The Cato Weekly Podcast

From Trump's tariff powers to police access to cellphone location data, the Supreme Court's latest term tackled major questions about the limits of government power and the protection of individual rights.Rikki Schlott sits down with Thomas Berry, director of Cato's Robert A. Levy Center for Constitutional Studies, to break down the term's biggest cases. They discuss executive power, independent agencies, free speech, government surveillance, and the constitutional battles still ahead.Cato Supreme Court Review: https://www.cato.org/supreme-court-review/2025-2026 Producer: Barbara GallettiPost Production: Sedona LaMarreAudio Engineer: Cecil ShermanDirector of Photography: Darren WalkerAssistant Producer: Shaneen GevorgizMotion Graphics: Jonathan FieldsOriginal Music: Cecil ShermanExecutive Producer: Kristina Kendall Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why is American health care so expensive and complicated? Michael F. Cannon argues that its roots can be traced back to a often forgotten feature of the federal tax code: a supposed tax break that actually mandates expensive, low-quality health insurance. Rikki Schlott sits down with Cannon to unpack how the tax code reshaped our health care system, distorted labor and health care markets, and left workers with less control over how their own compensation is spent.Read Michael's article "The Original Sin of US Health Policy": https://www.cato.org/study/original-sin-us-health-policyProducer: Barbara GallettiEditor: Darren WalkerPost Production: Sedona LaMarreDirector of Photography: Jonathan FieldsAudio Engineer: Cecil ShermanAssistant Editor: Lester RomeroAssistant Producer: Elcid DemonteverdeMotion Graphics: Jonathan FieldsOriginal Music: Cecil ShermanExecutive Producer: Kristina Kendall Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Housing, healthcare, groceries, and the cost of living give us plenty to worry about. But how bad was life before modern conveniences transformed human life?Paul Meany sits down with Chelsea Follett, author of The Grim Old Days: An Introduction to the Preindustrial Past, to explore what everyday life was really like before antibiotics, refrigeration, indoor plumbing, and modern sanitation. From romanticized visions of the past to the extraordinary improvements we often take for granted, they examine why understanding that history matters for how we see the world today. Buy Chelsea's new book here: https://www.cato.org/books/grim-old-days Producer: Barbara GallettiPost Production: Sedona LaMarreAudio Engineer: Cecil ShermanOriginal Music: Cecil Sherman Director of Photography: Darren WalkerAssistant Editors: Lester Romero and Shaneen GevorgizAssistant Producer: Elcid Demonteverde Motion Graphics: Jonathan FieldsExecutive Producer: Kristina Kendall Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Everything about the Trump administration’s oil deal with Venezuela is troubling: It was negotiated in secret, raises questions about its legality and transparency, and was made with Venezuela’s unelected interim government.Ian Vasquez joins Laura Bondank-Harmon to explain why the agreement could undermine Venezuela’s democratic transition. Read more of Ian's work here: https://www.cato.org/blog/everything-about-us-venezuela-oil-deal-troublesome Producer: Barbara GallettiPost Production: Sedona LaMarreAudio Engineer: Cecil ShermanOriginal Music: Cecil Sherman Director of Photography: Darren WalkerAssistant Editor: Lester RomeroMotion Graphics: Jonathan FieldsExecutive Producer: Kristina Kendall Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Young Americans are leaving home, finding jobs, buying homes, starting families, and saving for retirement later than previous generations. But is this a problem with young people, or are bad policies getting in their way?Rikki Schlott sits down with Cato’s Ryan Bourne to explore how regulations, inflation, and government intervention can make these steps into adulthood harder and more expensive. Read Cato's "Handbook on Affordability" here: https://www.cato.org/handbook-affordabilityRead Rikki's article "The Peter Pan State: How Bad Policy Delays Adulthood" here: https://www.cato.org/free-society/spring/summer-2026/peter-pan-state-how-bad-policy-delays-adulthoodProducer & Video Editor: Barbara GallettiPost Production: Sedona LaMarreAudio Engineer: Cecil ShermanOriginal Music: Cecil Sherman Director of Photography: Jonathan FieldsAssistant Producer: Elcid Demonteverde Assistant Editor: Lester Romero Motion Graphics: Jonathan FieldsExecutive Producer: Kristina Kendall Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.