Cato Institute Event Podcast

Climate Change, Copenhagen, and Congress

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:00:00 -0500

On December 6 signatories of the United Nations' Framework Convention on Climate Change will meet in Copenhagen to produce a successor to the Kyoto Protocol, and President Obama and many members of Congress would like to pass cap-and-trade legislation beforehand. But does such an approach have a firm scientific foundation? Multiple chains of evidence that have emerged in the last year argue against precipitous action, including the possibility that climate is not as sensitive to carbon dioxide as previously thought. Indeed, the "climate crisis" may itself be an endangered species. In this briefing, Michaels will discuss the relevance of recent scientific findings both to legislation being considered by Congress and emissions reductions schemes proposed by the EPA.

Money, Greed, and God: Why Capitalism Is the Solution and Not the Problem

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:00:00 -0500

Purchase at Amazon The fall of communism conclusively demonstrated that capitalism is the better economic system. Free markets are unsurpassed in their ability to provide material bounty, but in the aftermath of the economic crisis some ask, are they moral? Even Pope Benedict is said to have retreated from his predecessor's strong support for the market economy in the latest papal encyclical, Caritas in Veritate. Jay Richards takes on the critics of capitalism in his new book, Money, Greed, and God: Why Capitalism Is the Solution and Not the Problem. He argues that markets, though imperfect, are a natural outgrowth of God's creation and an important tool for helping the poor and disadvantaged. Commenting on Richards' presentation is Cato Institute Senior Fellow Doug Bandow, also the author of Beyond Good Intentions: A Biblical View of Politics. Moderating the discussion is Daniel Griswold, the Cato Institute's director of the Center for Trade Studies.

Can the United States Affect Iran's Nuclear Ambitions?

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:00:00 -0500

As international negotiations continue over Iran's nuclear program, hope remains for an alternative to the unappetizing choice between an incipient Iranian nuclear capability and a war against Iran. How might internal political developments in Iran affect Tehran's negotiating posture? What impact will additional unilateral American sanctions, currently under discussion in Congress, have on the multilateral efforts and on Iran's calculus? Please join us for a discussion of these issues and Washington's policy options should negotiations fail.

Tricked on Our Treats: Time to Rethink the U.S. Sugar Program

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 12:00:00 -0400

For decades, the U.S. government has restricted sugar imports through a system of quotas designed to keep domestic prices artificially high, even though foreign producers can grow and sell sugar at much lower prices. Domestic growers maintain that they need the quotas to protect them from "dumped" imports. Critics argue that the program increases costs for U.S. consumers and hurts domestic confectioners and other sugar-using industries. It also inhibits development abroad by walling off the U.S. market from farmers in Latin America, the Caribbean, and Africa. In a recent letter, the National Foreign Trade Council and other trade organizations urged the Obama administration to consider relaxing the quotas in the face of high global prices and the threat of domestic shortages. Isn't it time to rethink the U.S. sugar program?

Atomic Obsession: Nuclear Alarmism from Hiroshima to Al Qaeda

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 11:00:00 -0400

Purchase at Amazon Having informed readers in previous books that their fears of war and terrorism are overblown, iconoclastic political scientist John Mueller has set his sights on nuclear weapons. For Mueller, nuclear weapons have never represented much of a threat given states' fundamental unwillingness to use them. Moreover, our current worries about terrorists obtaining such weapons are essentially baseless. As Mueller points out, there is a multitude of reasons why terrorists will not be able to obtain nuclear weapons, much less build them themselves and successfully transport them to targets. Atomic Obsession concludes with a judgment that our efforts to prevent the spread of WMDs have produced much more suffering and violence than would have been the case if we took a more realistic view of such weapons. Please join us for a discussion of this provocative new book.

The Life and Impact of Ayn Rand

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:00:00 -0400

Purchase at AmazonPurchase at Amazon Two major new books on Ayn Rand testify to the continuing impact of America's most influential novelist of ideas. Sales of Rand's books have been impressive for 66 years — more than 25 million — and have recently surged, perhaps in response to the dramatic increase in government intrusion into the free market. Rand remains a major influence on both libertarian and conservative communities, and these two new studies illustrate the growing scholarly interest in her impact. Jennifer Burns, a professor of history at the University of Virginia, looks at the development of Rand's ideas and her alliances — and clashes — with other intellectual and political figures. New York writer Anne Heller draws on original research in Russia, dozens of interviews with Rand's relatives and acquaintances, and previously unexamined archives to develop the first complete and independent biography. Please join us for a forum and book signing.

The Case for Tax Competition, Fiscal Sovereignty, and Financial Privacy

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 13:00:00 -0400

In recent decades, rising globalization has forced governments to restrain their fiscal appetites. After the Reagan and Thatcher tax rate cuts of the 1980s, other countries were forced to respond with their own tax reforms. The growth of low-tax jurisdictions, or tax havens, has put further beneficial competitive pressure on governments with excessive tax rates. The result is that tax rates on income and capital have fallen significantly, to the great benefit of global investment and growth. These pro-growth reforms did not come about because governments suddenly realized that low tax rates are better for growth. Instead, politicians cut tax rates to prevent the geese that lay the golden eggs of prosperity from flying across the border. Alas, there is now a rising big-government backlash against tax competition. Politicians have made unwise promises for ever-growing levels of redistribution, and this is creating pressure for higher tax rates. But higher tax rates are particularly misguided when labor and capital can move to jurisdictions with better policies. This is why high-tax nations are seeking to curtail tax competition and are working through international bureaucracies such as the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development to create an "OPEC for politicians."

The Case for Tax Competition, Fiscal Sovereignty, and Financial Privacy

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 13:00:00 -0400

The Case for Tax Competition, Fiscal Sovereignty, and Financial Privacy

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 13:00:00 -0400

The Case for Tax Competition, Fiscal Sovereignty, and Financial Privacy

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 13:00:00 -0400

Which Way Forward for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac?

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 12:00:00 -0400

Part of the federal response to the bursting of the housing bubble and resulting financial crisis was the federal rescue of the government-sponsored housing-finance enterprises, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Given both the enormous cost of bailing out Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which could run to over $200 billion, along with the central role they played in creating the housing bubble, it is imperative that the debate over the costs and benefits of their activities begins. The panelists will review the history and current regulatory structure of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and offer proposals for reform.

Driving in the Wrong Direction: The Sordid Details and Lasting Consequences of the Bush/Obama Auto Industry Intervention

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 12:00:00 -0400

According to their own interpretation of events, the Bush and then Obama administrations rescued the entire U.S. auto industry from imminent disaster and total failure. But in fact, a potential collapse only threatened General Motors and Chrysler, whose years of bad decision-making had finally caught up with them. Pouring cash into these two corporate clunkers may have "saved" them, for now, but in the process other companies were penalized, laws were circumvented, property rights were trampled, and America's tradition of free enterprise was badly damaged. This Forum's panelists, who have been vigilant in their warnings about the dangers of such interventions, will discuss the ramifications of diverting TARP funds for unauthorized purposes, circumventing long-established bankruptcy procedures, violating secured creditors' rights, and failing to maintain a proper separation between economy and state.

To Begin the World Over Again: Lawrence of Arabia from Damascus to Baghdad

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 12:00:00 -0400

Purchase at Amazon As the United States stumbles through ambitious nation-building missions in Iraq and Afghanistan, it is obvious that many in Washington have ignored the lessons that past statesmen had suffered greatly to learn. Chief among these would-be nation builders was the almost mythical figure of Thomas Edward (T.E.) Lawrence. In John C. Hulsman's new book To Begin the World Over Again: Lawrence of Arabia from Damascus to Baghdad, we are reminded not only of the heroic character of Lawrence, but also of the profound obstacles to nation-building. Despite Lawrence's best efforts to fashion a stable political order in the Middle East out of the wreckage of the Ottoman Empire, he was overwhelmed by events, frustrated by petty personalities, and thwarted by cynical politics. What lessons, if any, can policymakers learn from Lawrence's nation-building efforts in the early 20th century? Join us as we discuss this exceptional new book and debate the implications for the future of U.S. foreign policy.

Not Invited to the Party: How the Demopublicans Have Rigged the System and Left Independents Out in the Cold

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 12:00:00 -0400

Purchase at Amazon Free markets have few barriers to entry. Individuals and firms can offer new products or services to consumers, thereby fostering competition and choice. American elections, in contrast, are dominated by two parties. Not Invited to the Party synthesizes political science, economics, and history to demonstrate how the two-party system is the artificial creation of a network of laws, restrictions, and subsidies that favor the Democrats and Republicans and cripple potential challengers, depriving voters of truly vigorous political debate. Consequently, Americans are deprived of choices on election day and arguably, deprived of effective and accurate representation in Congress and the presidency. Please join us for a lively discussion of the political limits on electoral competition and reforms that might encourage a more active and responsive government.

How Government "Competes": Grab Arm, Twist

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 12:00:00 -0400

Supporters claim a new "government option" would compete on a level playing field with private health insurance. But a new lawsuit belies that claim. Since 1993, the Social Security Administration has effectively coerced seniors into enrolling in Medicare by decreeing that those who opt out of Medicare for private insurance must forfeit all Social Security benefits, past and future. Last month, a federal court acknowledged that federal law requires no such thing and that SSA conjured that requirement out of thin air "without public notice and comment." Kent Masterson Brown and Michael F. Cannon will explain the relevance of Hall v. Sebelius to today's health reform debate.

The Power of Memory and Acknowledgement

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 18:00:00 -0400

Twenty years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, renowned Soviet dissident Vladimir Bukovsky will reflect on the need for Russia to acknowledge the criminal nature of its communist past. The way in which the crimes of communism are remembered contrasts with the way in which Nazism was legally judged and more fundamentally condemned and reviled. The failure to pass an equivalent measure of moral judgment on communism has affected subsequent social and political developments in Russia and assured that dangerous characteristics of the communist system live on. Please join us as one of the world's foremost advocates of human rights explains the evolution of attitudes toward communism since its collapse.

The Power of Memory and Acknowledgement

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 18:00:00 -0400

Taking Control of Spiraling College Costs

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 12:00:00 -0400

Rising at a faster rate than even health care costs, the price of college is skyrocketing into the stratosphere. In The Revenue-to-Cost Spiral in Higher Education, economist Robert E. Martin posits that the problem is rooted in the ability of most colleges to succeed by maximizing their prestige rather than their profits, resulting in their spending every single dollar they get. He argues that transparency is essential and that the government should have a key role in producing it by requiring schools to report on how their money is used. But can government force colleges to open their books and reveal the true cost of their operations? And would doing so really set higher education on a road to pricing sanity? Or is another reform — curtailing abundant government student aid — the true key to stopping the college-cost spiral? Please join us for a critical debate on how to contain out-of-control college costs.

America's Top Models: Can the Nation's Best Charter Schools Be Brought to Scale?

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 12:00:00 -0400

Founded by Ben Chavis in 2006, American Indian Public Charter School is already the fourth highest performing public high school in California. Its students are almost all African American or Hispanic, and poor. The Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP) network of public charter schools, the focus of Jay Mathews' book, raises its mostly low-income students from far below the national average in academic performance to well above it, in just four years. It has already expanded to serve 20,000 children in 82 locations around the country. Are these schools really as good as they seem? If so, can they be imitated or replicated on a mass scale, as President Obama and education Secretary Arne Duncan hope? And what ever happened to the greatest public school success story of the last generation, Jaime Escalante, who, along with his ultra-high-achieving low-income Hispanic students, inspired the movie Stand and Deliver? Please join us in a conversation about two of America's most striking models of educational excellence, and the prospects for bringing them to a mass audience.

How American Health Care Killed My Father

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 12:00:00 -0400

David Goldhill is a Democrat and a business executive who paid little attention to the economics of health care before his father's life was cut short by a hospital-acquired infection. That loss drove him to uncover the truth about American health care, which he reveals in an article that has been acclaimed as a "stemwinder" and "a fascinating read." Goldhill explains why "it looks like this generation of 'comprehensive' reform will not address the underlying issues, any more than previous efforts did. Instead it will put yet more patches on the walls of an edifice that is fundamentally unsound—and then build that edifice higher."

The Criminalization of (Almost) Everything

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 12:00:00 -0400

Purchase book Purchase book America's criminal codes are now so voluminous that they bewilder not only the average citizen but also the average lawyer. Our courthouses are so clogged that there is no longer adequate time for trials. And many of our prisons are now operating well beyond their design capacity. Two new books raise the question of whether the American criminal justice system has become dysfunctional. Harvey Silverglate's new book, Three Felonies a Day, argues that the typical American professional is likely unaware that he or she violates federal law each day because of the breadth and dangerously broad scope of the Code of Federal Regulations. As a result, scores of people—doctors, lawyers, journalists, businesspeople—are vulnerable to sudden, arbitrary prosecution. Cato's Tim Lynch, editor of In the Name of Justice, maintains that the runaway growth of the criminal law has been accompanied by the dilution of constitutional rights and safeguards. Please join us for a discussion of these disturbing trends and what might be done about them.

The China Factor: Persuading Beijing to Get Tough with North Korea

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 12:00:00 -0400

Although North Korea has recently made some minor conciliatory gestures, there is little indication that Pyongyang intends to give up its destabilizing nuclear and missile programs. What can be done? War is not an acceptable option, increased sanctions seem unlikely to work, and so far diplomacy has proved ineffective. Does working in closer cooperation with China offer a better option? Beijing has the most clout in Pyongyang, but remains unwilling to use its influence. Could U.S. policymakers persuade China to take a more active role, perhaps even working to oust the murderous regime of Kim Jong-il? What arguments would be most compelling for Beijing and what incentives might Washington offer to win China's cooperation?

The Case for Withdrawal from Afghanistan

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 12:00:00 -0400

Nearly eight years after the fall of the Taliban regime, Afghanistan struggles under the most brutal circumstances: corrupt and ineffective state institutions, thousands of miles of unguarded borders pervasive illiteracy and poverty, and a dysfunctional international alliance attempting to provide security for the country. Can "nation building" in the midst of a bloody insurgency succeed? What constitutes "success," and what price should we be willing to pay for it? Does the United States have a compelling strategic rationale for remaining in Afghanistan?

Freedom and Prosperity in Central and Eastern Europe: 20 Years after the Collapse of Communism

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 09:00:00 -0400

Freedom and Prosperity in Central and Eastern Europe: 20 Years after the Collapse of Communism

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 09:00:00 -0400

Freedom and Prosperity in Central and Eastern Europe: 20 Years after the Collapse of Communism

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 09:00:00 -0400

8th Annual Constitution Day

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 10:30:00 -0400

8th Annual Constitution Day

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 10:30:00 -0400

8th Annual Constitution Day

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 10:30:00 -0400

8th Annual Constitution Day

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 10:30:00 -0400

8th Annual Constitution Day

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 10:30:00 -0400

Toward a Customer-Driven Transportation Reauthorization

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 12:00:00 -0400

In reauthorizing federal funding for transportation, Congress has a choice between top-down policies whose focus is on reducing American mobility at almost any cost and customer-driven policies whose focus is on enabling mobility while cost-effectively minimizing the environmental impact of that mobility. The "Surface Transportation Act of 2009: A Blueprint for Investment and Reform" from the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure firmly chooses the former strategy. Please join Rep. Scott Garrett, author Sam Staley, and Cato Institute scholar Randal O'Toole to discuss alternatives that will save taxpayers billions while doing far more to protect the environment.

The Right Road for America: Top-Down Transportation Planning vs. Customer-Driven Mobility

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 12:00:00 -0400

The Obama Administration admits that one of its environmental goals is to "coerce people out of their cars." The administration's "behavior modification" plans would spend more tax dollars on high-speed rail and transit, leaving highways increasingly congested and dangerous to use. This forum will present alternatives focused on customer-driven transportation funded by user fees, not taxes. Please join authors Alan Pisarski, Gabriel Roth, and Randal O'Toole to learn how reducing the environmental impacts of mobility without reducing mobility itself is less costly and more successful than efforts to change people's behavior.

Should the United States Withdraw from Afghanistan?

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 12:00:00 -0400

Nearly eight years after the fall of the Taliban regime, Afghanistan struggles under the most brutal circumstances: corrupt and ineffective state institutions; thousands of miles of unguarded borders; pervasive illiteracy and poverty; and a dysfunctional international alliance attempting to provide security for the country. Can "nation-building" in the midst of a bloody insurgency succeed in such an environment? What constitutes "success," and what price should we be willing to pay for it? Does the United States have a compelling strategic rationale for remaining in Afghanistan? Please join us for a lively discussion.

A Harsh Climate for Trade: How Climate Change Proposals Threaten Global Commerce

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 12:00:00 -0400

As the Senate prepares to consider a climate change bill, a new study from the Cato Institute lays out some of the dangers in trade provisions ostensibly designed to "level the carbon playing field" between countries that sign carbon-limiting agreements and those that do not. Using the latest data and thinking on trade law, Sallie James shows how linking tariffs to greenhouse gas emissions would be harmful to the U.S. economy and counterproductive for achieving climate change objectives. Gary Hufbauer and Clayton Yeutter will also present their views on the intersection between climate change and trade policy.

Understanding Health Care Co-ops

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 12:00:00 -0400

With the "public option" for health care reform faltering, "co-ops" are increasingly being discussed as an alternative. But what are health insurance co-operatives? How do they work? Are they a viable alternative or just the public option by a different name? Cato senior fellow Michael Tanner will discuss the history, successes, and failures of health insurance co-ops, and how they may or may not fit into health care reform.

Citizens United Redux: The First Amendment Vindicated?

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 12:00:00 -0400

In January 2008, the United States District Court for the District of Columbia ruled that the commercials for a film, Hillary: The Movie, violated the section of the McCain-Feingold Act that restricts "electioneering communications" within 30 days before primaries. The United States Supreme Court was expected to rule on this case in the summer of 2009. Instead, the Court asked that the case be reargued, focusing on whether two of its precedents should be overturned. The first precedent upheld part of McCain-Feingold; the second (and more important) decision, Austin v. Michigan Chamber of Commerce, upheld government prohibitions on political speech by corporations. The reargument is scheduled for September 9, 2009. Proponents claim that overruling the Austin precedent would unleash business spending on political speech, thereby weakening democracy. Others see, in the end of Austin, an opening toward new era of political speech that is free of government control. Please join us for a spirited assessment of the prospects of a major change in First Amendment law and electoral politics.

Diagnosing and Treating the Roots of the Financial Crisis

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 12:00:00 -0400

Purchase at CatoStore How is it that in a world where thousands of people regulated financial markets the whole system crashed? And should we now give more power to central banks, government agencies, politicians, and regulators? Are they what brought us this crisis in the first place? In the new book Financial Fiasco: How America's Infatuation with Home Ownership and Easy Money Created the Economic Crisis, Johan Norberg digs deep into the foundation of the economic meltdown. Please join Cato scholars Johan Norberg and Mark Calabria for an analysis of the factors that created the financial crisis and for their recommendations for solving these problems.

Financial Fiasco: How America's Infatuation with Home Ownership and Easy Money Created the Economic Crisis

Tue, 01 Sep 2009 12:00:00 -0400

Purchase at CatoStore How was it possible that in a world where thousands of people regulated financial markets the whole system crashed down? And should we now give more power to central banks, government agencies, politicians, and regulators? Isn't that what brought us here in the first place? Financial Fiasco digs deep into the foundation of the economic meltdown, revealing how it was the product of conscious actions by decisionmakers in companies, government agencies, and political institutions, and by consumers. Financial Fiasco tells the compelling story of how rate-cutting by the Federal Reserve inflated the real estate market and fueled increased risk-taking in the financial markets; how new government policies to promote home ownership blasted air into the credit bubble; how new financial instruments, credit-rating requirements, and accounting rules intended to prevent cheating backfired; and much more. Financial Fiasco guides readers through a world of irresponsible behavior, warns that many of the "solutions" being implemented are repeating the mistakes that caused the crisis, and offers guidance on how to move forward.

Create Your Own Economy: The Path to Prosperity in a Disordered World

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 12:00:00 -0400

Purchase at Amazon How will we live well in a super-networked, information-soaked, yet predictably irrational world? The only way to know is to understand how the way we think is changing. As economist Tyler Cowen shows in Create Your Own Economy, the way we think is now changing more rapidly than it has in a long time. Cowen argues that in our now Internet-centric world we are continually breaking down information into ever-smaller pieces and ordering and reordering them in our minds (and our computers) to meet our individual needs. The more information we obtain, the more we want (and the more we can get). An analysis of this process enables us to understand how the mass consumption of information now occurs. In this provocative Forum, Cowen and guest panelists will discuss the overall viewpoints presented by the book, and will focus on the insightful analysis it offers on the unique thought processes of autism--how the autistic penchant for grasping information through classification, categorization, and specialization illuminates the way in which mainstream society now reaches for and dissects information. As the book's title suggests, this can shed a powerful light on where society and our economy are headed. We can now re-examine how politics, government, democratic decisionmaking, social networking, and more are perceived. We can reevaluate how these institutions are working (and will work in the future) and what elements will contribute to their success. (Professor Jeffrey Schaler of American University, previously listed as speaking at this event, will be unable to attend owing to a personal matter.)

Venezuela's Assault on Freedom of the Press and Other Liberties

Thu, 30 Jul 2009 12:00:00 -0400

Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez is promising to shut down Globovision Televisión, the last remaining independent television station broadcasting on public airwaves in the country. Two years ago, the government closed RCTV, Venezuela's largest television station, a move that sparked the successful student movement to reject Chávez's constitutional referendum to consolidate his socialist project. The government now claims that the private press is engaging in "media terrorism" and is "sickening" the public, and has announced that it will close more than 240 radio stations. Carlos Alberto Zuloaga and Rafael Alfonzo will describe Chávez's increasing radicalization in recent months, including his intensified assault on the press and on other basic civil, political, and economic liberties. Robert Rivard will provide comments.

Assessing the Options: REAL ID, PASS ID, or No National ID at All

Fri, 24 Jul 2009 12:30:00 -0400

The introduction of a bill called the PASS ID Act in the Senate has renewed the debate about whether the United States should have a national ID. PASS ID purports to improve on the moribund REAL ID Act, but the central question is whether there should be a national ID at all. A national ID would cost billions of dollars, place sensitive identity documents into insecure databases, and give the federal government more control over Americans' private lives. Join us for a discussion of the weaknesses that PASS ID and REAL ID share with any national ID system, and why diverse, competitive identity and credentialing systems are superior.

Who Are the Uninsured?

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 12:00:00 -0400

The 2006 Census Bureau estimate of 47 million uninsured Americans is often cited as a reason that health care reform is necessary. But who makes up this 47 million? Is it fair to lump all uninsured individuals into one statistic? Building on her recent Employment Policies Institute paper Who are the Uninsured? former CBO director June O'Neill will discuss the characteristics of the uninsured population and what being uninsured means for individuals' health status. Cato scholar Michael Tanner will comment on O'Neill's findings.

What Government-Run Health Care Really Means

Wed, 15 Jul 2009 12:00:00 -0400

Government-run health systems, such as the one in Canada, are pointed to by those on different sides of the issue as examples of what to do or not to do in health reform. What lessons do these systems hold for the United States as it attempts to overhaul its health care system? What policies should Congress steer clear of? Join Michael Cannon, director of health policy studies at the Cato Institute and co-author of Healthy Competition: What's Holding Back Health Care and How to Free It, and Sally Pipes, president and CEO of the Pacific Research Institute and author of Top Ten Myths of American Health Care: A Citizen's Guide, for a discussion. Pipes will recount her firsthand experience with the Canadian health care system, and both panelists will explore what lies ahead for the United States.

Engaging China to Solve the North Korea Problem

Tue, 14 Jul 2009 12:00:00 -0400

North Korea has been acting in an increasingly provocative manner, threatening nuclear and missile tests, and imprisoning two U.S. reporters captured on the North's border with China. What can be done? War is not an acceptable option, increased sanctions seem unlikely to work, and so far diplomacy has proved ineffective. Does working in closer cooperation with China offer a better option? Beijing has the most clout in Pyongyang, but remains unwilling to use its influence. Could U.S. policymakers persuade China to take a more active role, perhaps even working to oust the murderous regime of Kim Jong-il? What arguments would be most compelling for Beijing and what incentives might Washington offer to win China's cooperation? This event is made possible through the generosity of The Ploughshares Fund.

Voting Rights—and Wrongs: The Elusive Quest for Racially Fair Elections

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:00:00 -0400

Purchase at Amazon The 1965 Voting Rights Act is the crown jewel of American civil rights legislation; its passage marked the death knell of the Jim Crow South. But that was the beginning, not the end, of an important debate on race and representation in American democracy. When is the distribution of political power racially fair? Who counts as a representative of black and Hispanic interests? The Court, the Justice Department, and Congress have collaborated in segregating American politics with race-driven districting to protect black and Hispanic candidates from white competition. Meanwhile, states and counties across the nation have had their methods of election put into federal receivership, in effect. Has the integration of American politics demanded such an extraordinary use of federal power? And does it still today? Author Abigail Thernstrom, whom Shelby Steele has called "simply the best writer and thinker we have on voting rights in America," will discuss the myriad of complex issues that swirl around the interpretation and enforcement of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. No other race-related public policy has done more to shape America's racial landscape—for good and for ill.

Federal Drug Policy: Time to Shift Priorities

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 12:00:00 -0400

President Obama's new drug czar, Gil Kerlikowske, says he wants to banish the idea of a "war on drugs" because the federal government should not be "at war with the people of this country." An important and welcome announcement, to be sure, but what government policies will be actually adjusted, canceled, or reversed? At a minimum, the time is right to reverse the militarization of law enforcement, abolish mandatory minimum sentencing, and stop federal meddling in the state referendum and initiative process. Join us for a wide-ranging discussion regarding new directions for federal drug policy.

To Reform Health Care, Don't Increase Taxes, Cut Them

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 12:00:00 -0400

To cover the likely $2 trillion cost of extending health insurance coverage to the uninsured, Democratic leaders are scrambling to find ways to increase the American people's taxes. Should Congress tax health benefits? Charitable contributions? Soda pop? Wages? The rich? Or are congressional leaders barking up the wrong tree? Is this rush to tax based on false premises? Two health policy experts from the Cato Institute—the co-authors of Healthy Competition: What's Holding Back Health Care and How to Free It—will explain the pitfalls of tax-and-spend health care reform, as well as how true reform requires reducing the amount of money that politicians control.

Is This Socialized Medicine?

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 12:00:00 -0400

As with past attempts to overhaul America's health care sector, critics have labeled the reforms before Congress "socialized medicine." Is this a fair accusation? Are President Obama and congressional Democrats really trying to impose socialized medicine on the United States? What is socialized medicine, anyway? Scholars with different perspectives on these questions will debate what relevance socialized medicine has to today's health care reform debate.

Bringing Transparency to the Federal Reserve

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 12:00:00 -0400

The recent financial crisis has led to a massive expansion of government involvement in our capital markets. Foremost among those interventions has been the almost tripling of the Federal Reserve's balance sheet, from just over $800 billion before the crisis to almost $2.3 trillion now. Even more astounding is that the increase, with its massive exposure of loss to the American taxpayer, has been conducted with almost no oversight from Congress. Rep. Ron Paul has long led efforts to bring greater transparency and accountability to the workings of government. Join us for a discussion on increasing the public transparency of the Federal Reserve.

Pakistan and the Future of U.S. Policy

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 12:00:00 -0400

In recent months, Pakistani security forces have been battling extremists from Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, Tehreek-e-Nifaz-e-Shariat-e-Mohammadi, and other interconnected networks of terrorist groups in the country's northern districts. Insurgents routinely attack local authorities and have forced over a million persons to flee. These developments are sparking fears that as extremist influence spreads, an al Qaeda ally could get its hands on Pakistan's nuclear weapons. How serious is the militant threat to Pakistan? How does this threat affect U.S. interests? How reliable of an ally is Pakistan to the United States? And what are the prospects for stability in the region? Join us as we explore these questions. Speaker Biographies: Ambassador Wendy Chamberlin has been president of the Middle East Institute since March 2007. Before that she served as deputy high commissioner for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. As assistant administrator in the Asia-Near East Bureau for the US Agency for International Development, Chamberlin held posts in Iraq, South Asia and the Middle East, among other national and international assignments. Mukhtar A. Khan is a Pakistani Pashtun journalist-cum-analyst based in Washington, DC. Since 9/11, he has extensively covered Pakistan's troubled frontier, both for the local and international media, including the BBC, Mail on Sunday, and Voice of America, and has visited the region frequently. Currently, he is working on a book on increasing trends of militancy in the Pakistan-Afghanistan border regions and its spillover to the rest of the world. He is also working as Chief Media Strategist for AfPak Media Solutions and Senior Advisor to the Pashtun Focus, besides contributing analytical articles for The Jamestown Foundation and the Combating Terrorism Center (CTC) at West Point. Ken Luongo is president of the Partnership for Global Security. He has experience in fissile material control, nuclear terrorism and proliferation, and geographic expertise in Pakistan, India, Russia and the former Soviet Union. Previously, he served as senior advisor to the secretary of energy for nonproliferation policy and the director of the Office of Arms Control and Nonproliferation at the U.S. Department of Energy. Luongo has served with the Senate and House Armed Services Committee and has worked extensively on Russian and Pakistani nuclear security issues. Malou Innocent is a Foreign Policy Analyst at the Cato Institute. Her primary research interests are U.S. foreign policy toward Pakistan, Afghanistan, and China. She recently traveled to Pakistan through the Ford Foundation. She has published reviews and articles on national security and international affairs in scholarly and policy journals such as Survival, Congressional Quarterly, and Harvard International Review, as well as in publications such as Armed Forces Journal, Christian Science Monitor, Wall Street Journal Asia, and the Huffington Post. She has appeared as a guest analyst on BBC News, Fox News Channel, Al Jazeera, Voice of America, CNBC Asia, and Reuters. Christopher Preble is the Cato Institute's director of foreign policy studies. His book The Power Problem: How American Military Dominance Makes Us Less Safe, Less Prosperous and Less Free documents the enormous costs of America's military power, and proposes a new grand strategy to advance U.S. national security. He is also the author of Exiting Iraq: How the U.S. Must End the Occupation and Renew the War against Al Qaeda, and John F. Kennedy and the Missile Gap. In addition, Preble has published over 100 articles in major publications, including USA Today, the Financial Times, and the Wall Street Journal. He has appeared on many television and radio news networks including CNN, MSNBC, Fox News Channel, NPR, and the BBC. Preble was a commissioned officer in the U.S. Navy and is a veteran of the Gulf War, having served onboard USS Ticonderoga (CG-47) from 1990 to 1993.

Massachusetts — Three Years Later

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 12:00:00 -0400

When Massachusetts passed its pioneering health care reforms in 2006, critics warned that they would result in a downward spiral toward a government-run health care system. Three years later, those predictions appear to be coming true. With the "Massachusetts model" frequently cited as a blueprint for health care reform, it is important to understand what has resulted since the legislation was implemented. Please join Cato senior fellow Michael Tanner, along with Consumers for Health Care Choices president and CEO Greg Scandlen, and Heritage Foundation policy analyst Greg D'Angelo as they examine the lessons to be learned from Massachusetts. Read more in a new study by Michael D. Tanner, "Massachusetts Miracle or Massachusetts Miserable: What the Failure of the 'Massachusetts Model' Tells Us about Health Care Reform."

It's Our Turn to Eat: The Story of a Kenyan Whistleblower

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 12:00:00 -0400

Purchase at Amazon When the 24-year-long reign of Daniel arap Moi ended in 2002, Kenyans looked to their new democratically elected government to end pervasive corruption and fix the economy. The new president, Mwai Kibaki, quickly appointed John Githongo as Kenya's anti-corruption czar and took tentative steps to make the government more transparent. Veteran Africa correspondent Michela Wrong charts Githongo's losing fight. As hopeful beginning gave way to disappointment, Githongo realized that the new ruling elite—including people closest to the president—partook in grand corruption with the same gusto as the old. Kibaki's lack of concern at Githongo's findings was only matched by the resolve of most Western governments and aid agencies to ignore widespread corruption so that more aid dollars could flow to Kenya.

Dred Scott's Revenge: A Legal History of Race and Freedom in America

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 12:00:00 -0400

Purchase at Amazon The Declaration of Independence proclaimed America's belief in legal equality and inalienable rights. But American governments legally suspended the free will of blacks for 150 years and then denied blacks equal protection under the law for another 150 years. How did this happen in America? How were the Constitution and laws of the land twisted so as to institutionalize racism? How did it — or will it — end? In his new book Judge Andrew P. Napolitano takes a no-holds-barred look at the role of the government in the denial of freedoms on the basis of race. Juan Williams of NPR, author of Eyes on the Prize and of a biography of Thurgood Marshall, calls it "the best history of the law and race I've ever read." Damon Root and Jason Kuznicki, both of whom have written on the history of race and the law, will comment.

Cato Institute Conference on Health Care Reform