Cato Event Podcast

Free Trade, Free Markets: Rating the 112th Congress

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 16:00:00 -0400

While many members of Congress claim to support free trade, Cato’s congressional trade votes database tells a different story. Rather than simply noting support or opposition to trade liberalization, Cato’s Free Trade, Free Markets methodology distinguishes between trade barriers and trade subsidies. As a result, the database allows researchers to evaluate members of Congress more precisely. In particular, voting patterns during the 112th Congress shed light on the relative importance of ideology, regionalism, and partisanship in setting trade policy. Many members who consistently support lowering barriers also consistently support expanding subsidies. So who are the real free traders in Congress? And what do the voting records of the 112th Congress tell us about the prospects for trade policy in the current term?

Halbig v. Sebelius: 'All of ObamaCare Hangs on the Outcome'

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 16:00:00 -0400

In Halbig v. Sebelius, four individual taxpayers and three employers are challenging a seemingly obscure IRS decree. The IRS claims the authority to issue hundreds of billions of dollars in subsidies to health-insurance companies, and to impose penalties on individual taxpayers and employers, in the 33 states that have refused to establish a health insurance "exchange" under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). The Halbig plaintiffs assert this decree would penalize them in violation of the clear, consistent, and unambiguous language of the PPACA, as well as congressional intent. The Congressional Research Service writes that Halbig "could be a major obstacle to the implementation of the Act." Law professor Michael Greve writes, "all of ObamaCare hangs on the outcome." The lead attorney in Halbig, Michael Carvin, and three other panelists will discuss the legality of the IRS's decree and the implications for the PPACA.

Can a Treaty Increase the Power of Congress?

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 16:00:00 -0400

In 1920, in Missouri v. Holland, the Supreme Court seemed to say, contrary to basic constitutional principles, that a treaty could increase the legislative power of Congress. That issue is now back before the Court in Bond v. United States, a case with deliciously lurid facts involving adultery, revenge, and the Chemical Weapons Convention. Cato has filed an amicus brief in the case, written by Nicholas Rosenkranz, based on his Harvard Law Review article on the subject. Please join us for a discussion of this fundamental constitutional question.

Immigration Wars: Forging an American Solution

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 16:00:00 -0400

Purchase bookClint Bolick argues in his new book, written with Jeb Bush, that the three broad components of immigration reform—better immigration enforcement, a lawful pathway for future migrants, and the legalization of current unauthorized immigrants—must work together to produce a viable immigration policy. The 1986 Reagan amnesty failed because it was a partial reform that increased immigration enforcement but did not increase legal opportunities for lower skilled immigrants. The 2007 immigration reform bill failed to even pass the Senate for a similar reason—its guest worker visa program was eviscerated. Immigration reform must produce an easily enforceable law that allows the world’s best, brightest, and most industrious a chance to contribute to the American economy.

The Common Core: De Facto Federal Control of America's Schools

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 16:00:00 -0400

The Constitution gives the federal government no authority to govern education, and numerous laws prohibit Washington from influencing school curricula. How has the federal government gotten around these barriers? Primarily by attaching demands to federal money, which is exactly what it did to get states to adopt the supposedly “state-led" and "voluntary" Common Core curriculum standards. This unprecedented drive to national uniformity is dangerous for many reasons, not the least of which is that it puts Washington in control of what almost all schools teach. But just as the federal government has been the most powerful entity behind forced standardization, it is also the key to halting it.

India Grows at Night: A Liberal Case for a Strong State

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 16:00:00 -0400

Purchase book"India grows at night while the government sleeps" is an Indian expression referring to the country's impressive economic rise despite the presence of a large, burdensome state. Gurcharan Das will explain how India's story of private success and public failure is not sustainable and that the country's recent growth slowdown signals the need for a strong liberal state that would ensure accountability, perform limited and well-defined functions, and base itself on the rule of law. Swami Aiyar will discuss contemporary Indian society and the prospects of Das's proposals.

Finance and Economic Opportunity

Fri, 07 Jun 2013 15:08:00 -0400

The H1B Effect on Local Jobs and Productivity

Fri, 07 Jun 2013 14:30:00 -0400

Evaluating Policies to Prevent Another Foreclosure Crisis: An Economist's View

Fri, 07 Jun 2013 12:30:00 -0400

Off-Balance Sheet Federal Liabilities

Thu, 06 Jun 2013 17:30:00 -0400

The Problem with Europe's Austerity Debate

Wed, 05 Jun 2013 20:00:00 -0400

Top officials in the U.S. government, the International Monetary Fund, and the European Union blame Europe’s ills on fiscal austerity and advise Europeans to pursue stimulus spending or delay spending cuts. Simeon Djankov and Anders Aslund will show how the evidence counters that prevailing view. Countries that have reined in their spending are growing briskly while the profligate founder. Aslund will discuss why the level of debt and access to international markets still matter to responsible fiscal policy; Djankov will explain why Europe badly needs a growth plan that includes reducing the burden of regulation. Both speakers will explain why Europeans should focus on policy reform rather than devaluation or exit from the Euro. Download "The Problem with Europe's Austerity Debate" from Anders Aslund (Powerpoint Presentation)Download "Saving the Euro" by Simon Djankov (Powerpoint Presentation)

Doing Bad by Doing Good: Why Humanitarian Action Fails

Wed, 05 Jun 2013 16:00:00 -0400

Purchase book A common argument for intervening abroad is to alleviate potential or existing human suffering. Repeatedly, however, state-led humanitarian efforts have failed miserably. Why do well-funded, expertly staffed, and well-intentioned humanitarian actions often fall short of achieving their desired outcomes, leaving some of the people they intended to help worse off? Why are well-meaning countries unable to replicate individual instances of success consistently across cases of human suffering? Using the tools of economics, Dr. Christopher Coyne’s new book, Doing Bad by Doing Good: Why Humanitarian Action Fails, shifts the discussion from the moral imperative of how governments should behave to a positive analysis of how they actually do. Coyne examines the limits of short-term humanitarian aid and long-term development assistance, the disconnect between intentions and reality, and why economic freedom—protection of property rights, private means of production, and free trade of labor and goods—provides the best means for minimizing human suffering. Join us as experts discuss this hotly debated topic.

Beyond the IRS Scandal: Campaign Finance, Free Speech, and Limited Government

Tue, 04 Jun 2013 20:30:00 -0400

The IRS scandal—rooted in campaign finance regulation and the desire to suppress political speech—will remain on the national agenda for some time. The federal bureaucracy appears to be out of control in attacking and intimidating critics of the government. How did such abuse come about? Is the IRS at odds with the First Amendment? Cato scholars John Samples and Trevor Burrus will provide answers and argue that even if there were no scandal, the threat to free speech and limited government would remain.

Biotechnology: Feeding the World, or a Brave New World of Agriculture?

Tue, 04 Jun 2013 18:00:00 -0400

Despite increasing population, global food production per capita is at all-time highs, even as the amount of agricultural land is reaching new lows. The prime driver has been technology, beginning with the Green Revolution of the 1960s, when Norman Borlaug discovered the key to high-yielding wheat. Since then, "slow" genetics has been replaced by DNA-splicing, giving rise to fears of genetic "mistakes" damaging the world food supply or resulting in inadvertent harm to consumers. Jon Entine and Kevin Folta embrace these innovations, promoting genetic literacy and post-modern agriculture. At this forum they will answer the charge that biotechnology is "a Brave New World of agriculture."

The Heller Ruling, Five Years On

Tue, 04 Jun 2013 16:00:00 -0400

Five years ago, the Supreme Court issued its landmark decision in District of Columbia v. Heller. By a 5-4 vote, the Court ruled that the strict gun-control laws in the nation’s capital—which amounted to a complete ban on any usable weapon for self-protection, even in the home—were unconstitutional. The Court finally confronted a long-simmering controversy over the scope of the Second Amendment and declared that, yes, that amendment does secure an individual the right to keep and bear arms. Now, five years later, with gun controls being debated both in the Congress and state legislatures, it is a good time to assess the impact of the Heller precedent. Please join us for a wide-ranging discussion of the Second Amendment, self-defense, and the right to keep and bear arms.

The 2013 Farm Bill: Reducing the Economic and Environmental Costs

Thu, 30 May 2013 21:07:00 -0400

Congress may pass a major farm bill re- authorization this year for the first time since 2008. Farm bill supporters claim that draft bills in the House and Senate would save taxpayers billions of dollars, but that isn't the case. The bills would eliminate so-called direct payments to farmers, but the savings would be plowed into new subsidy programs and higher guaranteed prices for certain crops. What can be done to reform costly farm subsidies that harm agricultural markets and damage the environment? Chris Edwards, Scott Faber, Andrew Moylan, and Josh Sewell will discuss the impact of farm programs on taxpayers and the environment and suggest possible reform steps.

The End Is Near and It’s Going to Be Awesome: How Going Broke Will Leave America Richer, Happier, and More Secure

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:18:00 -0400

Purchase bookIn his new book, The End Is Near and It’s Going to Be Awesome, Kevin D. Williamson examines the crisis of the modern welfare state and demonstrates that the crucial political failures of our time, from education to health care, are the direct result of government monopolies providing and regulating these services. Entitlement programs have promised far more than they can deliver, and slow moving bureaucracies have stifled innovation and efficiency in attempts to deliver on these failed promises. There is, however, a light at the end of the tunnel, as millions of Americans reject the status quo and turn to their own ingenuity to create successful market-derived alternatives to these government monopolies. Please join Kevin Williamson and Cato Institute senior fellow Michael Tanner for an examination of the current state of U.S. entitlement programs and a lively discussion of how the free-market responds when the government fails.

The Death of Corporate Reputation: How Integrity Has Been Destroyed on Wall Street

Wed, 22 May 2013 20:30:00 -0400

Trust and reputation are central to the operation of capital markets. But in our generation, reputational mechanisms are failing; and when they fail, markets and societies are also at risk of failure. The usual response has been to call for more aggressive regulation, yet this only worsens the problem, as Jonathan Macey shows in his new book. There, he demonstrates how and why poorly considered regulation has undermined traditional trust mechanisms throughout financial institutions, credit rating agencies, and accounting and law firms. Please join us for a discussion of these issues, including a better path to restoring trust and integrity.

The Implications of the Expanding U.S. Drone Program

Fri, 17 May 2013 14:00:00 -0400

As the United States continues its use of drone technology overseas, the potential for increased domestic drone use has also begun to raise serious concerns. Sen. Rand Paul's (R-KY) recent filibuster on the topic brought widespread public attention to the issue and lawmakers are now beginning to ask important questions; namely, is use of this technology for surveillance appropriate and, if so, what risks will a drone program pose to civil liberties and individual privacy? What are the appropriate legal limits on overseas use, and are those limits being followed? Please join Cato Institute scholars Ben Friedman and Julian Sanchez, and journalist Spencer Ackerman, as they examine the current state of U.S. drone policy at home and overseas, whether this technology is good for the country, and what the future looks like for drone use.

The Federal Reserve, the Centennial Monetary Commission, and the Sound Dollar Act

Thu, 16 May 2013 20:00:00 -0400

A century after the creation of the Federal Reserve and two generations after Congress gave the Fed a dual mandate for price stability and full employment, the Fed's extraordinary actions since 2008 have raised questions about the appropriate role for the Fed and the monetary policy that the Fed should pursue to ensure a strong U.S. economy throughout the 21st century. Rep. Kevin Brady (R-TX), chairman of Congress's Joint Economic Committee, is at the forefront of this debate. He will be discussing his proposals both for monetary reform (Sound Dollar Act) and for a bipartisan Centennial Monetary Commission to review the Fed's performance and make recommendations for its role in the future.

How Safe Are We? Balancing Risks, Benefits, and Costs

Fri, 03 May 2013 16:00:00 -0400

Join us for a non-technical primer on risk and cost-benefit analysis with applications to policies ranging from homeland security to climate change. Our panel will consider key issues as probability neglect, cost neglect, and acceptable risk. In general, the place to begin is not with the perennial question, “Are we safer?” but rather with the rarely asked, “How safe are we?” Increases in domestic homeland security spending since 9/11 exceed $1 trillion. How many post-9/11 security programs reduce risk enough to justify their cost? Panelists John Mueller and Mark Stewart are the authors of Terror, Security, and Money (Oxford University Press, 2011).

The Impact of Cartel Behavior on Global Oil Prices and the Challenge to Free Markets

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 16:00:00 -0400

The OPEC cartel has been the key actor in world crude oil markets for four decades and counting. Even so, there is a surprising amount of disagreement about the nature of OPEC’s influence on oil markets.In a new study published by Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE), authors Andrew Morriss and Roger Meiners survey the academic literature and conclude that OPEC is an unstable cartel that has, at times, been effective in significantly increasing the price of oil. When the cartel has failed in this exercise, however, the price of oil has collapsed, possibly lower than would have been the case were the market not subject to cartelization. Morriss and Meiners believe that much of the volatility that characterizes world crude oil markets can be laid at the cartel’s doorstep and, as a consequence, “the international market for oil is not a free market.” Fred Smith will discuss the policy implications of Morriss and Meiners’ findings. James Smith, who has written extensively on the OPEC cartel, will comment.

Constitutional Money: A Review of the Supreme Court’s Monetary Decisions

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 16:00:00 -0400

This book reviews nine Supreme Court cases and decisions that dealt with monetary laws, together with a summary history of monetary events and policies — notably, the gold standard and the Federal Reserve System — as they were affected by the Court’s decisions. Several cases and decisions had notable consequences for the monetary history of the United States, and some were blatant misjudgements stimulated by political pressures. The cases included in this book begin with McCulloch v. Maryland (1819) and end with the Gold Clause Cases (1934–35). Those decisions remain in force today. The final chapter describes the adjustments necessary to return to a gold standard and briefly examines other monetary arrangements that would be consistent with the Framers’ Constitution.

Fixing Guest Worker Visas

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 16:00:00 -0400

How does the Gang of Eight immigration bill reform guest worker visas? How will those reforms affect the rest of the immigration system? How else can guest worker visas be tweaked to improve the outcomes? These vital questions must be answered so that the guest worker visa program provides the maximum benefit to the American economy. A robust and large guest worker visa program will accomplish two goals. First, it will channel healthy and peaceful people into sectors of the U.S. economy that demand their skills. Second, it will reduce the pressure of immigrants seeking to enter illegally and focus border security on security and health threats. The complexities of the guest worker visa, including its good points and its shortcomings, will be examined in detail.

Switzerland: A Free-Market Model for Europe?

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 16:00:00 -0400

With what appears to be a never-ending fiscal crisis in Europe, it would be tempting to conclude that every country in Europe is at the risk of impending failure. Such a conclusion would be false. In the middle of Europe lies one country, Switzerland, where moderate taxes and regulation have not strangled innovation. R. James Breiding, author of Swiss Made: The Untold Story behind Switzerland’s Success, will describe the institutions and characteristics that have made the Swiss economy a success. Our panel will also examine what lessons the Swiss model offers for the rest of Europe.

Drones and the New Way of War

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 13:40:00 -0400

On February 4, 2013, NBC News obtained a confidential Justice Department white paper detailing the Obama administration’s legal justification for the targeted killing of American citizens abroad. The leak called attention to a discernible shift in the “War on Terror” and how America wages it. The U.S. government has yet to disclose the number of drone strikes launched, the number of people killed, and the full scope of collateral damage. How does the U.S. government determine who is a legitimate target and who poses an immediate threat? What are the constitutional issues surrounding targeted killings, given their secrecy and the lack of reliable data? What standards do decision makers apply for deciding if the costs outweigh the benefits in a given country? What are the practical issues of such highly classified programs in an age of worldwide, and seemingly perpetual, war? Join us for what should be a fascinating discussion on a highly important topic.

At the Brink: Will Obama Push Us Over the Edge?

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 16:00:00 -0400

In At the Brink, economist John Lott argues that the Obama administration’s policies are destroying what has been a health care system that has been the envy of the world. Furthermore, Obama inherited a severe recession, but the spectacular “stimulus” spending with which Obama launched his presidency not only has failed to help the economy—it has poisoned it, slowing the recovery. His positions on regulations and taxes have also harmed the economy. But the Obama administration’s legacy isn’t just going to be on health care and the economy, Lott says. For example, another long-lasting legacy will be on people’s ability to defend themselves with guns. The administration’s appointments to the courts, as well as federal actions and its unprecedented push for states to adopt gun control, will reduce gun ownership and endanger lives. Join us for a spirited critique of President Obama and his policies.

Regulatory Protectionism: A Hidden Threat to Free Trade

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 16:00:00 -0400

Is it possible to reduce the risk of protectionist influence in health, safety, and environmental regulation? Should international law prohibit domestic regulations that unnecessarily inhibit trade? A new Cato Policy Analysis says the answer is "yes" and calls on policymakers and activists to be more cautious of domestic industry influence. Our distinguished panel will discuss the political origins of regulatory protectionism and consider how the United States might keep its laws and regulations free of protectionism and prevent future trade disputes.

After the Arguments: What's Next for Marriage Equality?

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 19:43:00 -0400

Is the United States moving toward legal equality between gay and straight couples? What does the U.S. Constitution have to say about the question? And should the Republican Party, long committed to opposing marriage equality, rethink its position? This panel will examine these questions as well as the shifting politics of support for marriage equality after several state initiatives passed in the 2012 elections.

Tax Cutting and Economic Growth: Lessons from the Coolidge Tax Reform

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 19:02:00 -0400

When Calvin Coolidge became president in 1923, the top personal income tax rate was 77 percent. The national debt had risen from $1.5 billion in 1916 to $33 billion in 1919 — in large part due to America’s entry into World War I. Together with his treasury secretary, Andrew Mellon, Coolidge cut the top personal income tax rate to 24 percent and dramatically reduced government spending. The economy expanded along with tax revenue, and that allowed the national debt to fall to $16 billion by 1929. Please join us for a discussion of the lessons that Coolidge administration reforms hold for the United States today.

Juche Strong: A Dialogue on the Posturing and Propaganda of North Korea

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 18:59:00 -0400

In Juche Strong, director Rob Montz examines the propaganda apparatus that exists in North Korea, the underlying Juche philosophy of national “self-reliance” that fuels it, and the pivotal role it plays in the continued existence of the secretive country. Montz argues that a collective sense of purpose instilled by cradle-to-grave propaganda has been key to sustaining the country, and has created a quasi-religious fervor around the Kim dynasty that persists even as North Koreans suffer under the brutal regime. Can North Korea continue indefinitely in this fashion? If so, what policies should the U.S. consider as North Korea strives to develop its nuclear program? How should the U.S. respond when North Korean leaders threaten aggression?

The Questionable Constitutionality of Dodd-Frank

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 17:00:00 -0400

The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 was intended to “promote the financial stability of the United States by improving accountability and transparency in the financial system, to end ‘too big to fail,’ to protect the American taxpayer by ending bailouts, to protect consumers from abusive financial services practices, and for other purposes.” The law is extraordinarily complex, requiring almost a dozen federal agencies to complete 398 rulemaking requirements, plus about 145 studies that will affect rulemaking. With the rulemaking process underway, there are growing concerns about the Act’s constitutionality. In particular, the Act has implications for the separation of powers, the role of congressional oversight, vagueness and unfettered regulator discretion, and due process. Does Dodd-Frank provide effective oversight by any branch of government, and how can constitutional concerns about the law’s grants of regulatory power be resolved?

The War in Afghanistan: What Went Wrong?

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 16:00:00 -0400

The December 2001 Bonn Agreement proclaimed the international community’s determination to “end the tragic conflict in Afghanistan and promote national reconciliation, lasting peace, stability and respect for human rights in the country.” Over a decade later, while access to health care and education has improved, the central government in Kabul remains corrupt and incapable of exerting control over its territory, the Afghan security forces are rife with criminality and internal divisions, and the Afghan Taliban and other insurgent forces still threaten the country. The mission to build an effective Afghan state and eradicate indigenous militants has resulted in a costly, time-intensive, and troop-heavy campaign, even though the United States accomplished the limited goal of incapacitating al Qaeda and punishing the Taliban only months after 9/11.What went wrong? In autumn 2001 what could U.S. policymakers have done differently? Years later, in spring 2009, was an Iraq-like surge the right option? Should U.S. officials have ever oriented the mission around grand promises of civilian reconstruction and long-term development assistance? Could the United States have met the limited objective of disrupting al Qaeda without a broader nation-building presence? In the future, if America is attacked and finds itself in a similar situation, how should it meet the threat without getting trapped? Please join us for an in-depth discussion among experts of the Afghan war on the challenges of achieving regional stability and the lasting policy impact of America’s longest war.

The Great Deformation: The Corruption of Capitalism in America

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 20:00:00 -0400

The Great Deformation is a searing look at Washington's fiscal crisis. It counters conventional wisdom with an 80-year revisionist history of how the American state — especially the Federal Reserve — has fallen prey to the politics of crony capitalism and the ideologies of fiscal stimulus, monetary central planning, and financial bailouts. David Stockman points a finger at Franklin Roosevelt, who fathered crony capitalism; Richard Nixon, who destroyed fiscal discipline and the gold-backed dollar; Fed chairmen Greenspan and Bernanke, who fostered bubble finance and addiction to debt and speculation; George W. Bush, who repudiated fiscal rectitude and ballooned the warfare state via senseless wars; and Barack Obama, who revived failed Keynesian "borrow and spend" policies that have driven the national debt to perilous heights. He doesn't spare Ronald Reagan and Milton Friedman, either. He's guaranteed to provoke liberals, conservatives, and libertarians.

Travel Surveillance, Traveler Intrusion

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 16:00:00 -0400

The United States government practices surprisingly comprehensive surveillance of air travel, amassing data about the comings and goings of all Americans who fly. By April 2, the Transportation Security Administration will either have begun a public comment process on its policy of putting travelers through imaging machines that can see under their clothes, or it will be in clear violation of a D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling requiring it to do so.

Super-Legislatures: Evaluating Dodd-Frank's CFPB and OLA Provisions and Obamacare’s IPAB

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 08:01:00 -0400

The Obama administration’s recent large-scale legislative initiatives, The Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank) and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, have a significant theme in common. Both acts rely on unelected and unsupervised bodies to oversee and enact new laws — a trend that threatens both our political and our economic liberties. Our panelists will discuss the constitutionality of creating these new "super-legislative" bodies – the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Orderly Liquidation Authority, and the Independent Payment Advisory Board – and the implications for the rule of law. The panel will also discuss the possibility of reviving the "non-delegation" doctrine.

Law, Politics, and Same-Sex Marriage

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 17:00:00 -0400

Is the United States moving toward legal equality between gay and straight couples? What does the U.S. Constitution have to say about the question? And should the Republican Party, long committed to opposing gay marriage, rethink its position? Two of the nation’s best-known advocates on the issue — Evan Wolfson, widely seen as the master strategist behind the movement for same-sex marriage, and Ken Mehlman, a key figure in Republican rethinking of the issue, will be joined by Ilya Shapiro, who heads the Cato Institute’s amicus program and presided over the development of Cato’s briefs in Windsor and Perry.

Game of Drones: Liberty and Security in the Age of Flying Robots

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 17:50:00 -0400

Senator Rand Paul’s recent 13-hour filibuster drew attention to a number of important issues involving the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles abroad and at home. Among them: is it constitutional for the president to use UAVs to target American citizens abroad, far from any battlefield? What is the legal basis for President Obama’s ever-expanding drone wars abroad? Given the Department of Homeland Security’s support for domestic law-enforcement drones, what legal protections do Americans need to prevent liberty and privacy abuses at home?

A Looming Scientific Revolution in Environmental Regulation?

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 20:00:00 -0400

Economic Benefits of Immigration

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 16:00:00 -0400

What impact has immigration had on the U.S. economy over these last few decades? How will immigration reform change the economy for native-born Americans? With few exceptions, immigrants expand the size of the economic pie by creating businesses and expanding the scope and quantity of economic production—with mostly positive affects on Americans. To understand this complex phenomenon, different types of immigrants—those who are higher skilled and those who are lower skilled—and their various impacts on the American economy will be examined in detail.

Laws of Creation: Property Rights in the World of Ideas

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 16:00:00 -0400

The Future of Freedom in Cuba

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 16:00:00 -0400

Cuba’s Castro dictatorship has clung to power for more than five decades. As the regime ages and the outside sources of finance that buttress it are put in jeopardy, a new generation of Cubans is using the Internet to dissent against the pervasive lack of freedom and opportunity in their country. Prominent Cuban dissident writers Yoani Sanchez and Orlando Luis Pardo Lazo — recently given permission to travel outside Cuba — will describe life in current-day Cuba, the activities of the island’s dissident community in the face of repression, and the prospects for a free country. They will also assess the extent of Raul Castro’s so-called reforms and share their vision of a pluralistic, tolerant society.

The Insurgents: David Petraeus and the Plot to Change the American Way of War

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 16:30:00 -0400

Accidental Occidental: Economics and Culture of Transition in Mitteleuropa, the Baltic and the Balkan Area

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 20:00:00 -0400

Cry the Beloved Country: South Africa’s Future under the ANC

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 20:00:00 -0400

Strategy, Not Math: The Emerging Consensus on National Security in an Era of Austerity

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 16:00:00 -0400

Would a Financial Transaction Tax Affect Financial Market Activity?

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 20:21:00 -0400

In the wake of the financial crisis, commentators have suggested a transaction tax (Tobin tax) on financial markets. The potential consequences of such a tax could be hazardous to the financial markets affected, as well as to the economy. Professor Wang, in a recent Cato paper, reviewed the relevant theoretical and empirical literature and applied these findings to estimate the possible impact of a transaction tax on U.S. futures market activity as well as its utility as a potential source of tax revenue. Wang showed that a transaction tax on futures trading will not only fail to generate the expected revenue, it will likely drive business away from U.S. exchanges and toward untaxed foreign markets. Our panelists will discuss the implications of this paper as well as general issues related to any proposed financial transactions tax.

Understanding Mexico's Epidemic of Violence: Telling Stories with New Media, Technology, and Big Data

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 13:00:00 -0400

The European Crisis Continues: No Solution on the Horizon

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 13:02:00 -0400

EPA's Shaky "Endangerment Finding"

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 17:06:00 -0500

The basis for EPA’s increasingly expensive regulation of greenhouse gases is their “Finding of Endangerment” from carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. With regard to the climate of the United States, it is largely based on one document, called “Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States,”, published by the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP). Patrick J. Michaels, director of the Center for the Study of Science at the Cato Institute, recently completed a landmark document in precisely the same format as the important USGCRP one, except it includes the vast volume of the scientific literature that the USGCRP somehow neglected to include in their work. Michaels will provide a very informative and entertaining examination of the outright misinformation, disinformation, and ignored information that permeates the document that serves as the basis for EPA’s ever-tightening regulatory approach to atmospheric greenhouse gases.

E-Verify's Many Perils

Fri, 01 Mar 2013 14:54:00 -0500

With immigration reform once again on Congress’s near horizon, many proposals take as a given that there should be “internal enforcement” of immigration law through federal background checks on all workers. But the E-Verify system and proposals for a national E-Verify mandate are shot through with complications and challenges. Costs to businesses and workers will mount. Citizens, both natural-born and naturalized, will have to appeal to the federal government for the right to work. And identity fraud will drive E-Verify to become a biometric national identification system capable of use well beyond immigration control. Join us for a discussion of E-Verify’s many perils.

US-EU Free Trade Agreement: Recipe for Growth or Road to Nowhere?

Wed, 27 Feb 2013 16:00:00 -0500

A Populist Capture of the Organization of American States?

Tue, 19 Feb 2013 17:00:00 -0500

Taxes and Economic Growth: Understanding the Effects

Fri, 15 Feb 2013 17:00:00 -0500

The Euro Crisis: Can Deeper Integration Save the European Union and the Common Currency?

Fri, 08 Feb 2013 15:18:00 -0500

The euro crisis has exposed deep structural flaws in the functioning of the common currency and put pressure on the cohesion of the European Union as a whole. Stagnant growth, and rising unemployment and public dissatisfaction are threatening to undermine the European project. Conventional wisdom holds that deeper political integration is needed in order to preserve and strengthen the European Union. However, an increasing number of analysts argue that current problems in Europe are symptoms of a unification process gone too far. Frits Bolkestein and Luke Coffey will discuss the reform proposals and identify powers that are currently exercised in Brussels but could be repatriated to the member states.

In Search of the City on a Hill: The Making and Unmaking of an American Myth

Thu, 07 Feb 2013 20:17:00 -0500

Richard Gamble's book, In Search of the City on a Hill: the Making and Unmaking of an American Myth, helps make sense of exceptionalism's evolution. Gamble traces the “city on a hill” metaphor, from Puritan leader John Winthrop, who took it from the gospels, to its reincarnation in the 20th century as an explicitly political idea at the heart of foreign policy debates. Historians Walter McDougall, the author of Promised Land, Crusader State: The American Encounter with the World since 1776, and Derek Leebaert, the author of Magic and Mayhem: The Delusions of American Foreign Policy from Korea to Afghanistan, will provide commentary.

Beyond the Individual Mandate: The Ongoing Legal Challenges to Obamacare

Thu, 07 Feb 2013 17:00:00 -0500

The Supreme Court's ruling last June was only the end of the beginning as far as Obamacare litigation is concerned. Myriad lawsuits unrelated to the individual mandate have continued and — following Nancy Pelosi's advice to dig deeper into what's in the law — others have been filed based on new developments. Issues range from employer mandates to the constitutionality of Chief Justice John Roberts's health insurance nonpurchase tax, from infringement on religious beliefs to a separation-of-powers challenge against the Independent Payment Advisory Board. We're even starting to see lawsuits regarding the implementation of the law, as a host of agencies promulgate rules that often go beyond even the legislation's expansive text. We will bring the lawyers leading two of these cases here to discuss them — one of whom is an intellectual godfather of a fascinating challenge to new IRS regulations. Please join us to learn what we can expect from this new round of Obamacare litigation.

Immigration Reform for a Free Society

Wed, 06 Feb 2013 19:00:00 -0500

As part of the immigration reform negotiations, politicians are fighting over how best to legalize the unauthorized immigrants here, reform border and work site immigration enforcement, and increase lawful migration going forward. Immigration reform, if done right, holds enormous promise for liberalizing international labor market and increasing economic growth in the United States. Cato policy analyst Alex Nowrasteh will provide an update on what's happening in Washington and how increasing lawful migration and immigration going forward is the most important and overlooked part of reform.

Conscious Capitalism: Liberating the Heroic Spirit of Business

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 22:00:00 -0500

How Should Schools Respond to America’s Growing Diversity?

Fri, 01 Feb 2013 15:37:00 -0500

The Libertarian State of the Union

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 21:09:00 -0500

The Pivot to Asia and the Future of U.S.-China Relations

Fri, 25 Jan 2013 17:30:00 -0500

Obama, Sandy Hook, and Gun Control

Thu, 24 Jan 2013 17:00:00 -0500

In response to the horrific killing of school children in Connecticut last month, the Obama administration is now advancing a series of executive orders and legislative proposals that the Washington Post is describing as "the most expansive gun-control agenda in generations." Tim Lynch, who directs Cato's Project on Criminal Justice, will critique the president’s response to this recent tragedy, provide an update on what's happening in Washington, and evaluate the likely consequences for the Second Amendment.

A Rational Response to the Privacy 'Crisis'

Wed, 23 Jan 2013 17:00:00 -0500

Campaign Finance after Citizens United: What Happened? What Now? Panel 2: The Future of Campaign Finance Regulation

Wed, 23 Jan 2013 16:00:00 -0500

Campaign Finance after Citizens United: What Happened? What Now?Panel 1: After Citizens United: Did Elections Change?

Wed, 23 Jan 2013 14:00:00 -0500

Madmen, Intellectuals and Academic Scribblers

Thu, 17 Jan 2013 20:00:00 -0500

Failing Law Schools

Wed, 16 Jan 2013 17:00:00 -0500

Living with Guns: A Liberal's Case for the Second Amendment

Wed, 09 Jan 2013 17:00:00 -0500

Taxes, Spending, and the Fiscal Cliff

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 17:00:00 -0500

As part of the "fiscal cliff" negotiations, politicians are fighting over how to extract more money from the productive sector to finance bigger government. This is bad news for fiscal policy, particularly since the fallback option is to dive off the cliff with automatic tax increases. Cato senior fellow Dan Mitchell will provide an update on what's happening in Washington and explain what should be done to block class-warfare tax policy and restrain the growing burden of government spending.

Unlearning Liberty: Campus Censorship and the End of American Debate

Tue, 11 Dec 2012 12:00:00 -0500

Copyright Unbalanced: From Incentive to Excess

Thu, 06 Dec 2012 12:00:00 -0500

Lessons from Colombia's War on Drugs

Wed, 05 Dec 2012 12:00:00 -0500

What's New in State Tax Policy? Pro-Growth Reforms vs. Special-Interest Breaks

Thu, 29 Nov 2012 12:00:00 -0500

War Generation: How Will a Culture of Permanent War Impact America's Future?

Thu, 29 Nov 2012 06:00:00 -0500

Obamacare Is Still Vulnerable

Wed, 28 Nov 2012 12:00:00 -0500

Though President Obama has won reelection, the future of his health care law hinges on whether states will implement the law's health-insurance "exchanges" and massive expansion of Medicaid. The correct answer to both questions remains a resounding no. Cato's director of health policy studies Michael F. Cannon will explain how states can force Congress to reopen Obamacare, and predicts that before President Obama's second term ends, he will sign major changes to Obamacare into law.

Wounds That Will Not Heal: Affirmative Action and Our Continuing Racial Divide

Tue, 20 Nov 2012 12:00:00 -0500

Cato Institute 30th Annual Monetary Conference: Panel 2: The Limits of Monetary Policy

Thu, 15 Nov 2012 12:30:00 -0500

Cato Institute 30th Annual Monetary Conference: Panel 1: Avoiding the Next Crisis

Thu, 15 Nov 2012 11:00:00 -0500

Cato Institute 30th Annual Monetary Conference: Welcome Remarks and Keynote Address

Thu, 15 Nov 2012 08:30:00 -0500