Cato Podcast

Cato Podcast

government

Each week on <em>Cato Podcast</em>, 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.<hr><p …

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Episodes

The Great Political Realignment

Steve Davies’s new book, The Great Realignment, argues that the key political divide of the past century — markets versus state control — is being displaced by a new aligning …

Apr 02, 2026 · 52m

Congressional Feuding and Airport Chaos

TSA agents are staying home; airport lines are hours long, and Congress still cannot agree on a DHS funding bill. The Cato Institute's Pat Eddington and Chris Edwards say this …

Mar 31, 2026 · 22m

The Flaws of Rent Ceilings

<p>Massachusetts is weighing a ballot initiative that would cap rent increases at the rate of inflation with no vacancy decontrol, one of the most stringent rent control regimes proposed in …

Mar 26, 2026 · 42m

Surf, Speech, and Government Cartels

<p>In Newport Beach and along California's state beaches, government-created monopolies have effectively banned independent surf instructors from earning a living, with one instructor fined $40,000 after an undercover sting operation. …

Mar 24, 2026 · 46m

Talkin’ ’Bout My Generation (Z)

<p>Cato’s new media fellow, Rikki Schlott, joins Ryan Bourne to talk Gen Z: how social media shaped them, why online life has made young people both more anxious and more …

Mar 19, 2026 · 40m

Who's Watching the $170 Billion?

A 30-day DHS shutdown hasn't slowed ICE or Border Patrol, because nearly $170 billion in One Big Beautiful Bill funding keeps them running with minimal transparency and almost no congressional …

Mar 17, 2026 · 31m

Anthropic, Albany, and the AI Backlash

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 …

Mar 12, 2026 · 40m

The Strait of Hormuz and the Price of War

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. …

Mar 10, 2026 · 26m

Unlawful Voting Is a Tiny Problem

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 …

Mar 05, 2026 · 36m

War Powers and the Road to Iran

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 …

Mar 03, 2026 · 30m

Rhetoric vs. Reality in the State of the Union

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 …

Feb 26, 2026 · 40m

Who Decides When America Goes to War?

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 …

Feb 24, 2026 · 36m

No Tax on Tips, New Tax on Billionaires?

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 …

Feb 20, 2026 · 41m

Ed Crane and the Ideas That Changed Washington — and the World

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, …

Feb 17, 2026 · 35m

Raging Against Modernity

<p>A 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 …

Feb 12, 2026 · 40m

Why Globalization Wins on the Field

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 …

Feb 10, 2026 · 38m

Protest, Carry, Die: Rights in Conflict

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 …

Feb 05, 2026 · 39m

Reforming the Federal Reserve, Brick by Brick

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, …

Feb 03, 2026 · 27m

Why Propping Up Maduro’s Allies Won’t Save Venezuela

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 …

Jan 29, 2026 · 29m

History Makes Clear: School Choice Is Necessary in a Diverse Society

Cato’s Neal McCluskey is joined by Cheryl Fields-Smith, Matthew Lee, and Ron Matus to discuss the new book <em>Fighting for the Freedom to Learn</em> and the centuries-long movement for school choice in …

Jan 27, 2026 · 50m

Iran on the Brink: Another Middle East War in the Making?

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. …

Jan 22, 2026 · 30m

What’s Missing from the White House’s Health Care Plan

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 …

Jan 20, 2026 · 29m