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Each week on Cato Podcast, leading scholars and policymakers from the Cato Institute delve into the big ideas shaping our world: individual liberty, limited government, free markets, and peace. Whether unpacking current events, debating civil liberties, exploring technological innovation, or tracing the history of classical liberal thought, we promise insightful analysis grounded in rigorous research and Cato’s signature libertarian perspective.
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AI policy discussions increasingly hinge on control: who sets the terms for how AI can be used, what it can say, and who gets access. Cato's Ryan Bourne hosts Jennifer Huddleston, Senior Fellow in Technology Policy, to discuss the federal government’s escalating dispute with Anthropic, New York’s proposal to police chatbot advice, and the public fears making restrictive AI policy more politically attractive. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Beyond the immediate crisis, the conversation explores the unintended consequences of military escalation in the Middle East and the limits of U.S. policy responses once global energy flows are disrupted. Cato's Evan Sankey and Colin Grabow examine how great-power politics, alliance commitments, and domestic economic pressures will shape the administration’s next moves as the conflict unfolds. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The push for new federal databases and legislation like the SAVE Act is often justified as necessary to stop widespread unlawful voting. But according to election administrators and investigators, confirmed cases are vanishingly rare. Cato's Walter Olson and Stephen Richer explore how voter roll audits actually work, why database matching can produce misleading headlines, and what the evidence reveals about the scale of the problem. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
As the White House signals openness to escalation and murky and conflicting objectives, uncertainty clouds both the legal basis and strategic endgame of U.S. involvement in Iran. The Cato Institute's Justin Logan, Thomas Berry, and Brandan P. Buck examine the constitutional and political questions surrounding the U.S. war on Iran. They explore whether the president has legal authority to initiate hostilities without congressional approval, why President Trump launched the war and how it might end, and why Congress struggles to reclaim its war-making authority. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
President Trump’s State of the Union on Tuesday was a full-throated victory lap: America is supposedly “bigger, better, richer and stronger than ever.” Cato’s Ryan Bourne, Clark Neily, and Evan Sankey separate truth from exaggeration—testing the economic claims, unpacking the legal fight over tariff power, and decoding the foreign-policy moves behind the applause lines. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Cato’s Katherine Thompson sits down with Matt Duss of the Center for International Policy to examine the persistent conflict between Congress and the presidency over war powers. From potential military action against Iran to past debates over Yemen and Venezuela, they explore how successive administrations have expanded executive authority and why Congress has struggled to reclaim its constitutional role. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Ryan Bourne sits down with Cato’s Adam Michel to unpack what the 2026 tax year will bring, including new provisions commonly described as “no tax on tips” and “no tax on overtime." They also explore the economics of California's billionaire tax ballot initiative, and whether Trump Accounts are a good savings vehicle. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
From organizing pioneering conferences in China and the Soviet Union to insisting on rigorous scholarship and principled advocacy, Ed Crane brought classical liberal ideas into mainstream policy debates. Ian Vásquez, Jim Dorn, and Aaron Steelman share firsthand stories about Cato’s growth, Crane’s strategic vision, and the long-term approach that shaped debates on markets, foreign policy, and individual liberty around the world. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
1A new ideology is gaining influence on the American right: postliberalism. In this episode, Cato Institute economist Ryan Bourne speaks with Phil Magness of the Independent Institute about what postliberalism is, where it came from, and why it matters in today’s political debates.They explore the key thinkers and personalities behind the postliberal movement, its critique of classical liberalism, and its views on executive power, the American founding, constitutionalism, and contemporary public policy. The conversation examines how postliberal ideas are shaping modern conservatism and what they could mean for the future of American politics. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Cato’s Scott Lincicome sits down with Washington Post editorial writer Dominic Pino to explore what professional sports reveal about trade, immigration, and competition. From a talent-filled, globe-spanning World Series to the NHL’s influx of Soviet and Russian players, they show how “imports” raise quality, delight consumers, and expose the contradictions in protectionist thinking. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
As debates over gun rights intensify, recent shootings in Minnesota reveal how quickly constitutional protections can unravel in practice. Cato's Clark Neily and Matthew Cavedon discuss the dangers of treating firearms as intrinsic hazards, the hypocrisy of selective Second Amendment support, and why protecting unpopular speakers and armed protesters is essential to preserving civil liberties for everyone. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
For more than a century, the Federal Reserve has accumulated responsibilities far beyond monetary policy, from bank regulation to payments and emergency lending. The Cato Institute's Nick Anthony, Norbert Michel, and Jai Kedia break down what the Fed actually controls, what it does not, and why inflation, debt, and financial instability cannot be fixed by interest-rate tweaks alone. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
After more than two decades of socialist rule, Venezuela faces a rare opportunity for democratic transition following Maduro’s removal. Ian Vásquez and Marcos Falcone trace the regime’s record of repression and economic collapse, explain why regime insiders cannot credibly deliver reform, and make the case for immediate engagement with María Corina Machado and the opposition that overwhelmingly won the 2024 election. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Cato’s Neal McCluskey is joined by Cheryl Fields-Smith, Matthew Lee, and Ron Matus to discuss the new book Fighting for the Freedom to Learn and the centuries-long movement for school choice in America. They challenge the myth that school choice is a modern or partisan project, showing how diverse communities, religious groups, progressives, and parents have long sought pluralistic education options, which is the only way to deliver education consistent with a free and diverse society. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
With aircraft carriers moving into position and calls for “new leadership” in Tehran growing louder, the risk of U.S. military action remains high despite the absence of a coherent strategy. The Cato Institute's Brandan P. Buck and Jon Hoffman argue that vague objectives, inflated threat perceptions, and regime-change fantasies threaten to pull the United States into a costly war that Americans do not want. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
From over-the-counter drugs to employer-controlled health benefits, Cato's Michael Cannon and Dr. Jeffrey Singer argue that real health reform means giving patients control over their own money rather than reshuffling subsidies. They explain how freeing short-term plans, deregulating prescriptions, and ending tax favoritism for employer insurance could deliver lower prices, broader choice, and more durable reform than another round of federal spending. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Cato's David Bier and Chris Edwards discuss the welfare fraud scandals in Minnesota, including the $250 million Feeding Our Future scam, to explain how federal money flowing through state programs creates weak oversight and incentives for abuse. They argue that the structure of federal aid to states, not immigration or individual bad actors, is the core driver of fraud in welfare, housing, and health programs. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
As data centers begin demanding power at the scale of entire cities, the electricity system is running headlong into regulatory barriers built for a different era. The Cato Institute's Travis Fisher sits down with Glen Lyons, the founder of Advocates for Consumer Regulated Electricity, to explore proposals for off-grid utilities, Senator Tom Cotton’s new legislation, and how market-based approaches could accelerate supply while protecting consumers from rising costs and reliability risks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The arrest of Nicolás Maduro raises hard questions about presidential power, congressional authority, and the legal boundaries of military force. Cato's Brandan P. Buck and Clark Neily analyze the operation’s status under U.S. and international law, its implications for future conflicts, and why ambiguity has become the executive branch’s most dangerous tool. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
A Russian dissident living in exile finds her US bank accounts closed after being labeled an extremist by the Kremlin. Nicholas Anthony interviews Anna Chekhovich of the Anti-Corruption Foundation about her experience being debanked. Together, they unpack how sanctions, anti-money laundering rules, and financial surveillance systems enable authoritarian governments to silence critics beyond their borders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Great thing is that we are moving into a world that is described in this episode. The current court isneven going towards restoring the non-delegation doctrine.
Zoning laws are a government "taking" of your private property rights. Local government #Tyranny #LocalGovernment #RLC
I think it's very odd that people who make their living financing start-ups (taking considerable risk) would make the decision to keep enormous sums in one bank. Not so smart. A venture capital risk in a venture capital bank! Deposit bailout over 250K? Why not take a BIG haircut and learn a lesson? Hope the Fed has a really good answer for saving the VC's from their own mistake, Especially since they triggered the bank run in the first place!
Caleb Brown is such a liberal shill
Great episode. Brilliant guests!
Most democrats are free trade?! What a bunch of nonsense. Dems only wanted more free trade because Trump was against free trade and the Trump Derangement Syndrome kicks in immediately. It was all politics. Both Dems and GOP don't have any principles but you only great only side of the story because of the Fake News™ media.
I'm surprised that Cato never made a similar episode for the BLM terrorists looting and rioting and burning down businesses. The hypocrisy is staggering.
What a pile of garbage. The worst thing Cato has ever produced. Tyler was a great president--one of the greatest.
Damn it! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkFZyXppx8s
The one HUGE elephant in the room that no-one is talking about is our hopelessly undereducated workforce. It became clear to me a few years ago that the Government is "dumbing down" the population to expand Government control to tyrannical levels. In turn this undereducated mass of morons try to get a college education, which in turn proves to be too hard for them to complete so in this hopeless cycle, the Universities "dumb down" too until, in the not too distant future, we become a defacto Third World nation controlled by an unelected and tyrannical one- party system. It is not too late however to change this. Reserve Public education for the mentally disabled and the "poorest of the poor" everyone who wants their children to succeed and compete will put them in Private Schools, Homeschooling and Religious Schools. As the population's IQ slowly goes back up again, the massive overreach of the Federal Government will retract because there will be less clients for the Government to ens
You guys are often smart or at least well thought out but this is a pathetic argument.
I should be able to do whatever I want as long as it doesn’t hurt someone else. If my drug use causes a problem, say I rob someone, then I should be punished. The government has no right to decide what I do with my body.
this is probably the first episode of your show where I don't completely agree. people need dissenting voice within the administration to make sure things are going on a righteous path and not be corrupted by power.
This is probably one of the most kick-ass podcasts; touching so many pressing and controversial topics, yet sounding so neutral. It is often very technical, but very digestible.
As sympathetic as I am toward the children involved, their parents ARE to blame for breaking our laws. I do agree that the companies should face stronger penalties for hiring illegals. I am very disappointed that the commentators in this podcast do not recognize the social compact underwriting our democracy requires that people obey all laws, not just the ones they like.
$30k-$40k for a year at Harvard? I don't think so.
Cato and Mises for the win! Thank you
Cato promoting UBI now? Haha.
A disappointing episode. The guest said a lot while saying virtually nothing. Blabbering critical rhetoric sans evidentiary examples of policy and methodological reforms and improvememts makes for a wasted podcast. As a traditional conservative, I value Cato's Daily Podcast as a source for rational and well-informed intellectuals who speak clearly and cleanly on befuddling and messy issues. Cato is one of the very few relatively low-bias organizations who thus serve as a significant voice in these often uncomfortable, but necessary, conversations. It is absolutely critical that, whatever our position, we intentionally seek out and hear varying and opposing positions. Without multiple avenues of dialogue, we cease to grow and progress. This episode failed to provide the typically adequate+ level of engagement for which Cato has proven reliable. This was an important topic; please try again.
so how do we get out from under a 500B trade deficit then? you say this spells bad things for American workers, well how has our trade helped us the last 20 years? it's time to stand up for ourselves.