georgia. In this insightful conversation, Selgin unpacks the myths and realities of FDR's New Deal through the lens of his book, False Dawn: The New Deal and the Promise of Recovery, 1933–1947 (University of Chicago Press, 2025). While the New Deal is often celebrated as a bold and successful response to the Great Depression, Selgin argues that many of its policies actually prolonged economic suffering—with unemployment remaining staggeringly high years later. Drawing on extensive historical and economic analysis, he separates the New Deal's successes from its failures, examines the distinct roles of fiscal and monetary policy, and reveals the overlooked factor that truly ended the Great Depression (hint: it wasn't just WWII). This episode challenges conventional narratives and offers crucial lessons for navigating future economic crises. Tune in for a nuanced discussion on why we must assess policy decisions carefully—learning from the past to build a more resilient future. Madison's Notes is the podcast of Princeton University's James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions. Contributions to and/or sponsorship of any speaker does not constitute departmental or institutional endorsement of the specific program, speakers or views presented. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/public-policy

Join us on Madison's Notes as we sit down with George Selgin, senior fellow and director emeritus of the Cato Institute's Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives and professor emeritus of economics at the University of Georgia. In this insightful conversation, Selgin unpacks the myths and realities of FDR's New Deal through the lens of his book, False […]

Join us on Madison's Notes as we sit down with George Selgin, senior fellow and director emeritus of the Cato Institute's Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives and professor emeritus of economics at the University of Georgia. In this insightful conversation, Selgin unpacks the myths and realities of FDR's New Deal through the lens of his book, False Dawn: The New Deal and the Promise of Recovery, 1933–1947 (University of Chicago Press, 2025). While the New Deal is often celebrated as a bold and successful response to the Great Depression, Selgin argues that many of its policies actually prolonged economic suffering—with unemployment remaining staggeringly high years later. Drawing on extensive historical and economic analysis, he separates the New Deal's successes from its failures, examines the distinct roles of fiscal and monetary policy, and reveals the overlooked factor that truly ended the Great Depression (hint: it wasn't just WWII). This episode challenges conventional narratives and offers crucial lessons for navigating future economic crises. Tune in for a nuanced discussion on why we must assess policy decisions carefully—learning from the past to build a more resilient future. Madison's Notes is the podcast of Princeton University's James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions. Contributions to and/or sponsorship of any speaker does not constitute departmental or institutional endorsement of the specific program, speakers or views presented. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

0:00 - Tariffs 14:15 - FLASHBACK: Pelosi in '96 on China/tariffs/trade deficits 31:58 - Jim Iuorio, host of “The Futures Edge Podcast” and special contributor to Wirepoints: Trump is trying to fix the trade deficit in two years when it should take five to eight. For podcast updates and more @jimiuorio 51:39 - Danielle Carter-Walters, Chicago Flips Red, on sanctuary cities before House subcommittee 01:11:26 - Adam B Coleman, author and the founder of Wrong Speak Publishing, discusses his upbringing, becoming a father and his new book The Children We Left Behind: How Western Culture Rationalizes Family Separation & Ignores the Pain of Child Neglect. Follow Adam on X @wrong_speak 01:29:54 - Clinical Professor of Law and Director of the Securities Law Clinic at Cornell Law School, William Jacobson, on campus free speech issues and the Trump admin’s freezing of funds to Cornell and Northwestern Universities. Professor Jacobson is also founder of LegalInsurrection.com and president of the Legal Insurrection Foundation 01:49:40 - Ian Williams, former foreign correspondent for BBC Channel 4 News and NBC: China is ready for a trade war with America. Check out Ian’s book ‘Vampire State. The rise and fall of the Chinese Economy’ 02:05:18 - Norbert J. Michel, vice president and director of the Cato Institute’s Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives, says Free Trade Didn’t Kill the Middle Class - instead, the middle class has thrived over the past 40 years. Follow Norbert on X @norbertjmichelSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nick Anthony discusses the imminent threat to the civil liberties of citizens around the world which comes in the form of CBDC. He also covers bitcoin, crypto, stablecoins, the role of cash, and how we could still effectively end up with CBDCs even if they are officially banned. Watch on BitChute / Brighteon / Rumble / Substack / YouTube Geopolitics & Empire · Nick Anthony: We're One Step from Totalitarianism, CBDCs Close Final Gap #535 *Support Geopolitics & Empire! Become a Member https://geopoliticsandempire.substack.com Donate https://geopoliticsandempire.com/donations Consult https://geopoliticsandempire.com/consultation **Visit Our Affiliates & Sponsors! Above Phone https://abovephone.com/?above=geopolitics easyDNS (15% off with GEOPOLITICS) https://easydns.com Escape Technocracy course (15% off with GEOPOLITICS) https://escapethetechnocracy.com/geopolitics PassVult https://passvult.com Sociatates Civis (CitizenHR, CitizenIT, CitizenPL) https://societates-civis.com Wise Wolf Gold https://www.wolfpack.gold/?ref=geopolitics Websites CATO Institute https://www.cato.org/people/nicholas-anthony Digital Currency or Digital Control? https://www.cato.org/books/digital-currency-or-digital-control CBDC Tracker https://cbdctracker.hrf.org X https://x.com/EconWithNick Substack https://bankingbureau.substack.com About Nick Anthony Nicholas Anthony is a policy analyst at the Cato Institute's Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives and a fellow at the Human Rights Foundation (HRF). Anthony's research covers a wide range of topics within the field of monetary and financial economics, including central bank digital currency (CBDC), financial privacy, cryptocurrency, and the use of money in society. Anthony is the author of Digital Currency or Digital Control? Decoding CBDC and the Future of Money and his work has been published in the Wall Street Journal, MarketWatch, Business Insider, and numerous other outlets. Anthony has testified before Congress and maintains the HRF CBDC Tracker, which documents CBDC development and civil liberties concerns around the world. *Podcast intro music is from the song "The Queens Jig" by "Musicke & Mirth" from their album "Music for Two Lyra Viols": http://musicke-mirth.de/en/recordings.html (available on iTunes or Amazon)

(5:50am) MLB's season opener was in Tokyo this morning at 5am CDT between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Chicago Cubs. Dodgers get the win 4-1. Story here: https://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/article/dodgers-top-cubs-in-game-1-of-the-2025-mlb-season-6-takeaways-from-the-first-matchup-of-the-tokyo-series-152244852.html (6:05am) MORNING NEWS DUMP A St. Louis City Police Officer is being treated for serious injuries after being hit by a car on I-70 near Shreve on Monday morning. AG Pam Bondi comments on the Alien Enemies Act of 1798. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin was in St. Louis to visit nuclear contamination sites connected to the West Lake Landfill. He also went to see the Coldwater Creek site in Hazelwood. He promised an improved cleanup response. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt comments on the renewed Israeli offensive against Hamas. President Trump comments on today's expected release of the JFK Files...all 80,000 pages! SpaceX has now undocked from the International Space Station. In spring training action, the Cardinals beat the Washington Nationals 6-2. Up next: the Miami Marlins this afternoon at 12:05pm. Blues are in Nashville tonight to face the Predators at 7pm. (6:20am) A St. Louis City Police Officer was critically injured on Monday morning while chasing a carjacking suspect on I-70 near Shreve. Story here: https://www.firstalert4.com/2025/03/17/police-officer-suffering-critical-injuries-after-being-struck-by-vehicle-i-70/ (6:35am) Jennifer J. Schulp, Director of Financial Regulation Studies at the Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives at the Cato Institute, joins us to talk about cryptocurrency and the Trump administration's approach towards cryptocurrencies. She advocates for individual freedom, innovation, and a free market. Jennifer on X: @jenniferjschulp More info on the Cato Institute here: https://www.cato.org/ (6:50am) MORNING NEWS DUMP A St. Louis City Police Officer is being treated for serious injuries after being hit by a car on I-70 near Shreve on Monday morning. AG Pam Bondi comments on the Alien Enemies Act of 1798. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin was in St. Louis to visit nuclear contamination sites connected to the West Lake Landfill. He also went to see the Coldwater Creek site in Hazelwood. He promised an improved cleanup response. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt comments on the renewed Israeli offensive against Hamas. President Trump comments on today's expected release of the JFK Files...all 80,000 pages! SpaceX has now undocked from the International Space Station. In spring training action, the Cardinals beat the Washington Nationals 6-2. Up next: the Miami Marlins this afternoon at 12:05pm. Blues are in Nashville tonight to face the Predators at 7pm.Download the NewsTalkSTL app from your app store and listen anytime, anywhere! NewsTalkSTL website: https://newstalkstl.com/ Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/NewsTalkSTL Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/NewstalkSTL Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NewsTalkSTL Livestream 24/7: bit.ly/NEWSTALKSTLSTREAMSSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jennifer J. Schulp, Director of Financial Regulation Studies at the Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives at the Cato Institute, joins us to talk about cryptocurrency and the Trump administration's approach towards cryptocurrencies. She advocates for individual freedom, innovation, and a free market. Jennifer on X: @jenniferjschulp More info on the Cato Institute here: https://www.cato.org/ Download the NewsTalkSTL app from your app store and listen anytime, anywhere! NewsTalkSTL website: https://newstalkstl.com/ Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/NewsTalkSTL Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/NewstalkSTL Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NewsTalkSTL Livestream 24/7: bit.ly/NEWSTALKSTLSTREAMSSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jennifer Schulp, director of financial regulation studies at the Cato Institute's Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives. Trump's CRYPTO Summit Today (Friday).

The privacy Americans should enjoy over their financial information has been in steady decline for more than 50 years. Regulatory frameworks, such as the Bank Secrecy Act and the Securities and Exchange Commission's Consolidated Audit Trail, grant government access to Americans' financial transactions. As financial services have become increasingly digitized, the volume of financial records to which the government has easy—and often unfettered—access has grown exponentially. And proposals for a central bank digital currency, which involve the government becoming more intimately involved in Americans' use of money, have the potential to further erode the ability to transact without government surveillance.As policymakers are confronted with questions about evolving technologies, the question of financial privacy must not be shunted to the side. It is time to rethink financial privacy. Does financial convenience have to come at the cost of financial privacy? Does the Constitution provide the protections needed to limit government access to financial information? Can decentralization provide privacy-protecting solutions? Join us for an outstanding program featuring leading policymakers and experts discussing financial privacy at Cato's Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives annual conference. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The privacy Americans should enjoy over their financial information has been in steady decline for more than 50 years. Regulatory frameworks, such as the Bank Secrecy Act and the Securities and Exchange Commission's Consolidated Audit Trail, grant government access to Americans' financial transactions. As financial services have become increasingly digitized, the volume of financial records to which the government has easy—and often unfettered—access has grown exponentially. And proposals for a central bank digital currency, which involve the government becoming more intimately involved in Americans' use of money, have the potential to further erode the ability to transact without government surveillance.As policymakers are confronted with questions about evolving technologies, the question of financial privacy must not be shunted to the side. It is time to rethink financial privacy. Does financial convenience have to come at the cost of financial privacy? Does the Constitution provide the protections needed to limit government access to financial information? Can decentralization provide privacy-protecting solutions? Join us for an outstanding program featuring leading policymakers and experts discussing financial privacy at Cato's Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives annual conference. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The privacy Americans should enjoy over their financial information has been in steady decline for more than 50 years. Regulatory frameworks, such as the Bank Secrecy Act and the Securities and Exchange Commission's Consolidated Audit Trail, grant government access to Americans' financial transactions. As financial services have become increasingly digitized, the volume of financial records to which the government has easy—and often unfettered—access has grown exponentially. And proposals for a central bank digital currency, which involve the government becoming more intimately involved in Americans' use of money, have the potential to further erode the ability to transact without government surveillance.As policymakers are confronted with questions about evolving technologies, the question of financial privacy must not be shunted to the side. It is time to rethink financial privacy. Does financial convenience have to come at the cost of financial privacy? Does the Constitution provide the protections needed to limit government access to financial information? Can decentralization provide privacy-protecting solutions? Join us for an outstanding program featuring leading policymakers and experts discussing financial privacy at Cato's Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives annual conference. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The privacy Americans should enjoy over their financial information has been in steady decline for more than 50 years. Regulatory frameworks, such as the Bank Secrecy Act and the Securities and Exchange Commission's Consolidated Audit Trail, grant government access to Americans' financial transactions. As financial services have become increasingly digitized, the volume of financial records to which the government has easy—and often unfettered—access has grown exponentially. And proposals for a central bank digital currency, which involve the government becoming more intimately involved in Americans' use of money, have the potential to further erode the ability to transact without government surveillance.As policymakers are confronted with questions about evolving technologies, the question of financial privacy must not be shunted to the side. It is time to rethink financial privacy. Does financial convenience have to come at the cost of financial privacy? Does the Constitution provide the protections needed to limit government access to financial information? Can decentralization provide privacy-protecting solutions? Join us for an outstanding program featuring leading policymakers and experts discussing financial privacy at Cato's Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives annual conference. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The privacy Americans should enjoy over their financial information has been in steady decline for more than 50 years. Regulatory frameworks, such as the Bank Secrecy Act and the Securities and Exchange Commission's Consolidated Audit Trail, grant government access to Americans' financial transactions. As financial services have become increasingly digitized, the volume of financial records to which the government has easy—and often unfettered—access has grown exponentially. And proposals for a central bank digital currency, which involve the government becoming more intimately involved in Americans' use of money, have the potential to further erode the ability to transact without government surveillance.As policymakers are confronted with questions about evolving technologies, the question of financial privacy must not be shunted to the side. It is time to rethink financial privacy. Does financial convenience have to come at the cost of financial privacy? Does the Constitution provide the protections needed to limit government access to financial information? Can decentralization provide privacy-protecting solutions? Join us for an outstanding program featuring leading policymakers and experts discussing financial privacy at Cato's Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives annual conference. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we sit down with George Selgin, Director Emeritus at the Cato Institute's Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives, to explore his views on money, markets, and bitcoin's role in the global economy. George shares his journey from studying marine biology to becoming a leading voice in monetary economics and discusses how definitions of money have evolved. We examine bitcoin's classification as a synthetic commodity, its potential as a store of value, and whether it could ever replace the US dollar. George also analyzes the proposed bitcoin strategic reserve, highlighting its costs, risks, and implications for government debt.SUPPORT THE PODCAST:→ Subscribe→ Leave a review→ Share the show with your friends and family→ Send us an email podcast@unchained.com→ Learn more about Unchained: https://unchained.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Book a free call with a bitcoin expert: https://unchained.com/consultation?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Buy bitcoin in an IRA—sign up today and get your first year free: unchained.com/frontierTIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 - Intro00:01:11 - Introducing George Selgin's background and career00:07:42 - Moving from Hong Kong to the University of Georgia00:09:50 - Defining money and its role in economics00:12:12 - Explaining why bitcoin doesn't meet the definition of money00:13:31 - Defining the dollar and its place in the economy00:15:52 - Understanding gold's history and modern role00:19:11 - Analyzing bitcoin as a synthetic commodity00:21:51 - Evaluating bitcoin as a store of value vs. medium of exchange00:24:52 - Discussing bitcoin's long-term price potential00:29:21 - Examining markets, prices, and bitcoin's future00:36:13 - Questioning if the US dollar could be replaced00:42:36 - Evaluating the bitcoin strategic reserve proposal00:49:11 - Breaking down the costs and risks of a bitcoin reserve00:55:00 - Closing thoughts and where to follow George SelginWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett's Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ George Selgin's Twitter: https://x.com/GeorgeSelgin

George Selgin is a senior fellow and director emeritus of the Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives at the Cato Institute. George is also a returning guest to the program, and he rejoins David on Macro Musings to talk about crypto, strategic Bitcoin reserves, and the Fed's framework review. Specifically, David and George also discuss George's outlook for a strategic Bitcoin reserve in the US, the significance of the debanking problem, the path to adopting a nominal GDP targeting framework, and much more.   Transcript for this week's episode.   George's Twitter: @GeorgeSelgin George's Cato profile   David Beckworth's Twitter: @DavidBeckworth Follow us on Twitter: @Macro_Musings   Check out our new AI chatbot: the Macro Musebot! Join the new Macro Musings Discord server!   Join the Macro Musings mailing list! Check out our Macro Musings merch!   Related Links:   *The ‘Digital Gold' Fallacy, or Why Bitcoin Can't Save the US Dollar* by George Selgin   *The Fed's 2024-25 Framework Review: Optimizing the Dual Mandate Through Nominal GDP Level Targeting* by David Beckworth   *Building a Better Fed Framework* – A monetary policy conference hosted by the American Institute for Economic Research (AIER)   Caitlin Long's X thread on debanking   David Marcus's X thread on how Libra was killed   *Does Sovereign Default Risk Explain Cryptocurrency Adoption? International Evidence from Mobile Apps* by Rashad Ahmed, Stephen Karolyi, and Leili Pour Rostami   *Digital Gold: Evaluating a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve for the United States* by the Bitcoin Policy Institute   *Trump Likes the Idea of a Federal Bitcoin Reserve. Don't Laugh.* by Tyler Cowen   Timestamps:   (00:00:00) – Intro   (00:01:34) – Evaluating the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Gold   (00:26:22) – George's Outlook for the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve   (00:34:16) – The Significance of the Debanking Problem and the Case of Libra   (00:43:18) – *Building a Better Fed Framework*: George's Takeaways   (00:49:16) – The Path to Nominal GDP Targeting: Incremental vs. Radical   (00:54:10) – Characterizing a Fed Framework Consensus   (01:00:13) – Outro

In this episode, financial experts look back on recent SEC regulation, enforcement, and litigation, as well as their predictions for the next SEC leadership under a second Trump administration. C. Wallace DeWitt, Securities lawyerBrian Knight, Director of Innovation and Governance and Senior Research Fellow, Mercatus Center at George Mason UniversityJennifer Schulp, Director of Financial Regulation Studies, Cato Institute’s Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives

In this eye-opening episode of Cashflow Legendz, we dive deep into a crucial question for modern finance: "Is your money really safe in the bank?" With recent headlines about financial instability and interest rates at historic lows, many are rethinking where they keep their hard-earned cash. Join us as we break down the security of traditional banking, exploring the risks and protections associated with saving and investing in conventional accounts. But we don't stop there—our discussion will also lead you through a landscape of smarter financial alternatives. From high-yield savings accounts and credit unions we'll uncover options that might better align with your financial goals.   Whether you're looking to safeguard your savings or seeking ways to grow your wealth more effectively, this episode will equip you with the knowledge to make informed decisions. Tune in to discover how to enhance your financial strategy and ensure your money is working for you!   Listen Now and take control of your financial future!   Beaver the Banker Amazon Link https://a.co/d/hHqB6bG   FDIC Link for Bank Find https://banks.data.fdic.gov/bankfind-suite/bankfind

The privacy Americans should enjoy over their financial information has been in steady decline for more than 50 years. Regulatory frameworks, such as the Bank Secrecy Act and the Securities and Exchange Commission's Consolidated Audit Trail, grant government access to Americans' financial transactions. As financial services have become increasingly digitized, the volume of financial records to which the government has easy—and often unfettered—access has grown exponentially. And proposals for a central bank digital currency, which involve the government becoming more intimately involved in Americans' use of money, have the potential to further erode the ability to transact without government surveillance.As policymakers are confronted with questions about evolving technologies, the question of financial privacy must not be shunted to the side. It is time to rethink financial privacy. Does financial convenience have to come at the cost of financial privacy? Does the Constitution provide the protections needed to limit government access to financial information? Can decentralization provide privacy-protecting solutions? Join us for an outstanding program featuring leading policymakers and experts discussing financial privacy at Cato's Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives annual conference. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The privacy Americans should enjoy over their financial information has been in steady decline for more than 50 years. Regulatory frameworks, such as the Bank Secrecy Act and the Securities and Exchange Commission's Consolidated Audit Trail, grant government access to Americans' financial transactions. As financial services have become increasingly digitized, the volume of financial records to which the government has easy—and often unfettered—access has grown exponentially. And proposals for a central bank digital currency, which involve the government becoming more intimately involved in Americans' use of money, have the potential to further erode the ability to transact without government surveillance.As policymakers are confronted with questions about evolving technologies, the question of financial privacy must not be shunted to the side. It is time to rethink financial privacy. Does financial convenience have to come at the cost of financial privacy? Does the Constitution provide the protections needed to limit government access to financial information? Can decentralization provide privacy-protecting solutions? Join us for an outstanding program featuring leading policymakers and experts discussing financial privacy at Cato's Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives annual conference. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Center for Independent Employees (CIE) is a 501(c)(3) legal defense foundation that provides free legal representation and aid to independent employees who are opposed to union oppression in their workplaces. https://x.com/Liberty_At_Work https://www.centerforindependentemployees.org/keith-williams Keith Williams, Senior Vice President As a public high school teacher and coach for over 20 years, Keith Williams led the only successful school district in Pennsylvania to overturn union fair share fees before the Supreme Court's Janus v. AFSCME decision. He also successfully sued the union to end ghost teaching practices and provided valuable testimony in support of employee rights legislation. He was recruited from the classroom to lead and grow a now nationally recognized nonprofit, where he headed the successful decertification of an AFL-CIO affiliated union in a Pittsburgh-area school district. As a direct result of Keith's work, Pennsylvania's largest unions were forced to drop maintenance of membership windows from state contracts, freeing over 50,000 state workers and serving as a testament to the power of authentic relationships and effective coalition-building. Keith has been a speaker at state and national labor policy events and his work has been published in the Wall Street Journal, Philadelphia Inquirer, and other major media outlets. At CIE, he continues his core belief of helping America's workforce understand the consequences of joining a union. Amanda Griffiths Amanda is a PhD student concentrating on political theory and international relations, with an emphasis on Machiavelli's political thought. She received her M.A. from the University of Chicago and previously worked as the editorial director at the Cato Institute's Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives. With a background in the entertainment industry, academia, and the think tank circuit, she enjoys diving into questions and perspectives across disciplines and ideologies. Amanda's reporting focuses on foreign policy, the future of liberalism, mass opinion, and the relationship between the individual, the market, and the state (with a special interest in decentralized finance). https://x.com/AjaxtheGriff https://www.joinyv.org/talent/amanda-griffiths Links: https://gml.bio.link/ Watch GML  on Youtube: https://bit.ly/3UwsRiv Check out Martens Minute! https://martensminute.podbean.com/ Join the private discord & chat during the show! joingml.com Good Morning Liberty is sponsored by BetterHelp! Rediscover your curiosity today by visiting Betterhelp.com/GML (Get 10% off your first month) Get your complimentary bottle of Nugenix by texting GML to 231-231 Protect your privacy and unlock the full potential of your streaming services with ExpressVPN. Get 3 more months absolutely FREE by using our link EXPRESSVPN.com/GML Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nicholas Anthony is a policy analyst at the Cato Institute's Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives, a fellow at the Human Rights Foundation, and is also a returning guest to the podcast. Nick rejoins David on Macro Musings to talk about a new book he has authored titled, *Digital Currency or Digital Control: Decoding CBDC and the Future of Money.* Specifically, Nicholas and David discuss the history of CBDCs, their challenges and drawbacks, Nick's recommendations for the future, and a lot more.   Transcript for this week's episode.   Nick's Twitter: @EconWithNick Nick's Cato profile   David Beckworth's Twitter: @DavidBeckworth Follow us on Twitter: @Macro_Musings   Check out our new AI chatbot: the Macro Musebot! Join the new Macro Musings Discord server!   Join the Macro Musings mailing list! Check out our Macro Musings merch!   Related Links:   *Digital Currency or Digital Control: Decoding CBDC and the Future of Money* by Nicholas Anthony   *Nicholas Anthony on the Current Prospects and Legislative Developments Surrounding CBDC* by Macro Musings   *Macroeconomic Modelling of CBDC: A Critical Review* by Ulrich Bindseil and Richard Senner   *Ulrich Bindseil on Central Bank Operating Systems* by Macro Musings   Timestamps:   (00:00:00) – Intro   (00:01:50) – The Future Prospects of CBDC: From Congress to the White House   (00:07:35) – The History of CBDCs   (00:11:19) – Breaking Down the Three Types of CBDCs   (00:17:22) – The Challenges and Drawbacks of CBDCs   (00:25:42) – The Buffer Between CBDCs and Privacy   (00:31:00) – Wholesale CBDCs, Real-time Payments, and Cross-border Payments   (00:41:06) – The Potential Destabilizing Effects of CBDCs   (00:46:12) – The Pros and Cons of a CBDC for the Fed   (00:53:23) – Responding to Pro-CBDC Arguments   (00:59:05) – Recommendations for the Future of CBDCs   (01:01:92) – Outro

Nate and Amanda debate the topic of vaccine mandates. Who do you think won, and where do you come down on this issue? Let us know on X! https://x.com/AjaxtheGriff https://x.com/GoodAMLiberty Amanda Griffiths' bio: Amanda is a PhD student concentrating on political theory and international relations, with an emphasis on Machiavelli's political thought. She received her M.A. from the University of Chicago and previously worked as the editorial director at the Cato Institute's Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives. With a background in the entertainment industry, academia, and the think tank circuit, she enjoys diving into questions and perspectives across disciplines and ideologies. Amanda's reporting focuses on foreign policy, the future of liberalism, mass opinion, and the relationship between the individual, the market, and the state (with a special interest in decentralized finance). https://www.joinyv.org/talent/amanda-griffiths Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Power Hour is a weekly podcast that discusses the most interesting energy and environmental policy issues of the day with top national experts.  Jack welcomes the Cato Institute's Nicolas Anthony back to the Power Hour, who is joined this time by his colleague Norbert Michel, Vice President for Cato's Center for Monetary Policy and Financial Alternatives.  They pick up their conversation from a few months ago to dig deeper into what actually is cryptocurrency and why does the industry require so much energy.   And of course, no Power Hour episode would be complete without a complete analysis of how government could ruin something good and innovative.  You can read more from Anthony and Norbert here and here and  on a variety of issues here and following them on socials here and here.    Join the conversation with an email to  thepowerhour@heritage.org!  Thank you for listening and please don't forget to subscribe and help us to spread the word.  

George Selgin is a senior fellow and director emeritus of the Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives at the Cato Institute and professor emeritus of economics at the University of Georgia. He is the author of numerous books, including ‘The Theory of Free Banking', ‘Floored! How a Misguided Fed Experiment Deepened and Prolonged the Great Recession' and ‘The Menace of Fiscal QE'. George is one of the founders, with Kevin Dowd and Lawrence H. White, of the Modern Free Banking School, which draws its inspiration from the writings of F. A. Hayek on denationalization of money and choice in currency. In this podcast, we discuss how marine biology helps you understand economics, how the Fed fundamentally changed after the Global Financial Crisis, understanding the Fed's abundant reserves policy, and much more.    Follow us here for more amazing insights: https://macrohive.com/home-prime/ https://twitter.com/Macro_Hive https://www.linkedin.com/company/macro-hive

Jennifer Schulp, the director of financial regulation studies at the Cato Institute's Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives, joins Chelsea Follett to discuss how technology and regulation are shaping the future of investment.

George Selgin is a senior fellow and director emeritus of the Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives at the Cato Institute. George is also a frequent guest of the podcast, and he rejoins Macro Musings to talk about some of the recent developments in the monetary and fiscal policy space. Specifically, David and George discuss recent updates regarding Fed master accounts, the problematic aspects of the Fed's balance sheet, why a second Trump term would threaten central bank independence, and much more.   Transcript for this week's episode.   George's Twitter: @GeorgeSelgin George's Cato profile   David Beckworth's Twitter: @DavidBeckworth Follow us on Twitter: @Macro_Musings   Check out our new AI chatbot: the Macro Musebot! Join the new Macro Musings Discord server!   Join the Macro Musings mailing list! Check out our Macro Musings merch!   Related Links:   Caitlin Long's tweet regarding the Fed's special treatment for approving master accounts   *Public comments on the Proposed Guidelines for Evaluating Requests for Accounts and Services* by George Selgin   *Custodia Bank Inc v. Federal Reserve Board of Governors* Court documents from the Wyoming District Court   *Annual Report on Open Market Operations (2023)* by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York   *Trump Allies Draw Up Plans to Blunt Fed's Independence* by Andrew Restuccia, Nick Timiraos, and Alex Leary   *Trump Advisers Discuss Penalties for Nations That Move Away From the Dollar* by Saleha Mohsin, Jennfier Jacobs, and Nancy Cook   *Hayek versus Keynes on How the Price Level Ought to Behave* by George Selgin   *The Menace of Fiscal QE* by George Selgin   *George Selgin on False Dawn: The New Deal and the Promise of Recovery* by Macro Musings   Timestamps:   (00:01:36) – Intro   (00:06:26) – Updates on Fed Master Accounts and the Custodia Case   (00:17:57) – Problematic Aspects of the Fed's Balance Sheet   (00:22:50) – The Importance of the Overnight Unsecured Interbank Lending Market   (00:34:26) – Responding to the Jared Bernstein Incident   (00:46:33) – Donald Trump, Central Bank Independence, and Dollar Dominance   (00:56:54) – Outro

At its essence, shareholder capitalism is a means for mutually beneficial trade. It fosters specialization, fuels innovation, and propels economic growth. While shareholder capitalism is a central theme in Finance 101 courses, it is increasingly criticized, especially with the popularization of sustainability, ESG investing, and stakeholder capitalism.In this engaging new book, author David McLean, the William G. Droms Professor of Finance at Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business, explains how shareholder capitalism benefits all. Edward Rock, the Martin Lipton Professor of Law at New York University School of Law and the codirector of the university's Institute for Corporate Governance & Finance, will join McLean for a lively discussion on the nature of shareholder capitalism and its role in society. Norbert Michel, vice president and director of the Cato Institute's Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives, will moderate the discussion. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What is inflation? Why do we have it? What's bitcoin? Economist Larry White breaks it down. MORE ABOUT LARRY WHITE Larry White is a banking and money scholar who has taught at NYU and George Mason University. He has authored several books and edited numerous volumes on monetary theory and banking history. He has received the Adam Smith Award and is currently a senior scholar of the Cato Institute Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives and a co-editor of Econ Journal Watch.

I interview Jennifer Schulp, director of financial regulation studies at the Cato Institute's Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives. She focuses on the regulation of securities and capital markets. She has testified before Congress multiple times, including before the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, the U.S. House Committee on Financial Services, and the Committee on House Administration. We discuss regulatory land grabs and mission creep, why ESG is terrible branding, crypto as a store of value for electricity, fractional reserve banking, payment for order flow, and how to protect investors from themselves. This is a wide-ranging conversation with a true expert in the field. Highly recommended. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theleeshow/support

The House Financial Services Committee has been investigating the possibility of the Federal Reserve creating a Central Bank Digital Currency. In this episode, hear experts unpack the nuances and implications of this idea during three hearings, and discover how you can play a part in shaping the future of American currency. Please Support Congressional Dish – Quick Links Contribute monthly or a lump sum via Support Congressional Dish via (donations per episode) Send Zelle payments to: Donation@congressionaldish.com Send Venmo payments to: @Jennifer-Briney Send Cash App payments to: $CongressionalDish or Donation@congressionaldish.com Use your bank's online bill pay function to mail contributions to: Please make checks payable to Congressional Dish Thank you for supporting truly independent media! Background Sources Recommended Congressional Dish Episodes Operation Choke Point Frank Keating. November 7, 2018. The Hill. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Staff. May 29, 2014. U.S. House of Representatives. Digital Asset Glass-Steagall James Rickards. August 27, 2012. U.S. News & World Report. Audio Sources September 14, 2023 Committee on Financial Services, Subcommittee on Digital Assets, Financial Technology and Inclusion Witnesses: Yuval Rooz, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Digital Asset Paige Paridon, Senior Vice President and Senior Associate General Counsel, Bank Policy Institute Christina Parajon Skinner, Assistant Professor, The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania Dr. Norbert Michel, Vice President and Director, Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives, Cato Institute Raúl Carrillo, Academic Fellow, Lecturer in Law, Columbia Law School Clips 27:35 Rep. French Hill (R-AK): Look, the Constitution is clear. Only Congress has the authority to coin money and regulate the value of such money. And we've heard the same from Fed officials, right before this committee, and most recently from Vice Chair for Supervision, Michael Barr, who last week told an audience in Philadelphia and I quote, "The Federal Reserve would only proceed with the issuance of a CBDC with clear support from the executive branch and authorizing legislation from Congress." The Biden Department of Justice agrees, saying, quote, "there would be substantial legal risks to issuing a CBDC without such legislation." 32:05 Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA): CBDC is just one type of publicly issued digital dollar and would be issued, backed, and regulated by the Federal Reserve and have the full faith and backing of the US government. This could serve as an alternative to existing forms of payments and have a benefit, including instant payment settlement, provide a medium for cross border transactions, and foster greater financial inclusion. More than 130 countries have begun to explore their own government backed digital currencies. China, Russia, Saudi Arabia and India have already commenced pilot programs, and a digital Euro pilot could be launched as early as 2028. Meanwhile, the US remains far behind amid increasing and blatant information about features of digital currency. While concerns about data privacy and government surveillance are real, especially in countries that do not respect human rights and privacy, a CBDC does not have to be designed that way. We could employ an architecture that would protect personal data while including anti-money laundering and terrorist financing features. 33:15 Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA): It is counterintuitive that my colleagues should be raising concerns about data privacy while thousands of private companies, domestic and foreign, are surveilling, aggregating, and selling consumer data each and every day. 33:45 Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA): I'm announcing and inviting my colleagues to join the Congressional Digital Dollar Caucus. This forum will educate members on critical issues relating to the development, design, and potential implementation of a government issued digital dollar. I plan to invite innovators, technologists, academics, and other experts to share their findings and development. I hope my colleagues will join me in this exploration. 34:15 Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA): The use of anonymous cash has plummeted and more of our transactions are occurring online and under surveillance, tracked and aggregated by financial services companies. Indeed China has turned that fact into a tool of full spectrum surveillance of its citizens. This is why I've introduced the Ecash Act. This bill directs the Treasury to design and pilot a digital version of cash and would complement the Fed-issued CBDC. It would allow individuals to make instant peer to peer payments with no consumer data or transaction tracking and without the use of a bank account. 36:10 Rep. Tom Emmer (R-MN): The need to protect Americans' right to financial product privacy is at an all time high. That's why I introduced the CBDC Anti-Surveillance State Act with over 50 of my colleagues. This bill prevents unelected bureaucrats from creating a tool for financial surveillance if not open, permissionless, and private, like cash, a CBDC is nothing more than a CCP-style surveillance tool that will oppress the American way of life and we're not going to allow that to happen. 38:20 Dr. Norbert Michel: In my testimony, I argue that the United States should not launch a Central Bank Digital Currency, a CBDC. Advocates for a CBDC tout many potential benefits, but there's nothing unique about the technology that would provide those supposed benefits. 39:00 Dr. Norbert Michel: A CBDC in any form would be a direct liability of the central government, a digital tether to its citizens such that it would radically alter the existing public-private relationship that already exists in our monetary arrangement. 39:25 Dr. Norbert Michel: First, issuing a CBDC would not help preserve the status of the United States dollar, it would likely damage it. Proponents argue that because China has launched a CBDC, the United States must keep up by launching its own. Others make the narrower claim that the US must launch a CBDC to keep up with broader technological changes in the payment sector. But anyone who chooses to do so can transact digitally in U.S. dollars right now. The CBDC does not take us from a world with zero or a few digital transactions to one filled with digital transactions. Moreover, the dollar's renowned status is owed to the strength of the American economy and its legal protections for private citizens relative to many other countries. Unlike in many other places, Americans do not have to live in constant fear that the government will take their money. However, if the US creates a CBDC, anyone who wants to use the dollar would lose a layer of protection from that type of government abuse. 40:30 Dr. Norbert Michel: The second myth is that a CBDC would expand financial inclusion by providing a new source of financial services for America's unbanked and underbanked populations. Again, though, this is not a technological problem. In other words, the CBDC itself does not accomplish this goal. The private sector already enables us to transact digitally, and it has been steadily shrinking the number of Americans without financial services for years. We also know, because the FDIC asked them, that unbanked and underbanked Americans primarily are in that situation because either they don't have enough money to have an account, or they don't want to give their personal information to a bank or the government. And what should be obvious is that a lack of sufficient income is a much broader economic problem than a CBDC or financial service technology. While some proponents argue that a CBDC lowers the cost of providing financial services, that's true only if the government subsidizes those costs or chooses to waive the same level of regulatory scrutiny it requires of private firms. And that level of scrutiny, it turns out is more than just a costly mandate that the government has placed on private firms. It's also the one that causes those unbanked Americans to say they don't trust banks. It's also the same one that requires people to hand over their personal information to private companies, and as a result potentially to the government. If the government removes that mandate for all financial service providers, there would be no cost advantage to a CBDC. 42:05 Dr. Norbert Michel: That brings me to my last myth, the idea that a CBDC could somehow enhance financial privacy. Currently, Americans are forced to hand over personal information to financial institutions. Those institutions are required to track transactions, and the government can access that information without a warrant. The fourth amendment is supposed to protect Americans from the government gaining access to this kind of information, unless they show probable cause and obtain a warrant. But it no longer protects Americans when it comes to financial information. And the only buffer left is that the government must go through the financial institution to obtain that information. Introducing a CBDC would remove this last layer of protection. It would place all financial transactions either in a government database or leave them a keystroke away. 44:15 Paige Paridon: We believe that at this point there is little evidence that a CBDC would bring measurable benefits to the US economy or consumers. Furthermore, a CBDC could upend the commercial banking system and create financial instability. 44:30 Paige Paridon: CBDC can take one of two general forms: a wholesale CBDC, which would be used only by financial intermediaries, and a retail CBDC, which could be used by consumers and businesses. To date, most research and attention has been focused on a retail, intermediated, account-based model in which consumer's CBDCs would be held in an account at a bank or another financial intermediary, like an asset held in custody. The CBDC could not be used by the bank to make loans in the way that dollar deposits are used today. Any transfer of $1 deposit from a bank to a CBDC is $1 unavailable for lending to businesses or consumers. By attracting deposits away from banks, a CBDC likely would undermine the commercial banking system in the United States and severely constrict the availability and increase the cost of credit to the economy. 46:30 Paige Paridon: With respect to financial inclusion, a review of the reasons why certain individuals are unbanked makes it clear that a CBDC would be unlikely to meaningfully increase financial inclusion. For example, FDIC data reveals that many respondents are unbanked because of privacy concerns, and intermediated CBDC is unlikely to mitigate those concerns, given that it would presumably come with the same know-your-customer requirements that currently apply to banks. 54:35 Christina Parajon Skinner: So privacy rights are the clearest place to start. Today, individuals can enjoy comprehensive privacy in their payments transactions by using cash. Now, although most central banks have suggested that CBDC is not going to replace cash, that near-term promise can't be guaranteed over the longer term, and the insinuation that CBDC is necessary or inevitable seems motivated by a view that cash will eventually become obsolete. But because central banks don't have the technology presently to offer cash-like privacy, a digital currency -- unless it's radically redesigned -- will bring with it the ability for the state to monitor or surveil its citizens' payments activity. 55:20 Christina Parajon Skinner: I'd like to focus on the impact of a CBDC on the Federal Reserve. Certainly since 2010, the power and authority of the Fed has grown considerably, and Congress's responsibility to oversee the Fed requires it to understand how a CBDC could further empower the central bank but also how it might weaken it. On the one hand, CBDC could result in a larger central bank balance sheet. Issuing CBDC would increase the liability side of the Fed's balance sheet if the total of bank reserves, repos, and cash balances largely remained unchanged. So if the liabilities with CBDC increase, so too much the Fed's assets. The Fed could buy more Treasury securities to match CBDC, but that could possibly invite pressure on the Fed to issue more CBDCs to in turn absorb more government debt. And overall, that dynamic could further erode the limited fiscal discipline that we have remaining. A CBDC could also affect the Fed's independence in the way that it would establish a direct relationship between the central bank and the real economy for the first time in history. One result of that relationship would almost certainly be the further erosion of the line between monetary and fiscal policy. When central banks begin to issue liabilities directly to the people, it will become much more difficult for the central bank to justify their provision of liquidity to banks and the financial system, as opposed to households, especially during a crisis. And effectively this could open the door to political pressure on the Fed to provide liquidity assistance to households during turbulent economic times. But these sorts of household level interventions would radically transform the central bank and its purpose and role within society. 57:40 Christina Parajon Skinner: So it does not inherently improve financial inclusion unless it's paired with accounts for all citizens, which the central bank itself has already recognized as infeasible. 59:15 Raúl Carrillo: Today, I support the call for a digital dollar system, including CBDC, Fed accounts, and Ecash. 1:02:15 Raúl Carrillo: Indeed, the only way to evolve beyond the surveillance status quo is to establish a direct digital dollar interface with consumers where the Fourth Amendment and other protections may actually apply. If we truly care about privacy, we should treat the banking and blockchain industries' appeals to partnership as suspect, based on legal and technological grounds alone. We can build a retail CBDC and Fed account system with superior protections compared to what exists now and superior protections to the systems that are being built around the world currently. 1:02:50 Raúl Carrillo: So today I also advocate for the inclusion of digital cash, as detailed in the Electronic Cash and Hardware Security and Secured Hardware Act, the Ecash Act, re-introduced by Representative Lynch. Today, Ecash devices available on a smart card or a phone card would serve as digital counterparts to cold hard American cash. These devices would not make payments over the internet. Instead, they would store Treasury issued digital dollars on card hardware to enable everyday small dollar transactions for everyday people. These transactions would be subject to the BSA/AML regime, and as a boon to law enforcement, we can set privacy-sensitive security controls and caps on transactions and usage. However, the cards would in no instance be capable of generating data that companies and agencies can abuse. We preserve a place for privacy within public infrastructure. The Ecash Act harkens back to the past to the days when President Lincoln established the banking and cash system that we still use today. And it also harkens to an exciting, inclusive, safe digital future. 1:08:05 Paige Paridon: CBDC, because it would be a direct liability of the central bank, it would be perceived as the ultimate safe asset. So from that perspective, particularly during times of economic stress, it could attract depositors to pull their money out of the banking system to flee or run to a CBDC if there was perceived concern about the banking system or the financial system overall. So every dollar that currently resides in a bank account can be deployed for useful purposes in the economy, primarily through lending. Every dollar that is pulled out from the banking system and put into a CBDC is one less dollar that could be put to good economic use. And that is why we have a fundamental concern with a retail CBDC, given the flight-to-quality risks. 1:09:35 Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA): 130 countries, representing 98% of the global economy, are now exploring digital versions of their currencies, including the United States. Almost half of these countries are in advanced development pilot or launch stages of their CBDCs. Can you discuss how CBDCs may shape the future global financial landscape? What would it mean for the United States if we instead chose to stay on the sidelines of this race? Raúl Carrillo: Thank you very much for the question, Representative Waters. My opinion is that it is incumbent upon the United States to provide leadership with respect to an inevitable process that is going to occur across the world. It is clear that we're all moving to digital fiat currency. The question is what sort of protections are going to attend digital fiat currency? 1:12:35 Raúl Carrillo: I hear a lot of concern across the political spectrum in this committee about the power of Silicon Valley. And if you do not create an alternative to the corporate systems that collect data, or promise to protect it and then collect it en mass, which is even worse and common in the blockchain industry, then what is going to happen is that Silicon Valley is going to win. And frankly, I don't think anybody here wants that. But in order to preserve the space that we have for public money and not make it a big tech enterprise, we, in fact, have to move forward with digital fiat currency. 1:13:50 Rep. Warren Davidson (R-OH): One of the key characteristics of sound money is that it facilitates permissionless, peer-to-peer transactions like cash. Currently, of the 100+ countries developing a central bank digital currency, none of them are developing a permissionless system. Every one of them is developing a permission system, including the United States Federal Reserve. So when we talk about permissions, we can kind of get something from the Federal Reserve's own report of that. They said in their report that it should be privacy-protected, intermediated, widely transferable, and identity-verified. Mr. Michel, Professor Skinner, in your view, is it possible to be both privacy-protected and identity-verified? Dr. Norbert Michel: No, in my view, it's not. Once the information is in a system, it's in a system and somebody is going to get it and it's going to get out. And I just quickly really want to say I'm very happy to hear everybody here on the panel is pro-Fourth Amendment. The problem, of course, as you know, is that the Bank Secrecy Act, and the anti money laundering regime runs right over the Fourth Amendment. So that's what needs to be fixed. Rep. Warren Davidson (R-OH): It's already a problem in third party hands, but this wouldn't even be in third party hands. But, you know, Professor Skinner, what's your view? Christina Parajon Skinner: My view is no, that that's not possible right now, and central banks have essentially admitted as much. And to the extent such technology is or could be under development, it's extremely immature. And I think the point to emphasize here is that inherently there will be a tradeoff to the extent central banks create CBDC, between identity verification and privacy. And more than likely central banks will always choose identity verification because they will never feel comfortable sacrificing the national security goals that they see as accompanying robust identity verification. 1:24:35 Rep. John Rose (R-TN): Decisions in United States v. Miller and Maryland v. Smith gave us the third party doctrine. Under that doctrine. if you voluntarily provide information to a third party, the Fourth Amendment does not preclude the government from accessing it without a warrant. Dr. Michelle, can you explain how the third party doctrine has impacted Americans' financial privacy? Dr. Norbert Michel: Yes, they practically have none at the moment partly because of this. But I also want to clarify, because of something that was just said on the panel. The Fourth Amendment is the one that amends the Constitution to the United States, which protects American citizens from the government. So this is exactly the issue and it was brought up in the cases in the 70s, when the Bank Secrecy Act was challenged. If the Bank Secrecy Act were not there, the banks and financial institutions that we have would not be required by the government to collect the data that they are, that is a requirement in the Bank Secrecy Act. And everybody can go back and look at those cases, that was always an issue as to whether this was constitutional and in violation of possibly the Fourth Amendment. So between the combination of the Bank Secrecy Act, the Fourth Amendment issues, and the third party doctrine, Americans, although many of them don't realize it, have very little financial privacy at the moment. 1:26:05 Rep. John Rose (R-TN): How would the adoption of a CBDC further erode Americans' reasonable expectation of financial privacy? Dr. Norbert Michel: I believe it would remove the last layer that we have, quite simply, instead of having to go through the financial institution, the government would have that information either in a central database or a keystroke away. 1:31:05 Raúl Carrillo: We envision hardware devices. So those can be cards, similar in size to an existing debit or credit card, or they can be secured SIM cards, or something like it, on a phone that would enable hardware based transactions and for people to make payments as they do today with paper cash for everyday things without fear of government or corporate surveillance, which occurs in tandem when we use digital payments today. 1:32:20 Raúl Carrillo: I would clarify that the point of Ecash is that it does not operate online. It is actually open, permissionless, and private, in the sense that you don't need a blockchain or a banking intermediary. 1:35:45 Rep. Bryan Steil (R-WI): In your testimony you wrote, "any transfer of $1 deposit from a commercial bank or credit union to a CBDC is $1 unavailable for lending to businesses or consumers." Can you expand a little bit on that statement about how an adoption of an intermediated CBDC would impact credit availability and the cost of banking services? Paige Paridon: Sure. Happy to, thank you. So I think there's a misconception generally, that $1 transferred from a deposit account to a CBDC would mean that CBDC would still be able to be used for lending and investment in the economy the way that dollar deposits currently are now. And that is not the case of CBDC, even if intermediated. In other words, even if the services including onboarding and other services that commercial banks currently provide, even if those services were provided by banks with respect to a consumer's CBDC, the fact is the bank would really only hold that CBDC in the same manner it holds an asset in custody. So it would have to essentially keep that CBDC under the proverbial mattress and it would not be able to be redeployed in the form of loans. 1:41:20 Paige Paridon: If it was an intermediated CBDC, banks would essentially hold CBDC as a custodian. That's right, they wouldn't be able to lend out some portion of the CBDC as they do deposits. 1:42:10 Rep. Sean Casten (D-IL): If you had 100%, CBDCs was all the money supply, you'd have no lending, right? So doesn't any proportional increase in the amount of a CBDC in an economy shrink the economy? Paige Paridon: Well, there could be shifts to other forms of ways to fund lending. Banks could borrow in the wholesale markets, they could potentially borrow from the Federal Reserve. So I'm not necessarily sure it's a one-to-one relationship. 1:46:25 Rep. Mike Flood (R-NE): Ms. Skinner, in your testimony, you mentioned how a CBDC could lead to the Federal Reserve's independence being threatened. Can you speak more on that? Christina Parajon Skinner: Yes, certainly. Thank you for the question. So in the first instance, to the extent the Federal Reserve doesn't change the composition of its balance sheet otherwise, issuing a CBDC will increase its liabilities, which means that it has to match that increase in liabilities by purchasing more assets. So the first thing that we would think about when the Fed would purchase more assets would be buying more Treasury securities. That being said, with the potential for the Fed to issue more CBDC, thereby giving it more headroom to buy more Treasury securities, would be likely to put some pressure on the Fed at some point down the line from the Treasury to issue that CBDC to absorb more government debt, which we call monetary finance or monetizing the deficit. Before World War Two, the Fed essentially operated under the thumb of the Treasury so that during wartime and otherwise, the Fed could effectively monetize the deficit. And really today, that's anathema to an independent central bank. There were other things that the Fed could also be pressured to buy to match an increase in CBDC, like corporate bonds. Now our recent experimentation in corporate bonds has put some question around whether this too could politicize a central bank because inevitably if central banks buy corporate bonds, they are picking winners and losers in the economy. Now, the Fed has been pretty neutral in its approach, but there has been a lot of pressure on the central bank to, for example, buy green bonds in order to facilitate a transition to a low carbon economy and certainly other central banks do actively green their corporate bond portfolios. 2:23:05 Dr. Norbert Michel: I believe this is a question of centralization versus decentralization. And if you have a CBDC, you ultimately have one major point of failure. One way of doing this would be to have the Fed have a database. Well, we know the Fed's been hacked. Even if the Fed has multiple databases, it's the Fed being hacked, as opposed to having multiple private companies all across the country. If Capital One, for example, has a hack or a cybersecurity problem, everybody in the country is not immediately at risk, only their customers, and that's a problem for them. 2:25:25 Rep. William Timmons (R-SC): Based on your research, can you explain what, if any, technological advantage a CBDC has over the private sector? Dr. Norbert Michel: None. And this should be this is properly viewed as a government reaction to a private innovation. We can call it Bitcoin or you could just call it distributed ledger technology in general. That's what this is about. This is about the government seeing an innovation that possibly threatens their control over the payment system and it is a movement to come up with something that takes that back and it just so happens that what they're coming up with here is something that goes even further than where we are without the CBDC. 2:26:45 Christina Parajon Skinner: The status of the dollar is undergirded by our commitment to the rule of law, democratic institutions, having a judiciary that enforces property rights, and perhaps most importantly, maintaining the dollar as a stable store of value. So for there, it's important that the Fed maintain its fight against inflation and with the issuance of the CBDC, there will absolutely be a propensity to over-issue, to for example, monetize the deficit and if that were to happen that would undermine the status of the dollar. 2:29:45 Paige Paridon: A so-called flight to quality is something that we fear would be almost inevitable. Were a retail CBDC to be issued by the Federal Reserve, in times particularly of financial stress or instability, a CBDC would be viewed likely as the ultimate safe asset and depositors would likely be incentivized to pull the deposits out of the banking system and put them into CBDCs as a safe asset, which would reduce the availability of deposits available to lend out, and moreover, increase the cost of credit. 2:31:10 Raúl Carrillo: President Lincoln created cash after the Civil War in order to help everybody have day to day transactions throughout our economy. Today we have cutting edge technology in various other sectors in the government, including in the US military where they use stored value cards known as Eagle Cash in order to make offline payments. 2:33:15 Yuval Rooz: If the US government were to decide to issue a retail CBDC, unlike wholesaled CBDC, I think that it is going to be critical for the government to show an evidence that there is no ability for the government to see transactions of citizens. I personally would be against such an act. 2:35:05 Yuval Rooz: If we wanted to have privacy included in the smart contract of the money, it would state that any movement of money would only be visible to the sender of money and the receiver of money for example, and the issuer of money would be blinded. So all that the issuer would see is the overall balance, but would not see any underlying movements of the money, for example. March 8, 2023 House Financial Services Committee Witnesses: Jerome Powell, Chair, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System Clips 53:50 Rep. French Hill (R-AK): Turning to a topic that's been a subject here for nearly four years: Central Bank Digital Currencies. Article One of the Constitution, reserves coins and money issuance to the Congress and we've in turn delegated that to the US Treasury, which has since 1912 engaged the Federal Reserve as their fiscal agent. You've testified here many times before that to issue a Central Bank Digital Currency that would be have to be authorized by statute by Congress. Is that still your testimony? Jerome Powell: So that is absolutely the case as it relates to a retail CBDC. There are potential forms of a wholesale CBDC that you would need to look at, it's less clear. But we've always been talking about retail CBDC and that's something we would certainly need Congressional approval for. Rep. French Hill (R-AK): What would be a parameter on something that's not a retail CBDC where you think that could be issued in some form or fashion without Congress's direct statutory authorization? Jerome Powell: It would be, for example, something between banks, so it would look an awful lot like a bank reserve. And you might ask, Well, why would we need it? And that's a really good question, too. But just something that's literally within a wholesale market. Rep. French Hill (R-AK): But that speaks that you might have a blockchain between banks and the Fed using a Central Bank Digital Currency token to settle transactions institutionally inside the US. 1:15:40 Jerome Powell: We did go out for comment in general on a CBDC a year or so ago and I do expect that we'll go out, I can't give you a date, but we'll certainly go out and we engage with the public on an ongoing basis. We're also doing research on policy and also on technology. That's what we're up to. Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA): The Boston Fed has a partnership over there with the folks from MIT Media Lab, they're doing a great job, but it says here that the discussions would include technical experimentation. I was just wondering, at what level are you talking about making decisions on architecture for a retail CBDC? Jerome Powell: We're not at the stage of making any real decisions. What we're doing is experimenting, in kind of early stage experimentation. How would this work? Does it work? What's the best technology? What's the most efficient? We're really at an early stage but we're making progress on sort of technological issues. The policy issues are equally important though. You know, we haven't decided that this is something that the financial systems in the country want or need. So that's going to be very important. 1:18:15 Jerome Powell: A CBDC is going to be years in evaluation. 1:18:30 Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA): You know, before the greenback, everybody had their own currency. You know, you had rail rail companies, you had coal companies, you had, you know, state banks that were authorized to issue their own currency. But when the greenback came out, all of those various currencies went to zero, because the greenback had the full faith and credit of the United States behind it. I'm worried about a lot of these Stablecoins and other cryptocurrencies. Do they go to zero when we come up with a CBDC that has the full faith and credit of the United States behind it? We've got 1000s of these out there, and you've got people investing millions and millions of dollars, well trillions right now. And I'm just thinking if we had those advantages built into a CBDC? Wouldn't those alternatives go to zero, if they did not have the transparency and the full faith and credit that we enjoy? Jerome Powell: So certainly, unbacked cryptocurrencies that don't have any intrinsic value, but nonetheless, trade for a positive number, I've never understood the valuation of those. Stablecoins, many of them are really drawing on the credibility of the dollar. They're dollar denominated mainly, dollar-based reserves, although we don't know what's in the reserves because there's no regulation. 2:16:05 Jerome Powell: What we say about permissionless blockchains is that they have been vehicles for fraud -- Rep. Warren Davidson (R-OH): 0.24% if you follow your own report on fraud. It's a fraction of what it is with the US dollar. May 26, 2022 House Financial Services Committee Witness: Lael Brainard, Vice Chair of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System Clips 2:08:30 Rep. John Rose (R-TN): Vice Chair Brainard, we saw how dangerous it can be when the government weaponizes the financial system for political purposes under the Obama administration's Operation Choke Point. More recently, the Canadian government instructed banks to freeze accounts linked to the trucker protests over vaccine mandates. Vice Chair Brainard, without appropriate safeguards, would a CBDC make it easier for the federal government to block individuals it disagrees with from accessing the financial system? Lael Brainard: So I really don't see CBDC as raising questions that are different from deposits and bank accounts, for instance. And the paper that was released in January, in particular, talks about an intermediary model, akin to what we see with commercial bank deposits, where the central bank doesn't have any direct interaction with consumers, doesn't see transactions by consumers, but there are intermediaries and, very importantly, including banks that would be responsible for both identity verification and for keeping that transaction data private. So in that sense, I don't see it it's as really any different than the issues that are raised with commercial bank deposits. June 16, 2021 Committee on Financial Services, Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy Witnesses: Eric B. Lorber, Senior Director, Foundation for Defense of Democracies Clips 43:33 Eric Lorber: The number of transactions which are elicit that use Bitcoin or blockchain technology is actually fairly low percentage wise it's in I believe, below 1% or somewhere around there. So it's fairly small. Music by Editing Production Assistance

My guest today is Ian Gaines. Ian is the Government Relations Assistant Director for The Consortium of Social Science Associations (COSSA) in Washington D.C. COSSA is a nonprofit advocacy organization working to promote and advance the social and behavioral sciences in federal policymaking. Ian has worked with Black Bitcoin Billionaires, Bitcoin Policy Institute, and is co-authoring a book, writing a chapter focusing on economic empowerment. Needless to say, he has played a huge part in a lot of behind the scenes policy work regarding bitcoin in the U.S. In this conversation Ian shares his personal bitcoin journey, provides historical context around financial alternatives needed for marginalized communities in the US, discusses assumptions some progressives have about bitcoin, emphasizes the importance of free speech principles, and touches on upcoming crypto policy/legislation and needed research on bitcoin's real-world societal impact.    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuwzqHXpeuU  COSSA: https://cossa.org/  Black Bitcoin Billionaires: https://www.blackbitcoinbillionaire.com/  Bitcoin Policy Institute: https://www.btcpolicy.org/    Ian Gaines Twitter: https://twitter.com/NatureofG    Trey Walsh  https://nostree.me/Trey@progressivebitcoiner.com    SPONSOR: BitBox: Use promo-code TPB during checkout to get 5% off your purchase: https://bitbox.swiss/tpb  Sazmining: Get $50 off the purchase of a miner using the following link: https://app.sazmining.com/purchase?ref=tpb   Sazmining is a Hosted Bitcoin Mining provider with a commitment to using 100% renewable energy for your mining operation.  A Progressive's Case for Bitcoin: Get a copy of Jason Maier's book “A Progressive's Case for Bitcoin” here, https://bit.ly/3XuEcyV, using promo code TPB for 10% off the book.   TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Start   00:01 Intro 00:02 Ian's bitcoin journey 00:07 Historical context    00:12 Financial alternatives 00:19 Real world impact 00:24 Sponsor break 00:25 Unbanked in the US 00:31 Assumptions about bitcoin 00:38 Free speech principles   00:46 Having honest conversations 00:50 Slippery slope of censorship   00:56 Values from the left 01:00:00 Cultural shift 01:07:00 Bitcoin and national security   01:13:00 Research on bitcoin's impact 01:19:00 Do you think there's a problem? 01:25:00 Making bitcoin accessible 01:27:00 Where is policy moving? 01:31:00 Outro   SUBSCRIBE Website: https://zurl.co/z6c8 RSS: https://zurl.co/wHWC Libsyn: https://zurl.co/Bkw2 Apple Podcasts: https://zurl.co/WPZg    Spotify: https://zurl.co/Y41f   Google: https://zurl.co/Wci3    Amazon: https://zurl.co/io24    Fountain: https://zurl.co/c7bl    Youtube: https://zurl.co/VT9p    FOLLOW Nostr: https://zurl.co/q7qB    Bluesky: https://zurl.co/0w35   Twitter: https://zurl.co/k1ay    Instagram: https://zurl.co/rYZW    Threads: https://zurl.co/KcMx    Facebook: https://zurl.co/Zekf    LinkedIn: https://zurl.co/SGY2    Send Some Sats: https://geyser.fund/project/theprogressivebitcoiner Subscriber Content via Supercast: https://progressivebitcoiner.supercast.com/  Join The Progressive Bitcoiner Community: https://t.me/progressivebitcoiner   

Six months after the high‐​profile failures of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank, the Cato Institute's Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives will host Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Vice Chairman Travis Hill to discuss the state of banking and economic conditions, recent regulatory actions, and the outlook for banks and bank regulators. Following his remarks, Hill will take questions in a moderated discussion. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nicholas Anthony is a policy analyst at the Cato Institute's Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives and works on issues relating to financial privacy, cryptocurrencies, and the use of money in society. Nicholas joins Macro Musings to talk about central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) and the recent developments surrounding CBDCs at the Fed and in Congress. Specifically, David and Nicholas discuss the arguments for and against CBDCs, the preemptive, behavioral, and punitive applications of these currencies, who would benefit from the development of CBDCs, and a lot more.   Transcript for this week's episode.   Nicholas's Twitter @EconWithNick Nicholas's Cato Institute profile   David Beckworth's Twitter: @DavidBeckworth Follow us on Twitter: @Macro_Musings   Join the Macro Musings mailing list! Check out our new Macro Musings merch!   Related Links:   *Central Bank Digital Currency: Assessing the Risks and Dispelling the Myths* by Nicholas Anthony and Norbert Michel   *CBDC Legislation Recap* by Nicholas Anthony   *House Hearing and FOIA Reveals Fed's Stance on CBDC* by Nicholas Anthony   *The Fed's Questionable CBDC Campaign* by Nicholas Anthony   *Who Really Benefits from CBDCs? It's Not the Public* by Nicholas Anthony and Norbert Michel   *Questions of CBDC Cronyism Emerge as Fed Launches Pilot* by Nicholas Anthony   *Nigerians' Rejection of Their CBDC is a Cautionary Tale for Other Countries* by Nicholas Anthony   *Nigeria's CBDC Was Not Chosen. It Was Forced* by Nicholas Anthony   *The Risks of CBDCs: Why Central Bank Digital Currencies Shouldn't Be Adopted* by Norbert Michel and Nicholas Anthony   *The Digital Euro: A Solution Seeking a Problem?* by Martin Arnold and Sam Fleming

George Selgin is a senior fellow and director emeritus of the Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives at the Cato Institute. George is also a frequent guest on Macro Musings, and he rejoins the podcast to talk about some of the recent developments in the monetary and financial policy space. Specifically, David and George discuss the history and present developments surrounding FedNow, the future of real-time payments, how to revise the Fed's operating system, whether the Fed is currently delivering on a soft landing, and a lot more.   Transcript for this week's episode.   George's Twitter: @GeorgeSelgin George Cato Institute profile   David Beckworth's Twitter: @DavidBeckworth Follow us on Twitter: @Macro_Musings   Join the Macro Musings mailing list! Check out our new Macro Musings merch!   Related Links:   *George Selgin on False Dawn: The New Deal and the Promise of Recovery* by Macro Musings   *Getting Up From the Floor* by Claudio Borio   *Opening a Federal Reserve Account* by Julie Hill   *From Cannabis to Crypto: Federal Reserve Discretion in Payments* by Julie Hill   *Fiscal Arithmetic and the Global Inflation Outlook* by Peder Beck-Friis and Richard Clarida

A slew of financial crises that stretch all the way back to the banking Panic of 1907 have been exploited to justify erecting a financial regulatory system that has vastly centralized and expanded federal power over our money.  The irony is that these crises were largely caused, or at least exacerbated, by poorly designed government regulations.  What we have now is an unholy alliance of regulators, mega banks and entrenched special interests who are the chief beneficiaries our system of opaque and complex financial regulation. Adding to this mix is the progressive Left who are now using our financial system to push its DEI and climate change agendas.  Joining me on this episode to explore some of what should be our main concerns and to point the way to solutions are Chris Iacovella, the president of the American Securities Association and Norbert Michel, the director of Cato Institute's Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives. Both are deep subject matter experts who know their way around most every nook and cranny of the deep regulatory state. Read More:   https://billwalton.substack.com/p/financial-regulation-boring-or-terrifying?sd=pf

Susan Pendergrass speaks with Mark A. Calabria about new mortgage regulations designed to increase equity in home ownership, if today's housing market has echoes of the pre-2008 market, what higher interest rates for longer could mean for first-time home buyers, and more. Mark A. Calabria is a senior advisor to the Cato Institute. He provides strategic input and direction on the federal economic policymaking process. He previously served as director of financial regulation at the Cato Institute, where he cofounded Cato's Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives. Find Mark's latest book "Shelter from the Storm: How a COVID Mortgage Meltdown Was Averted" here: https://amzn.to/3ODhPVH Produced by Show-Me Opportunity

On today's show we're taking a look at the consequences of the U.S.'s lack of regulatory clarity and what the important next steps are to keep crypto on-shore, courtesy of Jennifer J. Schulp, the director of financial regulation studies at the CMFA, and Jack Solowey, a policy analyst at the Cato Institute's Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives.Read the full story here.-This episode was edited by Ryan Huntington and produced by Adrian Blust with original music by Doc Blust & Colin Mealey.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On today's show we're taking a look at the consequences of the U.S.'s lack of regulatory clarity and what the important next steps are to keep crypto on-shore, courtesy of Jennifer J. Schulp, the director of financial regulation studies at the CMFA, and Jack Solowey, a policy analyst at the Cato Institute's Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives.Read the full story here.-This episode was edited by Ryan Huntington and produced by Adrian Blust with original music by Doc Blust & Colin Mealey.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Joe Selvaggi talks with financial privacy and digital currency expert Nicholas Anthony of CATO Institute Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives about the potential benefits and risks were the U.S. to adopt a national digital currency. Guest: Nicholas Anthony is a policy analyst in the Cato Institute's Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives and a […]

Joe Selvaggi talks with financial privacy and digital currency expert Nicholas Anthony of CATO Institute Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives about the potential benefits and risks were the U.S. to adopt a national digital currency.

Is the Federal Reserve a godlike Zeus able to control our money and the economy, preserve financial stability and keep a lid on inflation?  Or is it like the Wizard of Oz? A little man behind the curtain pulling levers to create smoke and noise to terrify and control people, but in the end only one market participant among many worldwide.  If you're a bond trader in New York, trying to predict minute day to day changes in interest rates, it's more like Zeus. For the rest of us, I believe, it's like Oz.  Trying to figure out the Fed is a complicated business and I'm delighted to be joined again on this episode by one of my favorite guests and good friend Norbert Michel, who's vice president and director of Cato Institute's Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives. “The Fed does set an interest rate target,” says Norbert, “and they do administratively set a policy rate that they pay on reserves. But the idea that the Fed is sitting down in a basement and turning some dials and cranking up unemployment or cranking down inflation or cranking up GDP, it's just not true.” In this episode we delve into this, and a lot of other news in the headlines about our money. Like whether the United States dollar is likely to lose its status as the world's reserve currency. The United States enjoys an enormous gift which is also a curse: with the world's reserve currency, it can run massive federal budget and trade deficits as long as other countries want to hold dollars. That's not likely to change in the near future. “The US economy is still about a quarter of the global economy. And then almost another quarter of the global economy is China. Well, who on Earth wants to hold Chinese currency when it's controlled by the Chinese Communist Party? And so you're really left with no place else to go.” Norbert is also one of true experts in the very real threat to our liberty that the Biden Administration  (along with many other governments worldwide) is cooking up: a central bank digital currency. “Our paper dollars today are technically liabilities of the Federal Reserve; but with a CBDC, your checking account is with the Fed, giving it potential control of every transaction.”  “On Cato's website we have direct quotes from international government officials talking about how great it is going to be to control what everybody does with their money. So this is real. This is coming.” Given how complicated all this stuff is, Norbert and I try to keep the conversation from getting too dense. Listen in. These are important matters that do concern you and your money.

Interest in central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) has dramatically increased over the past few years. What was once limited to passing ideas in academic papers has now become a leading policy discussion. Yet with it has also come a growing concern for the future of freedom. Will CBDCs spell doom for financial privacy? Do they pose a fundamental threat to the banking system? And how should policymakers think about the future of money?The Cato Institute is pleased to welcome Representative Tom Emmer (R‑MN) to provide an opening address as the first member of Congress to introduce legislation prohibiting the Fed from launching a retail CBDC. Following Rep. Emmer's address, Norbert Michel, vice president and director of the Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives at Cato, will moderate a panel discussion with Greg Baer, Christina Skinner, Christian Kameir, and Nicholas Anthony. Come join us on March 9 for this important conversation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

George Selgin is a senior fellow and director emeritus of the Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives at the Cato Institute. George is also a frequent guest on Macro Musings and he rejoins the podcast to talk about some recent developments in the monetary and fiscal policy space. Specifically, David and George discuss new narratives around shadow banking and the financial crisis, the fiscal cost of large central bank balance sheets, the return of secular stagnation, and a lot more.   Transcript for the episode can be found here.   George's Twitter: @GeorgeSelgin George's Cato profile   David's Twitter: @DavidBeckworth Follow us on Twitter: @Macro_Musings   Click here for the latest Macro Musings episodes sent straight to your inbox! Check out our new Macro Musings merch here!   Related Links:   *A Monetary Policy Primer: Parts 1-12* by George Selgin   *Why Shadow Banking Didn't Cause the Financial Crisis* by Norbert Michel   *The Federal Reserve's Balance Sheet: Costs to Taxpayers of Quantitative Easing* by Andy Levin and Bill Nelson   *The Monetary Executive* by Christina Parajon Skinner   *Secular Stagnation is Not Over* by Olivier Blanchard   *The Hard Road to a Soft Landing: Evidence from a (Modestly) Nonlinear Structural Model* by Randal Verbrugge and Saeed Zaman   *Brazil and Argentina to Start Preparations for a Common Currency* by Michael Stott and Lucinda Elliott   *Floor Systems for Implementing Monetary Policy: Some Unpleasant Fiscal Arithmetic* by Aleksander Berentsen, Christopher Waller, and Alessandro Marchesiani   *Fallen Heroes: Central Banks Face Credibility Crisis as Losses Pile Up* by Johanna Treeck   *SNB Will Shrink Balance Sheet After Record Loss, Citigroup Says* by Bastian Benrath   *George Selgin on False Dawn: The New Deal and the Promise of Recovery* by Macro Musings

Justice Dept. Is Said to Investigate Ticketmaster's Parent Company https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/18/technology/live-nation-ticketmaster-investigation-taylor-swift.html How disappointed Taylor Swift fans explain Ticketmaster's monopoly https://www.vox.com/culture/2022/11/21/23471763/taylor-swift-ticketmaster-monopoly Copy of what's believed to be Hunter Biden's laptop data turned over by repair shop to FBI showed no tampering, analysis says https://www.cbsnews.com/news/hunter-biden-laptop-data-analysis/ Amanda Griffiths joins today's show! You know her as a long time member of the live group, but here's her professional bio: Amanda is a PhD student concentrating on political theory and international relations, with an emphasis on Machiavelli's political thought. She received her M.A. from the University of Chicago and previously worked as the editorial director at the Cato Institute's Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives. With a background in the entertainment industry, academia, and the think tank circuit, she enjoys diving into questions and perspectives across disciplines and ideologies. Amanda's reporting focuses on foreign policy; the future of liberalism; mass opinion; and the relationship between the individual, the market, and the state (with a special interest in decentralized finance). https://www.young-voices.com/advocate/amanda-griffiths/ https://twitter.com/AjaxtheGriff Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

George Selgin is a senior fellow and director emeritus of the Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives at the Cato Institute and is also a long-time returning guest of Macro Musings. In this bonus segment from the previous conversation, George rejoins the podcast to talk about his new book project on the Great Depression titled, False Dawn: The New Deal and the Promise of Recovery. Specifically, David and George discuss the broad contours of the Great Depression, including its causes as well as the pros and cons of the New Deal solutions that followed.   Transcript for the episode can be found here.   George's Twitter: @GeorgeSelgin George's Cato profile   David's Twitter: @DavidBeckworth Follow us on Twitter: @Macro_Musings Click here for the latest Macro Musings episodes sent straight to your inbox!   Related Links:   Macro Musings: *Jason Taylor on the Great Depression, World War II, and “The Big Push”*   Macro Musings: *Doug Irwin on the History of US Trade Policy*   Macro Musings: *Sebastian Edwards on FDR, Gold, and the Great Depression*   *American Default: The Untold Story of FDR, the Supreme Court, and the Battle over Gold* by Sebastian Edwards