Cato Event Podcast

The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is currently being renegotiated by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. On the campaign trail, President Donald Trump promised to get a better deal, or walk away entirely from NAFTA if necessary. Amidst the air of uncertainty surrounding the talks, a productive discussion surrounding the prospects and challenges to modernizing NAFTA has emerged. Though NAFTA was a cutting–edge trade deal in 1994, international trade has transformed significantly since then, most notably with the advent of the digital economy. This full–day conference explores both the politics and reality of the NAFTA negotiations, and puts forward ideas for what a modern NAFTA could look like. SESSION III: POLITICS & REALITYPhil Levy, Chicago Council on Foreign AffairsRicardo Ramirez, Appellate Body Member, World Trade OrganizationBill Reinsch, Stimson CenterModerator: Scott Lincicome, Adjunct Scholar, Herbert A. Stiefel Center for Trade Policy Studies, Cato Institute See acast.com/privac

The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is currently being renegotiated by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. On the campaign trail, President Donald Trump promised to get a better deal, or walk away entirely from NAFTA if necessary. Amidst the air of uncertainty surrounding the talks, a productive discussion surrounding the prospects and challenges to modernizing NAFTA has emerged. Though NAFTA was a cutting–edge trade deal in 1994, international trade has transformed significantly since then, most notably with the advent of the digital economy. This full–day conference explores both the politics and reality of the NAFTA negotiations, and puts forward ideas for what a modern NAFTA could look like. SESSION II: THE DEBATE OVER NAFTAMarta Bengoa, City College of New YorkSteve Charnovitz, George Washington University Law SchoolDan Griswold, Mercatus CenterAlvaro Santos, Georgetown University Law CenterTodd Tucker, Roosevelt InstituteChristopher Wilson, Wilson CenterModerator: Dan Ikenson, Director, H

The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is currently being renegotiated by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. On the campaign trail, President Donald Trump promised to get a better deal, or walk away entirely from NAFTA if necessary. Amidst the air of uncertainty surrounding the talks, a productive discussion surrounding the prospects and challenges to modernizing NAFTA has emerged. Though NAFTA was a cutting–edge trade deal in 1994, international trade has transformed significantly since then, most notably with the advent of the digital economy. This full–day conference explores both the politics and reality of the NAFTA negotiations, and puts forward ideas for what a modern NAFTA could look like. WELCOMING REMARKSSimon Lester, Trade Policy Analyst, Herbert A. Stiefel Center for Trade Policy Studies, Cato InstituteSESSION I: NAFTA'S ORIGIN & PURPOSEJohn Weekes, Bennett JonesRufus Yerxa, National Foreign Trade CouncilRicardo Ramirez, Appellate Body Member, World Trade OrganizationModerator: Ji

From Cato University 2017: College of History and Philosophy See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In the past decade and a half, the government of Venezuela received over $1 trillion in oil revenues, and yet the country is now suffering from a deep humanitarian crisis with its population struggling to feed itself. As a correspondent for Dow Jones and the Wall Street Journal, Raúl Gallegos witnessed first-hand how the mismanagement of oil riches during the rule of Hugo Chávez led to Venezuela's current misery. Gallegos will explain how mismanaged oil has created perverse incentives in the political system, the business community, and among ordinary Venezuelans. Gustavo Coronel will offer his insights on what should be the future of the oil sector in a democratic Venezuela. Please join us for a timely discussion. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Before the outbreak of World War I, government spending as a share of gross domestic product in the developed world averaged 13 percent and the role of public officials in the lives of the citizenry was restricted to a few core functions, including justice and national defense. At the dawn of the 21st century, average government spending among rich countries stood at 44 percent of gross domestic product and the scope of government had grown immensely. Please join us as our panel looks at the influence of the Bolshevik Revolution on intellectuals, policymakers, and the public debate in the West concerning the proper role of government and its subsequent growth. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The first months of the Trump administration have confirmed that criminal justice will remain a contentious issue for the foreseeable future. Trump's "law and order" rhetoric on the campaign trail has led to significant changes in federal criminal justice policy. At the state and local levels, lawmakers are struggling with the opioid epidemic, overincarceration, and how to work with new federal enforcement goals.In the current environment, how should legislators tackle the most serious and enduring criminal justice issues? What policies should be implemented? What should officials' priorities be? To answer these and other questions, experts from courtrooms, universities, law enforcement agencies, and think tanks will gather at the Cato Institute for its third annual criminal justice conference, Criminal Justice at a Crossroads. We hope that you will join us. KeynoteKevin Sharp Nashville Managing Partner, Sanford Heisler Sharp, and former Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Middle Dist

The first months of the Trump administration have confirmed that criminal justice will remain a contentious issue for the foreseeable future. Trump's "law and order" rhetoric on the campaign trail has led to significant changes in federal criminal justice policy. At the state and local levels, lawmakers are struggling with the opioid epidemic, overincarceration, and how to work with new federal enforcement goals.In the current environment, how should legislators tackle the most serious and enduring criminal justice issues? What policies should be implemented? What should officials' priorities be? To answer these and other questions, experts from courtrooms, universities, law enforcement agencies, and think tanks will gather at the Cato Institute for its third annual criminal justice conference, Criminal Justice at a Crossroads. We hope that you will join us. Panel 4: The Drug War and the Opioid Crisis: Approaches and RemediesLeo Beletsky, professor, School of Law & Bouvé College of Health Sciences, N

The first months of the Trump administration have confirmed that criminal justice will remain a contentious issue for the foreseeable future. Trump's "law and order" rhetoric on the campaign trail has led to significant changes in federal criminal justice policy. At the state and local levels, lawmakers are struggling with the opioid epidemic, overincarceration, and how to work with new federal enforcement goals.In the current environment, how should legislators tackle the most serious and enduring criminal justice issues? What policies should be implemented? What should officials' priorities be? To answer these and other questions, experts from courtrooms, universities, law enforcement agencies, and think tanks will gather at the Cato Institute for its third annual criminal justice conference, Criminal Justice at a Crossroads. We hope that you will join us. Flash TalkWilliam R. Kelly, professor of sociology and director of the Center for Criminology and Criminal Justice Research at the University of Tex

The first months of the Trump administration have confirmed that criminal justice will remain a contentious issue for the foreseeable future. Trump's "law and order" rhetoric on the campaign trail has led to significant changes in federal criminal justice policy. At the state and local levels, lawmakers are struggling with the opioid epidemic, overincarceration, and how to work with new federal enforcement goals.In the current environment, how should legislators tackle the most serious and enduring criminal justice issues? What policies should be implemented? What should officials' priorities be? To answer these and other questions, experts from courtrooms, universities, law enforcement agencies, and think tanks will gather at the Cato Institute for its third annual criminal justice conference, Criminal Justice at a Crossroads. We hope that you will join us. Panel 3: Criminal Justice and the BorderDara Lind, senior reporter, Vox.comLaura Donohue, professor of law at Georgetown University Law CenterJay Ah

The first months of the Trump administration have confirmed that criminal justice will remain a contentious issue for the foreseeable future. Trump's "law and order" rhetoric on the campaign trail has led to significant changes in federal criminal justice policy. At the state and local levels, lawmakers are struggling with the opioid epidemic, overincarceration, and how to work with new federal enforcement goals.In the current environment, how should legislators tackle the most serious and enduring criminal justice issues? What policies should be implemented? What should officials' priorities be? To answer these and other questions, experts from courtrooms, universities, law enforcement agencies, and think tanks will gather at the Cato Institute for its third annual criminal justice conference, Criminal Justice at a Crossroads. We hope that you will join us. Flash TalkAlyssa Rosenberg, opinion writer, Washington PostAmy Bach, Executive Director and President of Measures for Justice See acast.com/privacy

The first months of the Trump administration have confirmed that criminal justice will remain a contentious issue for the foreseeable future. Trump's "law and order" rhetoric on the campaign trail has led to significant changes in federal criminal justice policy. At the state and local levels, lawmakers are struggling with the opioid epidemic, overincarceration, and how to work with new federal enforcement goals.In the current environment, how should legislators tackle the most serious and enduring criminal justice issues? What policies should be implemented? What should officials' priorities be? To answer these and other questions, experts from courtrooms, universities, law enforcement agencies, and think tanks will gather at the Cato Institute for its third annual criminal justice conference, Criminal Justice at a Crossroads. We hope that you will join us. Panel 2: The Defendant in CourtHon. Jed Rakoff, Senior Judge, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New YorkScott Greenfield, criminal de

The first months of the Trump administration have confirmed that criminal justice will remain a contentious issue for the foreseeable future. Trump's "law and order" rhetoric on the campaign trail has led to significant changes in federal criminal justice policy. At the state and local levels, lawmakers are struggling with the opioid epidemic, overincarceration, and how to work with new federal enforcement goals.In the current environment, how should legislators tackle the most serious and enduring criminal justice issues? What policies should be implemented? What should officials' priorities be? To answer these and other questions, experts from courtrooms, universities, law enforcement agencies, and think tanks will gather at the Cato Institute for its third annual criminal justice conference, Criminal Justice at a Crossroads. We hope that you will join us. Flash TalkHon. Steven S. Alm, Judge (ret.), First Circuit Court of Hawai'i, creator of HOPE Probation See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out

The first months of the Trump administration have confirmed that criminal justice will remain a contentious issue for the foreseeable future. Trump's "law and order" rhetoric on the campaign trail has led to significant changes in federal criminal justice policy. At the state and local levels, lawmakers are struggling with the opioid epidemic, overincarceration, and how to work with new federal enforcement goals.In the current environment, how should legislators tackle the most serious and enduring criminal justice issues? What policies should be implemented? What should officials' priorities be? To answer these and other questions, experts from courtrooms, universities, law enforcement agencies, and think tanks will gather at the Cato Institute for its third annual criminal justice conference, Criminal Justice at a Crossroads. We hope that you will join us. Opening RemarksClark Neily, Vice President for Criminal Justice, Cato InstitutePanel 1: Law Enforcement and the Communities They ServeChief Ron Davi

Communist totalitarian regimes that sprang up after the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917 did not aim simply to change social and economic relations between individuals and the state. They aimed to transform human nature in order to create a “New Man.” The New Man’s behavior and beliefs would adhere to the tenets of Marxism-Leninism. He would be free of selfishness and base instincts such as nationalism and class consciousness. He would be austere, disciplined, hardworking, and willing to sacrifice himself for the common good. But man is not a blank slate. The incompatibility of communist ideas and human nature necessitated a massive expansion of propaganda, to brainwash those who could be influenced, and terror, to eliminate those deemed irredeemable. Please join us as our panel looks at the means that the communist state employed and the continued application of those “novel” techniques today. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

At the end of the Second World War, Hong Kong lived up to its description as “the barren island.” It had few natural resources, its trade and infrastructure lay in tatters, its small manufacturing base had been destroyed, and its income per capita was less than a quarter of its mother country, Britain. But by the time of the handover of Hong Kong to China in 1997, it was one of the most prosperous nations on Earth. By 2015, its GDP per capita was more than 40 percent higher than Britain’s. How did that happen? Around the world, postwar governments turned to industrial planning, Keynesian deficits, and high inflation to stimulate their economies. The government of Hong Kong rejected this emerging global consensus. The colony’s laissez-faire policies were implemented by a handful of civil servants, the most important of whom was John Cowperthwaite, deputy and then Financial Secretary of the colony between 1951 and 1971. He, more than anyone, shaped the economic policies of Hong Kong and set the stage for the te

President Trump has indicated that he may withhold certification of Iranian compliance with the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also known as the Iran nuclear deal.Yet the International Atomic Energy Agency, along with America’s European allies, Russia, and China are all in consensus that Iran is in fact complying with its obligations under the agreement. If President Trump chooses not to certify Iranian compliance on October 15, he will initiate a process likely to unravel the JCPOA and relinquish the most intrusive nuclear inspections program in the world.All of Washington’s policy options outside the JCPOA—including reimposing economic sanctions, challenging Iranian influence in the Middle East, supporting opposition groups in hopes of regime change, and outright military action—involve serious costs and risks greater than the status quo.Join us for a discussion of the available options, their relative strengths and weaknesses, and the potential consequences of abandoning the Iran nuclear

Sixteen years ago, the United States initiated combat operations in Afghanistan in response to the terrorist attacks of 9/11. Goals have changed marginally over the years, but they typically include defeating al Qaeda and other terrorist groups with global reach, strengthening the Afghan government and security forces to prevent the Taliban from retaking political power, and denying terrorists a safe haven. Recently, the secretary of defense noted, “We are not winning in Afghanistan right now.” The United States appears set to respond with a nominal troop surge, but both the strategy and the U.S. commitment appear uncertain.Can a mini-surge reasonably achieve these or lesser goals? What costs and benefits are associated with a modest surge or the other potential policy choices, such as a negotiated settlement or completely removing U.S. military forces? What evidence do the past 16 years offer in support of the various strategies? How will Afghanistan look in another 16 years? Please join us for a wide-rangin

President Trump has repeatedly signaled his intention to declare Iran in violation of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also known as the Iran nuclear deal.The problem is that Iran is in fact complying with its obligations under the deal, which significantly rolled back Iran’s nuclear program, imposed strict limits on what remained, and subjected Iran to the most intrusive inspections regime in the world.The alternative policy options outside the JCPOA are unappealing. In a new Cato Policy Analysis, Emma Ashford and John Glaser assess the costs of four alternatives – sanctions, challenging Iranian influence in the Middle East, supporting internal groups to foment regime change, and military action – and conclude they all carry unacceptably high risks and threaten to exacerbate the very behavior Iran hawks hope to forestall.Join us online for a discussion of these alternatives and send your questions using #CatoConnects. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) is a U.S. government program that provides resources to targeted communities, predominantly American Muslims, ostensibly to root out extremism before it results in violence. The program involves law enforcement agencies that partner with community leaders such as teachers, religious leaders, and health professionals to identify allegedly at-risk community members and steer them away from violence.The program is controversial for a variety of reasons. Is the government’s theory of radicalization sound? Is the Muslim community unfairly singled out? Are targeted communities compromising their rights by assisting the government, or is this a productive partnership? Has the election of Donald Trump changed the CVE discussion? Join us for a timely and important debate. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.