Cato Event Podcast

What does life on the front lines of criminal justice actually look like—and what can it teach us about the state of American law today? Please join us for a discussion with Randy Barnett on his new memoir, Felony Review: Tales of True Crime and Corruption in Chicago, a gripping behind-the-scenes account of his years as a young prosecutor in the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Future of Free Speech confronts a stark truth: The right to speak freely is under siege. Once celebrated as a cornerstone of democratic societies, free expression is now met with growing suspicion and retaliation across the globe. In this book, Jacob Mchangama and Jeff Kosseff present a panoramic view of how we arrived at this pivotal moment. They argue for a reinvigorated, global commitment to open dialogue and civic-minded solutions.Join Mchangama and Kosseff for a discussion with moderator David Inserra on how free speech can meet modern challenges without abandoning its foundational role in sustaining democracy, human rights, and shared understanding. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Federal Reserve, established in 1913, has evolved far beyond its original mandate, becoming one of the most debated institutions in the United States. Some critics blame it for economic instability and want it abolished, while some supporters advocate expanding its powers. Over time, the Fed has taken on more responsibilities like achieving specific macroeconomic goals, providing fiscal support to the federal government, and regulating thousands of banks and other financial institutions. This expansion has led to greater government involvement in individuals’ economic lives. As the Federal Reserve is on the cusp of a new leadership regime, the opportunity for reform is greater than ever. Cato Institute scholars Jai Kedia, Research Fellow, and Norbert Michel, Vice President and Director of the Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives, were joined for a timely conversation on their Reforming the Fed series. The discussion was moderated by Eleanor Mueller, Economy Policy Reporter at Semafor, and explor

In the wake of the February 2026 Supreme Court ruling on the legality of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) tariffs, the Trump administration has used alternative authorities to reimpose tariffs, including a 10 percent global tariff under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974.As written, Section 122 allows the president to impose a temporary import tariff of up to 15 percent to: (1) deal with large and serious US balance of payments deficits, (2) prevent an imminent and significant depreciation of the dollar in foreign exchange markets, or (3) cooperate with other countries in correcting an international balance-of-payment disequilibrium. Many experts have questioned, however, whether any of these conditions apply today and thus whether the administration’s new tariffs are, like the IEEPA levies, unlawful.This policy forum will feature a fireside chat with Representative Jimmy Panetta (D‑CA) and the Cato Institute’s Clark Packard on Section 122 and congressional tariff authorities, followe

The universal human drive to matter—to feel our lives hold genuine significance—fuels both our greatest achievements and our deepest divisions. It inspires innovation, care, and cooperation while giving rise to ideological extremism, tribalism, and zero-sum conflicts that can challenge individual liberty and peaceful coexistence.MacArthur Fellow and National Humanities Medalist Rebecca Newberger Goldstein joins us to discuss her latest book, The Mattering Instinct: How Our Deepest Longing Drives Us and Divides Us. Through real-life stories of individuals pursuing meaning—from artists and thinkers to everyday heroes and reformed extremists—Goldstein illustrates how the uniquely human need for meaning inspires “mattering projects” that drive both progress and polarization.Cato research fellow and psychologist Adam Omary will moderate the discussion and offer commentary on the book’s implications for addressing the contemporary crisis of meaning, defending civil liberties, and advancing human progress. Host

In June 2025, when stepping into the Federal Reserve Board’s role of vice chair for supervision, Michelle W. Bowman announced a comprehensive review of the bank capital framework. Since that time, she has introduced changes to two of the framework’s four pillars, the supplementary leverage ratio and the stress-testing regime. As a next step in the comprehensive review, the Federal Reserve, together with the other federal bank regulatory agencies, will introduce proposed changes to the risk-based bank capital requirements.Join Vice Chair for Supervision Bowman at the Cato Institute as she details her comprehensive review and what is next for bank capital requirements and Basel III. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

President Trump has launched a war with Iran, leaving the American public with more questions than answers. Great uncertainty remains around the war’s strategic objectives, the duration of the campaign, and its long-term impacts on the United States, Iran, and the Middle East. Join us for a conversation with leading experts who will examine the possible trajectories of Operation Epic Fury and its broader consequences for the region and beyond. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, many of us think about the heroic figures who formed the foundation of our democracy. The Prohuman Foundation and Sphere Education Initiatives are excited to support you in thinking about these brave Americans by highlighting five unsung heroines who greatly influenced America’s Founding: Elizabeth Freeman, Anna Smith Strong, Nanyehi (Nancy Ward), Deborah Sampson, and Esther de Berdt Reed. During this webinar, we will dive deep into five lessons that encourage students to discover character strengths such as curiosity, courage, humanity, grit, and compassion while developing key skills in literacy and civil discourse. You will hear from the Prohuman Foundation and Sphere about the various ways to engage with these women’s stories in helping your students learn to recognize their own capacities for developing character strengths in their own lives.The webinar will consist of two parts. The first part will include a conversation betw

Thirty years ago, as part of the 1996 Telecommunications Act, Section 230 became law. The law was the result of a bipartisan effort that saw the potential of the internet and sought to encourage innovation and opportunities for online speech. Thirty years later, the law remains crucial to users and innovators of all sizes; however, it has been criticized by both the left and the right.Join us for a day featuring panels on the history of Section 230, the current impact, debates, and legal challenges around the law, and how it might interact with future content moderation strategies including decentralization and technologies such as artificial intelligence. The event will also feature a live virtual conversation with one of Section 230’s co-authors, Senator Ron Wyden (D‑OR). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thirty years ago, as part of the 1996 Telecommunications Act, Section 230 became law. The law was the result of a bipartisan effort that saw the potential of the internet and sought to encourage innovation and opportunities for online speech. Thirty years later, the law remains crucial to users and innovators of all sizes; however, it has been criticized by both the left and the right.Join us for a day featuring panels on the history of Section 230, the current impact, debates, and legal challenges around the law, and how it might interact with future content moderation strategies including decentralization and technologies such as artificial intelligence. The event will also feature a live virtual conversation with one of Section 230’s co-authors, Senator Ron Wyden (D‑OR). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thirty years ago, as part of the 1996 Telecommunications Act, Section 230 became law. The law was the result of a bipartisan effort that saw the potential of the internet and sought to encourage innovation and opportunities for online speech. Thirty years later, the law remains crucial to users and innovators of all sizes; however, it has been criticized by both the left and the right.Join us for a day featuring panels on the history of Section 230, the current impact, debates, and legal challenges around the law, and how it might interact with future content moderation strategies including decentralization and technologies such as artificial intelligence. The event will also feature a live virtual conversation with one of Section 230’s co-authors, Senator Ron Wyden (D‑OR). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thirty years ago, as part of the 1996 Telecommunications Act, Section 230 became law. The law was the result of a bipartisan effort that saw the potential of the internet and sought to encourage innovation and opportunities for online speech. Thirty years later, the law remains crucial to users and innovators of all sizes; however, it has been criticized by both the left and the right.Join us for a day featuring panels on the history of Section 230, the current impact, debates, and legal challenges around the law, and how it might interact with future content moderation strategies including decentralization and technologies such as artificial intelligence. The event will also feature a live virtual conversation with one of Section 230’s co-authors, Senator Ron Wyden (D‑OR). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The debate about US policy toward China hinges on rarely stated judgments about the nature of the challenge. Is China mainly a revisionist or a status quo state? Should the United States keep all its international commitments amid China’s rise? What military posture can best defend those commitments? In his latest book, Retrench, Defend, Compete, Charles Glaser assesses these first-order questions and promotes an alternative US strategy toward China that would retrench from some US commitments in Asia and bolster others. Please join us as Glaser and Patricia Kim discuss the book and grapple with the range of US choices, from grand strategic judgments to specific foreign and military policies. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Qur’an famously declares, “There is no compulsion in religion.” Yet, various forms of religious compulsion persist today in parts of the Muslim world, including death penalties for apostates and blasphemers, legal inequalities that disadvantage women and non-Muslims, and “morality police” who enforce strict norms on society.In this new book from the Cato Institute, Mustafa Akyol has assembled a team of Islamic scholars and intellectuals to articulate arguments against oppressive interpretations of Islam. Drawing on scriptural insights and contemporary realities, they contend that the Qur’anic principle of “no compulsion in religion” should be embraced fully, without exceptions.At this forum, Akyol will summarize key arguments from the book. Mirwais Balkhi will offer his commentary on the book’s significance for Afghanistan and the broader Muslim world. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As we approach the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, we recall the key principles that form America’s foundation. Of these, the “certain unalienable rights” the Founders declared are “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Yet, the Founders saw “liberty” not as the freedom to do whatever one wants—but rather the freedom to act and live in ways that promote virtue. How does this understanding of liberty apply to our classrooms? How does civil discourse and viewpoint diversity create space for students to be free to act in ways that promote virtue? In this webinar, we’ll explore how the Founding concept of liberty, combined with principles of civil discourse, can guide discussions of challenging topics. Topics that will be covered include the problem of self‐​censorship and the challenges of teaching content that some might find controversial, such as Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. We’ll examine ways that educators can create spaces for students to cou

For centuries, the greatest protection against unjust convictions and punishments was the institution of jury independence, including so-called “jury nullification.” The prosecutions of John Moore and Tanner Mansell illustrate a scenario in which jurors—apprised of their historic injustice-preventing powers—would have rendered a not guilty verdict. But because John and Tanner’s jurors, who appeared desperate for a way to acquit, weren’t informed of their historic prerogative to acquit against the evidence to prevent injustice, they had no option but to convict.When the Cato Institute’s Project on Criminal Justice learned of John’s and Tanner’s plights, we took their case to the highest levels of government—ultimately resulting in presidential pardons for each of them. Please join us as we hear first-hand accounts, discuss what went wrong, explore how Cato got involved, and consider solutions to the pathology of unjust prosecutions and convictions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Winner of the Grand Prize for Documentary at the 2025 South by Southwest Film Festival, Shuffle is filmmaker Benjamin Flaherty’s powerful exposé of unintended consequences in American health policy. Through intimate portraits of people seeking recovery from opioid addiction, Flaherty reveals how federal mandates—particularly within the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid—have unintentionally enabled predatory rehab operators to turn human suffering into revenue streams. The federal mandates are likely even increasing and subsidizing suffering, rather than reducing it.Join us for a screening of Shuffle in the Cato Institute’s F. A. Hayek Auditorium, followed by a discussion of what the film uncovers about the incentives that are shaping America’s addiction-treatment system and how policymakers, clinicians, and advocates can work toward more effective solutions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the name of material progress, the West has sought to develop and frequently exploit the less-developed “rest.” William Easterly will draw from 400 years of history—ranging from the conquest of the Americas and the Atlantic slave trade to colonization in Asia and Africa and the invention of the Third World—to show how the West has justified different forms of intervention in the societies it has purportedly intended to improve. Easterly will explain why development based on consent, choice, and human agency is superior to an approach that neglects dignity, focuses narrowly on material improvements, and too often justifies various degrees of coercion. Deirdre McCloskey will comment on the fundamental role of freedom in development. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As America’s debt climbs and the danger of a fiscal crisis grows, is it time to add a constitutional guardrail? In Fiscal Democracy in America, Kurt Couchman proposes a principles-based balanced budget amendment (BBA) to address the persistent deficits in Washington in a flexible and politically feasible manner. Marc Goldwein draws on his experience in fiscal commissions and provides a challenge to the BBA as a silver-bullet solution to America’s fiscal crisis.How could a principles-based BBA work, and how would it handle entitlement programs, recessions, and crises? Why did previous attempts at a BBA fail, and what makes a principles-based BBA different? Is a BBA just a distraction from adopting specific policy reforms? And if an amendment were adopted, do other reforms need to occur to complement its implementation? Join us for a discussion with Kurt Couchman and Marc Goldwein, moderated by Romina Boccia. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The school choice movement is often seen as a modern, partisan undermining of a cherished institution: public education. Fighting for the Freedom to Learn shows that the struggle for educational freedom is not new but an enduring part of US history. It is rooted in traditions of parents and communities shaping how children learn and perpetual struggles for people without political power to get the education they believe they need.Join us to discuss this important new book! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.