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- Parental rating: PG13 - Should be 13 or over
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- Hosts: Cato Institute, liberatarian, liberty, libertarianism, small government
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- Last update: Thu, 31 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EDT
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- Language: en-us
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The Cato Institute is a nonpartisan public policy research foundation in Washington D.C. dedicated to broadening policy debate on a wide range of key contemporary public policy issues. Cato’s podcasts are taken from its comprehensive, fully up-to-date ar Event Podcast from the Cato Institute
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Thu, 31 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EDT
Released to great acclaim in May 2008, The Dirty Dozen: How Twelve Supreme Court Cases Radically Expanded Government and Eroded Freedom analyzes 12 U.S. Supreme Court decisions that, according to coauthors Robert Levy of the Cato Institute and William Mellor of the Institute for Justice, changed the course of American history away from constitutional government. In addition, The Dirty Dozen provides insights into the proper role of the Court and calls for judicial engagement to remedy these harmful decisions. The book has rapidly become the catalyst for an energetic, wide-reaching debate about the Supreme Court, generating an extensive range of opinions among legal professionals, concerned non-lawyers, and Court followers about the 12 cases, their impact, and the role of the Court. The Cato Institute and the American Constitution Society are pleased to provide a public platform for this important debate. Leading practitioners and academics from different perspectives will discuss the cases and the authors? legal analyses. Please join us for what promises to be a dynamic event made even more significant by the historic Court decisions that have been handed down since the book?s publication only 2 months ago.
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Mon, 28 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EDT
The southern African countries of Botswana and Zimbabwe are neighbors. Botswana is peaceful, stable, and increasingly prosperous. Zimbabwe, in contrast, is beset by political and economic crises. Their diverging fortunes are partly explained by their government?s attitudes to economic freedom: Botswana is one of Africa?s economically freest states, and Zimbabwe is among Africa?s least free countries. Please join Zimbabwean human rights activist Rejoice Ngwenya and Cato?s Africa analyst Marian Tupy to discuss Zimbabwe?s meltdown, Botswana?s ascent, and lessons for the rest of Africa.
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Fri, 25 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EDT
Among the highest remaining U.S. tariffs are those imposed on imported shoes, with the highest duties applying to the cheapest shoes. Critics of the tariffs contend that they fall most heavily on the poorest American households while ?saving? few domestic jobs. Defenders argue that the tariffs provide revenue for the federal government, have little impact on consumer prices, and steer trade to our free-trade partners at the expense of China. A bill in Congress to eliminate certain shoe tariffs, the Affordable Footwear Act, currently has more than 140 co-sponsors in the House and may be attached to the upcoming Miscellaneous Tariff Bill. Please join us for a forum featuring a co-sponsor of the footwear act and two trade experts who will debate the merits of lowering tariffs on imported shoes.
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Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EDT
In his provocative and compelling new book, George Will offers a fascinating look at the people, stories, and events that make the American drama so endlessly entertaining and instructive. With Will?s signature intellect and wry wit, One Man?s America chronicles a spectacular, eclectic procession of figures who have shaped our culture -- from Playboy founder Hugh Hefner to National Review founder William F. Buckley Jr., from Victorian poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow to Beat poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti, from cotton picker?turned?country singer Buck Owens to actor-turned-president Ronald Reagan. In addition, Will crisscrosses the country to illuminate what it is that makes America distinctive ?- visits that include the USS Arizona memorial in Pearl Harbor; the 100th anniversary of Harley-Davidson; Civil War battlefields, and much more. And of course, One Man?s America would not be complete without Will?s insights on baseball -? the icons and the cheats, the hapless and the greats. Finally, in a personal and reflective turn, Will writes movingly of his thirty-five-year-old son Jon, born with Down syndrome, and pays loving and poignant tribute to his mother, who died at the age of ninety-eight after a long struggle with dementia.
Buy This Book On Amazon.com
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Wed, 23 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EDT
In 1908, the Justice Department created the Bureau of Investigation, a small division of detectives that was responsible for investigating violations of federal law. The division was filled with incompetent and corrupt agents until a young bureaucrat by the name of J. Edgar Hoover was brought in to clean house. Hoover reorganized the division and renamed it the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and he served as its director for nearly 50 years. As the federal government expanded over the years, so did the power of the Bureau. Today, the FBI employs more than twenty thousand people and spends approximately $6.5 billion per year. As the Bureau turns 100, it is an appropriate time to review its history, both good and bad, and to discuss its future.
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Tue, 15 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EDT
After an extended primary season, the 2008 presidential campaign is finally under way and the candidates are presenting?at least in some areas?starkly different economic policy proposals. Sen. John McCain is a career-long free trader, consistently voting against trade barriers and subsidies. Sen. Barack Obama, although possessing a shorter voting record, puts greater restrictions on his support for free trade and favors a time-out on new trade agreements and extensive review?and possible renegotiation?of existing ones. On fiscal policy, Sen. McCain wants lower taxes while Sen. Obama proposes to shift the tax burden to wealthier Americans. According to the National Taxpayers Union, Sen. McCain has endorsed $68 billion of additional government spending per year and Sen. Obama has called for nearly $344 billion of bigger government. How would these policies strengthen the U.S. economy or damage it? If Obama is elected, would Congress simply rubber-stamp his proposals? If McCain wins, would Congress approve his agenda? Please join us as our panel discusses the McCain and Obama tax, spending, and trade plans.
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Fri, 11 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EDT
Improving the international trading system does not depend solely on new, comprehensive multilateral agreements. Countries can realize significant gains in commercial flows by undertaking trade facilitation?reforms that decrease administrative and physical impediments to transporting goods and services across borders. According to recent studies from several international economic institutions and a new Cato paper, trade facilitation reforms could increase global trade flows even more than further reductions in tariff rates and are primarily and substantially in the interest of the country implementing reform. Please join Cato trade scholar Daniel Ikenson and World Bank economist Simeon Djankov to discuss how to expand international commerce even without new multilateral trade agreements.
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Wed, 02 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EDT
The world's largest democracy, India, is an emerging economic giant. Reforms that began in the late 1980s and accelerated in the 1990s have led to high growth and have reduced poverty by one third. Professor Panagariya will discuss changes in Indian society that favor continued rapid growth. He will also explain why India should avoid policies that focus on equality rather than poverty reduction, and he will propose innovative reforms?such as school vouchers or cash transfers for health care?where government services have failed the poor. Swaminathan Aiyar will comment on the book?s outlook for India.
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Thu, 26 Jun 2008 00:00:00 EDT
As the Doha Round lies in a cryogenic state, it is important to recognize that comprehensive, multilateral agreement to reduce trade barriers is not the only way to improve the international trading system. In fact, according to recent studies from the World Bank and other international economic institutions? a new study published by the Cato Institute ??trade facilitation? reforms could do more to increase global trade flows than further reductions in tariff rates.
In broad terms, trade facilitation includes reforms aimed at improving the chain of administrative and physical procedures involved in the transport of goods and services across international borders. Countries with inadequate trade infrastructure, burdensome administrative processes, or limited competition in trade logistics services are less capable of benefiting from the opportunities of expanding global trade. And that goes for rich countries as well as developing countries.
By streamlining and reforming bureaucratic procedures and encouraging competition in communications and transportation services, governments have been helping increase trade, investment, and growth in their economies. And these reforms have not required international consensus to implement.
Please join us for a panel discussion with some of the world?s foremost experts on the topic of trade facilitation.
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Tue, 24 Jun 2008 00:00:00 EDT
Why are we, in many respects, less free now than we were 200 years ago? How did we get from our Founders' Constitution, which established a strictly limited government, to today's Constitution, which has expanded government and curtailed individual rights? That's the story of The Dirty Dozen - a book written for non lawyers about 12 U.S. Supreme Court cases that moved the course of American history away from constitutional government. Whether it involves the regulation of commerce, political speech, economic liberties, property rights, welfare, racial preferences, gun owners' rights, or imprisonment without charge, the U.S. Supreme Court has behaved in a manner that would have stunned, mystified, and outraged our Founding Fathers. Please join co-author Robert Levy for a discussion of the 12 worst Supreme Court cases of the modern era.
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Thu, 19 Jun 2008 00:00:00 EDT
On a continent scarred by political repression and economic underdevelopment, Botswana and Mauritius stand out. In 2007, Freedom House certified both countries as free, and the Fraser Institute?s Economic Freedom of the World report found that Botswana and Mauritius had the two freest economies in Africa. According to the World Bank, the two also have?along with Seychelles?Africa?s highest per capita incomes. What explains that success? Why did the institutions of freedom take root in Botswana and Mauritius, while failing to do so in most other African countries? How do the two countries intend to maintain high growth in an increasingly globalized world? Please join us to hear our speakers elaborate on the past successes and future challenges facing Botswana and Mauritius.
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Wed, 18 Jun 2008 00:00:00 EDT
In a provocative new book, Jason Riley makes the case for welcoming more legal immigrants to the United States. Drawing on history, scholarly studies and first-hand reporting, Riley argues that today?s newcomers are fueling America?s prosperity and dynamism. He challenges the prevailing views on talk radio and cable TV that immigrants are overpopulating the country, stealing jobs, depressing wages, bankrupting social services, filling prisons, resisting assimilation and promoting big government. Comments will be provided by one of the nation?s leading political analysts.
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Tue, 17 Jun 2008 00:00:00 EDT
The United States confronts a host of foreign policy problems in the 21st century, yet the Republic's security strategy is increasingly muddled and counterproductive. The litany of misplaced priorities and policy failures grows ever larger. Ted Galen Carpenter examines America's foreign policy challenges and diagnoses what is wrong with Washington's current approach. Throughout these essays, Carpenter outlines an alternative strategy, Smart Power, that would protect America's security while avoiding unnecessary and unrewarding military adventures.
Please join the author and our distinguished commentators for a discussion of this timely and path-breaking book, Smart Power: Toward a Prudent Foreign Policy for America.
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Thu, 12 Jun 2008 00:00:00 EDT
In his two terms in the U.S. Senate, Chuck Hagel has distinguished himself as one of our nation?s most outspoken and thoughtful political leaders. Unafraid to challenge the policies of his own party, Senator Hagel has drawn praise and admiration from across the ideological spectrum by expressing grave concerns about the war in Iraq. In America: Our Next Chapter: Tough Questions, Straight Answers, Senator Hagel sets forth his vision for a humbler U.S. foreign policy guided by international diplomacy and free trade. He also addresses key domestic policy issues by calling for a significant reduction in the size of the federal government, demanding more fiscal responsibility in Washington, and supporting reforms to reduce the spiraling costs of entitlement programs. Please join Senator Hagel for a discussion of his new book, with introductory comments by Cato Institute president Edward H. Crane.
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Thu, 12 Jun 2008 00:00:00 EDT
Prof. Philip Zimbardo, the conductor of the infamous 1971 Stanford Prison Experiment, has become a leading authority on the psychology of evil: How is it that people are induced to commit evil, even when they consider themselves ?good? people? What social dynamics encourage?or discourage?cruelty toward other human beings? The Lucifer Effect offers a full reconstruction of the 1971 experiment based on archival video, subject diaries, exit interviews, and other contemporary material. It then gives an introduction to the psychology of social morality as it has developed over the years. The book culminates with an examination of the prisoner abuse scandals of Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo Bay, and elsewhere, challenging accounts that would hold individual soldiers solely responsible for their actions, and indicting the chain of command for knowingly creating conditions that would lead to degrading treatment and torture.
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Fri, 06 Jun 2008 00:00:00 EDT
Despite the conclusions one might draw from the constant barrage of media negativity, never before have people lived longer, healthier, and wealthier lives with lower risks of malnourishment, illiteracy, or death by war or natural disaster. In a recent report for the Swedish government, Cato senior fellow Johan Norberg has documented the largest, most rapid rise in human living standards ever, which occurred over the last four decades. He will review the factors that generated these advances and explain how even more economic liberty, free trade, and globalization are necessary to sustain them.
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Fri, 30 May 2008 00:00:00 EDT
China's rapid economic and military rise is causing understandable unease among American military planners. Although the Bush administration took office referring to China as a "strategic competitor," more recent statements of U.S. policy have focused on integrating China into the world community as a "responsible stakeholder." Does America's position as the sole superpower and China's as the primary rising power make U.S.-China conflict imminent and inevitable? If not, which potential flashpoints should be particular concerns for U.S. policymakers? Can American policy minimize tensions between the two powers? And what would open military confrontation between the United States and China look like? Please join Cato scholars Ted Galen Carpenter and Justin Logan for an exploration of national security and foreign policy issues related to China's rise.
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Thu, 29 May 2008 00:00:00 EDT
What makes military occupations more or less likely to succeed? Drawing on 26 cases since 1815 where outside powers have seized territory without a claim to its sovereignty, David Edelstein attempts to determine why some occupations succeed and why so many seem doomed to failure.
Edelstein combines detailed case studies with a theoretical approach and concludes that occupations face a paradox: Success requires a long-term and massive commitment of resources and attention; however, such large-scale occupations can elicit nationalist responses from the occupied populace. Further, as the occupier faces difficulty, discontent grows at home, and pressure builds to remove occupying forces. Examining the history of occupation as a component of grand strategy, Edelstein offers warnings for today?s policymakers, who seem tempted to include military occupations as part of the approach to countering terrorism.
Please join the author and our distinguished commentators for a discussion of this timely and pathbreaking book.
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Tue, 27 May 2008 00:00:00 EDT
In reauthorizing the federal gas tax and surface transportation funding, the next Congress can continue historic trends of dictating thousands of earmarks and other mandates that reduce our transportation efficiency and, like recent ethanol programs, have huge unintended consequences. Or it can streamline federal transportation programs to make urban and other surface transport systems run smoothly, efficiently, and with minimal waste of energy and greenhouse gas emissions. This policy forum will present a variety of proposals for breaking out of the transportation gridlock we currently suffer.
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Wed, 21 May 2008 00:00:00 EDT
The Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act?known as the "Akaka Bill"-would grant "native Hawaiians" federal recognition akin to that now enjoyed by Indian tribes. The bill creates a special authority that would exempt sufficiently ethnic Hawaiians from certain aspects of federal and state power. Having already passed the House and been reported out of Senate committee, the Akaka Bill is now due to be taken up by the full Senate. President Bush has promised a veto?citing the U.S. Civil Rights Commission's conclusion that it "would discriminate on the basis of race ? and further subdivide the American people into discrete subgroups accorded varying degrees of privilege."
Are these sorts of measures simply a matter of long-delayed justice? Does the Akaka Bill satisfy constitutional guarantees of equal protection and due process? What kind of precedent would it establish for other ethnic groups? And what would be the economic effects on businesses and tourism in Hawaii? Please join us for a discussion of these and other political, economic, legal, and historical issues.
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Fri, 16 May 2008 00:00:00 EDT
Foreign policy analysts are misreading the lessons of Iraq. The emerging conventional wisdom holds that success could have been achieved in Iraq with more troops, more cooperation among U.S. government agencies, and better counterinsurgency doctrine. Yet the Bush administration?s failures and errors in judgment did not derive from poor planning, but from flawed assumptions about the nature of Iraqi society. The difficulties in Iraq demonstrate the need for a new national security strategy and a newfound appreciation for the limits of power, not simply better tactics and tools. By insisting that Iraq was ours to remake were it not for the administration?s mismanagement, U.S. policy makers risk repeating these mistakes. Please join Cato scholars Christopher Preble and Benjamin H. Friedman for a discussion of these issues, which they and co-author Harvey Sapolsky also explore in the recent policy analysis, ?Learning the Right Lessons from Iraq.?
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Thu, 15 May 2008 00:00:00 EDT
It is 2008. Research suggests the federal Medicare program spends as much as $100 billion per year on medical care that makes seniors no healthier or happier. Its payment system continues to reward low-quality and even harmful medical care. The trustees of the Medicare program have issued yet another annual report containing dire warnings about Medicare's financial sustainability, including an unfunded liability of $86 trillion. The picture is far worse than it was when politicians were developing fundamental Medicare reforms 10 years ago. Yet politicians today seem uninterested. The president has proposed reforms that would barely slow the program's growing dependence on general revenues-a proposal that Congress has largely ignored. Leading presidential candidates advocate tweaks-such as reducing payments for private plans and prescription drugs, or tying payments to quality measures-rather than fundamental reform. Come hear leading analysts discuss whether the case for Medicare reform is any less powerful now than in the past.
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Wed, 14 May 2008 00:00:00 EDT
Starting in the 1970s, conservatives learned that electoral victory did not easily convert into a reversal of important liberal accomplishments, especially in the law. As a result, conservatives' mobilizing efforts increasingly turned to law schools, professional networks, public interest groups, and the judiciary?areas traditionally controlled by liberals. Drawing from previously unavailable internal documents, as well as interviews with key figures, The Rise of the Conservative Legal Movement examines this sometimes fitful, and still only partially successful, conservative (and libertarian) challenge to liberal domination of the law. Steven Teles explores how this mobilization was shaped by the legal profession and the difficulties in matching strategic opportunities with effective organizational responses. He explains how foundations and other groups promoting conservative ideas built a network designed to dislodge legal liberalism from American elite institutions. And he portrays the reality, not of a grand strategy masterfully pursued, but of individuals and political entrepreneurs learning from trial and error. The book provides an unprecedented look at the inner life of one of the most striking developments in American public affairs over the last several decades.
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Tue, 13 May 2008 00:00:00 EDT
Following the Rose Revolution of 2003, the former Soviet Republic of Georgia began far-reaching reforms in governance and economic policy that are turning the country into a post-socialist success story. Georgia now ranks 44th out of 141 countries on the Economic Freedom of the World index, is cited by the World Bank as one of the world's leading reformers, and is sustaining economic growth of more than 9 percent per year. Kakha Bendukidze, one of Georgia's key reformers, will explain how his country is rapidly modernizing and will share his vision for continued high growth in a sometimes hostile neighborhood. Andrei Illarionov will assess Georgia's progress and highlight its remaining challenges in consolidating democratic capitalism.
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Thu, 08 May 2008 00:00:00 EDT
Taxation was central to the evolution of government in colonial America, and complaints about taxation led directly to the Revolution in 1776. Taxation in Colonial America provides a definitive history of taxation in the colonies from Jamestown to the Revolution. In almost 1,000 pages, Rabushka?s book covers an array of fascinating subjects such as the monetary systems of the colonies, British governance and politics, tax evasion and tax revolts, the development of colonial legislatures, and differences in tax systems between the colonies. The level of interesting detail about both tax and nontax subjects in this book is astounding. This forum will be a treat for anyone interested in taxation, American history, or the development of English and American political structures.
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Thu, 08 May 2008 00:00:00 EDT
Conservatives love war, empire, and the military-industrial complex. They abhor peace, the sole and rightful property of liberals. Right? Wrong.
According to Bill Kauffman, true conservatives have always resisted the imperial and military impulse: it drains the treasury, curtails domestic liberties, breaks down families, and vulgarizes culture. From the Federalists who opposed the War of 1812, to the striving of Robert Taft (known as "Mr. Republican") to keep the United States out of Korea, to the latter-day libertarian critics of the Iraq war, there has historically been nothing unusual about anti-war activists on the political right. And while these critics of U.S. military crusades have been vilified by the party of George W. Bush, their conservative vision of a peaceful, decentralized, and noninterventionist America gives us a glimpse of the country we could have had?and might yet attain. Passionate and witty, Ain't My America is an eye-opening exploration of the forgotten history of right-wing peace movements?and a clarion call to anti-war conservatives of today. But Michael Tomasky, the former executive editor of the American Prospect who now edits the Guardian newspaper's American online edition, begs to differ.
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Wed, 07 May 2008 00:00:00 EDT
On May 11, 2008, the statutory deadline for compliance with the REAL ID Act will pass without a single state meeting its requirements. Indeed, more than 17 states have passed legislation objecting to or outright refusing to implement this national ID law. Earlier this year, the Department of Homeland Security handed out extensions of the compliance deadline just for the asking, but state leaders from across the ideological spectrum refused even this small gesture of acquiescence. A REAL ID rebellion is underway, and it has ushered in a debate on whether the United States should have a national ID system. The debate didn?t happen when the law passed because Congress held no hearings, and there was no up-or-down vote on REAL ID in the Senate. Votes this year on REAL ID funding, or perhaps repeal of the national ID law, will reveal where Members of Congress stand on the question whether law-abiding American citizens should be practically or legally required to carry a national ID. Please join us to hear two prominent leaders present their distinct perspectives on REAL ID, identification policy, national and individual security, identity fraud, and privacy.
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Tue, 06 May 2008 00:00:00 EDT
Why are we, in many respects, less free now than we were 200 years ago? How did we get from our Founders? Constitution, which established a strictly limited government, to today?s Constitution, which has expanded government and curtailed individual rights? That?s the story of The Dirty Dozen ? a book written for non-lawyers about 12 U.S. Supreme Court cases that moved the course of American history away from constitutional government. Whether it involves the regulation of commerce, political speech, economic liberties, property rights, welfare, racial preferences, gun owners? rights, or imprisonment without charge, the U.S. Supreme Court has behaved in a manner that would have stunned, mystified, and outraged our Founding Fathers. We were supposed to have a government of limited power and maximum freedom for the individual. Instead, we have been afflicted by a vast enlargement of both federal and state power, condoned by a Supreme Court that has selectively protected some ? but not all ? of our constitutionally guaranteed rights. Please join the authors for a discussion of the 12 worst Supreme Court cases of the modern era, with commentary by the dean of Supreme Court reporters.
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Thu, 01 May 2008 00:00:00 EDT
Expanding on their widely discussed article on "libertarian paternalism," Professors Sunstein and Thaler argue that people often make bad choices on diet, retirement savings, health insurance, and contributing to climate change. In their new book they examine how human beings make decisions. Recent scientific research shows that people are susceptible to cognitive biases and blunders. Because we are human, we are fallible, and because we are fallible, we can use all the help we can get. Sunstein and Thaler argue that by knowing how people think, we can design choice environments that make it easier for people to choose what is best for themselves, their families, and their society. Using colorful examples from the most important aspects of life, Thaler and Sunstein demonstrate how thoughtful "choice architecture" can be established to nudge us in beneficial directions without restricting freedom of choice. Will Wilkinson and Terrence Chorvat will raise questions about the proper place of "choice architecture" in a free society and the plausibility of "libertarian paternalism."
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Wed, 23 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EDT
In the aftermath of 9/11, President Bush declared that the struggle against terrorism would be nothing less than a war-a new kind of war that would require new tactics, new government powers, and a new mindset. In a new book, Bush's Law, Eric Lichtblau argues that counterterrorism officials at the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the National Security Agency, and the Central Intelligence Agency were asked to play roles they had never played before. To facilitate these new roles, legal restrictions were set aside, or disregarded, as administration officials sanctioned new intelligence and law enforcement programs. As a reporter for the New York Times, Lichtblau helped to break the story on the NSA's warrantless wiretapping program, for which he was later awarded the 2006 Pulitzer Prize for national reporting.
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Mon, 21 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EDT
On April 22, just as Pennsylvania Democrats go the polls in the last large primary before their nominating convention, the Supreme Court will hear yet another challenge to the McCain-Feingold campaign finance law: The Millionaires? Amendment attempts to discourage congressional candidates from spending more than $350,000 of their own money on their election campaigns. It penalizes expenditures above that threshold by allowing increased contribution limits and unlimited coordinated party expenditures for the self-financing candidate's opponent. Does this penalty unconstitutionally chill protected political speech, or is there a compelling governmental interest at stake? How does self-financing impact corruption or the concept of a level playing field? Please join Cato scholars John Samples and Ilya Shapiro for a lively exploration of the Millionaires? Amendment and other election regulations affecting this campaign season.
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Thu, 17 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EDT
In the modern global economy, highly skilled workers are increasingly important to continued growth and prosperity. Yet despite the dramatically increasing demand for foreign skilled labor, Congress has failed to increase the number of H-1B visas. As a result, U.S. immigration laws permit only a fraction of willing, skilled workers to add their talents to our society, reducing the welfare of both domestic workers and those who were denied access. Please join Senator Judd Gregg and Cato scholar Daniel Griswold for a discussion of reforming U.S. immigration policy to improve economic growth, expand individual choice, and maintain America's competitive advantage in innovation.
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Wed, 16 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EDT
A quarter century ago, A Nation at Risk shook the country and energized two education reform movements: school choice, and government-driven standards and accountability. For years, proponents of these reforms coexisted, even cooperated, but rifts have begun to appear. "Instructionists" now argue that markets without government standards are doomed to fail, while market reformers assail government standards as futile and anti-competitive. Please join our panelists as they debate the role of these reforms in fixing American education, 25 years after A Nation at Risk.
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Fri, 11 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EDT
In May 2007, congressional leaders agreed to consider free trade agreements (FTAs) with Colombia, Korea, Panama, and Peru if they were accompanied by additional labor and environmental standards. In the wake of the December 2007 U.S.-Peru FTA passage, key congressional leaders now demand substantial expansion in the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program before considering the other three FTAs. But can TAA expansion ensure enactment of the other agreements? Is it a trade-off worth making? And why are these particular bilateral trade agreements important to American interests? Finally, should the White House use the fast-track rules to force Congress to vote? Please join Cato Institute trade scholars Daniel Griswold and Sallie James for a discussion about why expansions of free trade should not be held hostage to a domestic welfare program.
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Wed, 09 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EDT
America's increasingly loud and bipartisan call for energy independence may well be having a negative impact on world crude oil markets. A. F. Alhajji, one of America's most widely published academic oil economists, believes that investment trends in oil-producing countries are being affected by our (largely rhetorical) campaign against foreign oil. The net result is less oil and gas exports and higher world prices. Alhajji is a syndicated columnist and a regular contributing editor for one of the industry's premier publications, World Oil magazine. In addition, he is an associate editor for Oil, Gas and Energy Law. Alhajji is also the energy columnist for the major daily business newspaper in Saudi Arabia, Aleqtisadiah. His articles have appeared in numerous countries and in more than 10 languages.
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Wed, 02 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EDT
Many African states have been addicted to Western aid for decades. Unfortunately, Africa as a whole has stagnated and some African countries are poorer today then they were in the 1960s. In recent years, advocates of foreign aid have called for making aid more efficient, but that may be easier said than done. The problem, some critics argue, is that aid supports predatory governments and perpetuates institutions that are alien to Africa. The "modern" state, characterized by Western-style elections and bureaucracies, may be ill-suited to African conditions. Failing governments should be allowed to collapse and be replaced by institutions indigenous to Africa. Our panel will discuss the likely consequences of ending aid and consider subsequent institutional developments.
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Mon, 24 Mar 2008 00:00:00 EDT
On March 29 Zimbabweans will cast their votes in presidential and parliamentary elections that are likely to be rigged in favor of Robert Mugabe and his ZANU-PF party. Mugabe and the ZANU-PF elite have presided over the collapse of living standards in Zimbabwe and the destruction of her economy. They are also responsible for massive human rights abuses that include a massacre of some 20,000 civilians in the Matabeleland in the 1980s. The panel will discuss the current economic and political situation in Zimbabwe, and possible post-election scenarios. The forum will coincide with the release of a new Cato study detailing Zimbabwe's decline.
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Wed, 19 Mar 2008 00:00:00 EDT
This book takes a fresh look at the role of the Supreme Court in our constitutional system. Although criticisms of judicial power often attribute its rise to the activism of justices seeking to advance particular political ideologies, Patrick Garry argues instead that the Court?s power has grown mainly because of certain New Deal-era decisions that initially seemed to portend a lessening of that power. The Rehnquist Court tried to strengthen the Constitution's structural protections of liberty but, according to Garry, this effort only went halfway because the Court relied exclusively on judicially enforced rights. A more comprehensive reform would require a return to a reliance on federalism and separation of powers as devices for protecting liberty.
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Tue, 18 Mar 2008 00:00:00 EDT
Economic success-among individuals, firms, products and countries-is often unexpected and unpredicted. William Easterly will draw on insights from Nobel laureate Friedrich Hayek to explain why prediction is difficult, success is rare and failure is common; the advantages of decentralized decision making to discover what works best in the market and in public policy; and the need to rely on dispersed and local knowledge, rather than government planning, for poor countries to achieve growth. Arvind Subramanian will draw on his experience working at multilateral institutions to comment on the relevance of Hayek's insights to developing countries and the current foreign aid debate.
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Tue, 18 Mar 2008 00:00:00 EDT
In 1974, Richard Nixon promoted the possibility of U.S. energy independence in six years. In 1975, Gerald Ford promised it in ten. And in 2007, Barack Obama, Rudy Giuliani, Hillary Clinton, Mitt Romney, John Edwards and John McCain all trumpeted energy independence as an essential priority for the next president. In 2007, six books were published hailing energy independence as the answer to everything from global warming to terrorism. But what is energy independence? Is it possible?
In Gusher of Lies (2008) Robert Bryce breaks down and debunks the myth of energy independence. In addition to his most recent book, Bryce is also the author of Pipe Dreams: Greed, Ego, and the Death of Enron, and Cronies: Oil, the Bushes, and the Rise of Texas, America's Superstate. He is managing editor of Energy Tribune, and a contributing writer for the Texas Observer.
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Thu, 13 Mar 2008 00:00:00 EDT
Some believe the 2008 election may transform the modern conservative movement. Others say the administration of George W. Bush has already moved the Republican Party away from any claim to being the champion of limited government and individual liberty. Mickey Edwards argues that conservatives have abandoned these principles in favor of an imperial presidency. These ?conservatives? have gutted the system of checks and balances, abandoned due process, and trampled on our cherished civil liberties. From Goldwater to Reagan, conservatives tried to protect citizens from government intrusion; now they see few limits on what government can do. Please join us for a discussion of this new book and its implications for the next administration and beyond.
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Wed, 12 Mar 2008 00:00:00 EDT
On December 2, 2007, Venezuelans rejected through a referendum constitutional changes proposed by President Hugo Chávez that would have turned their country into a socialist state. The Venezuelan student movement played the key role in that outcome. Student leader Yon Goicoechea will explain how and why students from public and private universities from across the country came together in defense of basic liberties. Author and human rights activist Gustavo Tovar will describe how the movement's philosophy of nonviolence helped to forge an effective opposition. Gerver Torres will discuss the significant impact of the "No" vote on public opinion and politics in Venezuela and throughout Latin America. All three speakers will discuss the future of the student movement and of Venezuelan politics.
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Tue, 11 Mar 2008 00:00:00 EDT
Throes of Democracy, the second volume in Walter McDougall's series on American history, illuminates a period of profound transformation in American politics and society. From the presidency of Andrew Jackson to the splits and regeneration of American political parties, Throes of Democracy describes in vivid detail America's transformation from frontier Republic to national state.
McDougall, winner of the Pulitzer Prize, pays particular attention to the diverse experiences of the new Americans representing a mélange of religions, ethnicities, and ideologies: Jews, Protestants, Catholics; Germans, Irish, Africans; Whigs and Democrats. Examining the outcome of the Civil War, McDougall makes a compelling argument that the failure of Reconstruction can be seen as a progenitor of America's latter-day failed attempts at regime change and nation building. In the end, McDougall's dedication to historical accuracy, his elegant prose, and his sharp analysis make for an eminently readable and moving narrative.
Please join the author and our distinguished commentators for a discussion of this fine new history.
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Thu, 06 Mar 2008 00:00:00 EST
Returning to the subject that first made him famous over two decades ago, Richard Epstein, the author of Takings, has a new book on property rights. In it, he takes readers from the strongly protective property rights advocated by the Constitution's Framers to the weak property rights supported by progressive and liberal politicians in the 20th century. Using both political theory and economic analysis, Epstein offers a compelling interpretation of the Fifth Amendment's Takings Clause to draw the connections between property rights, individual liberty, and social progress. And he looks also at the renewed appreciation of property rights that has arisen in the aftermath of the Supreme Court's infamous Kelo v. New London decision. Please join us for a discussion of this new work, with vigorous comments from the other side.
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Wed, 05 Mar 2008 00:00:00 EST
The U.S. Supreme Court has made it clear that the First Amendment guarantees individuals the right to speak about politics and politicians without limit. But what if several individuals pool their resources to advocate for or against candidates for public office? Should their speech be limited and regulated by the government?
According to federal campaign finance laws, the answer is yes. But a new federal lawsuit on behalf of SpeechNow.org, a group of citizens formed to protect the First Amendment at the ballot box, challenges those laws as a violation of the rights to free speech and association. The case aims to pave the way for independent groups of citizens to make their voices heard in elections, free of burdensome campaign finance regulation.
Please join us to hear about this new effort to protect constitutional rights against government overreach.
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Tue, 04 Mar 2008 00:00:00 EST
"We all know what to do, but we don't know how to get re-elected once we have done it," said Jan-Claude Juncker, the prime minister of Luxembourg. He was referring to a key political conundrum faced by leaders in most democracies, including members of the European Union and the United States, who realize the need for economic reforms but often fail to tackle them out of fear of voters' displeasure. Munkhammar argues in his new book The Guide to Reform that many supposed obstacles to reform are not obstacles at all and shows that almost all of the reformist governments in the OECD have been reelected. His book discusses successful reforms in, among other nations, Ireland, Spain, and Sweden, and offers practical advice on how to get them done.
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Tue, 04 Mar 2008 00:00:00 EST
Many African states have been addicted to Western aid for decades. Unfortunately, Africa as a whole has stagnated and some African countries are poorer today then they were in the 1960s. In recent years, advocates of foreign aid have called for making aid more efficient, but that may be easier said than done. The problem, some critics argue, is that aid supports predatory governments and perpetuates institutions that are alien to Africa. The "modern" state, characterized by Western-style elections and bureaucracies, may be ill-suited to African conditions. Failing governments should be allowed to collapse and be replaced by institutions indigenous to Africa. Our panel will discuss the likely consequences of ending aid and consider subsequent institutional developments.
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Fri, 29 Feb 2008 00:00:00 EST
Few topics arouse more passionate debate than climate change. There is broad agreement that humans are affecting the Earth?s temperature, but how can policymakers effectively address climate change while also advancing human well-being? Should society focus on reducing greenhouse gases or on building resilience and reducing vulnerability? Please join Pat Michaels and Indur Goklany for a discussion about climate change.
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Wed, 27 Feb 2008 00:00:00 EST
February is Black History Month, so it?s an appropriate time to take a critical look at the way government has treated racial minorities, especially African Americans. Is government more likely to be the friend or adversary of minority groups? Has it been liberals, conservatives, or libertarians like William Lloyd Garrison and Frederick Douglass who have been the most consistent defenders of everyone's rights? What does history suggest would be the best public policy for racial minorities in the 21st century? Bruce Bartlett, a former Reagan administration economist with a provocative new book, and Casey Lartigue, coeditor of Educational Freedom in Urban America and a controversial former XM 169 talk show host, will discuss these questions.
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Thu, 21 Feb 2008 00:00:00 EST
As the U.S. organ donor waiting list nears a record 100,000 and an average of seven Americans die every day waiting for an organ that never comes, solving the U.S. organ shortage takes on new urgency. Matas and Hippen will argue that the shortage could be solved by lifting the U.S. prohibition on the sale of human organs. Delmonico and Crowe will argue that the legalization of organ sales would do more harm than good. Matas will present his model for a regulated organ market described in his recent Cato study "A Gift of Life Deserves Compensation." And Hippen will present his observations on why Iran is the only country in the world without an organ shortage, the subject of his forthcoming study.
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Tue, 19 Feb 2008 00:00:00 EST
Twilight at Monticello is an unprecedented and engrossing personal look at Thomas Jefferson in his final years that will change the way readers think about him. During the years from his return to Monticello in 1809 until his death in 1826, Jefferson dealt with illness and debt, corresponded with the leading figures of the Revolution, and became a radical decentralist and admirer of the New England townships, where, he believed, the real fire of liberty burned bright.
Jefferson had witnessed the strength of local governments during his ill-advised, near-dictatorial embargo, which proved to be the great crisis of his political life, not because he placed too much faith in his countrymen's capacity for self-government but because, for once in his life, he placed too little faith in it. During these years, Jefferson also became increasingly aware of the costs to civil harmony exacted by the Founding Fathers' failure to effectively reconcile slaveholding within a republic dedicated to liberty.
Right up until his death on the 50th anniversary of America's founding, Thomas Jefferson remained an indispensable man, albeit a supremely human one. Based on new research and documents culled from the Library of Congress, the Virginia Historical Society, and other special collections, including hitherto unexamined letters from family, friends, and Monticello neighbors, Alan Pell Crawford paints an authoritative and deeply moving portrait of Thomas Jefferson as private citizen ? the first original depiction of the man in more than a generation.
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Thu, 14 Feb 2008 00:00:00 EST
Which members of Congress most consistently support the freedom of Americans to trade and invest in the global economy -- free of market-distorting subsidies and barriers? A dynamic new Cato web feature, "Free Trade, Free Markets," will allow users to search more than a decade of votes to answer that and other questions about how members have voted on trade. Cato trade scholar Daniel Griswold will demonstrate the new trade tool and reveal who in Congress deserves the title of "Free Trader." Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN), one of the Senate's most distinguished and consistent supporters of free trade, will offer remarks on the prospects for trade legislation in the 110th Congress and beyond.
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Thu, 31 Jan 2008 00:00:00 EST
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is facing a host of new challenges. In Afghanistan, NATO?s forces are being relentlessly attacked by the Taliban, and popular support for maintaining troops there is fading. The proposed deployment of antiballistic missiles, a potential flashpoint in Kosovo, and the growing tension between Russia and some of its neighbors all have the potential to divide members of the alliance. Meanwhile, NATO?s inability to deter a cyber attack that virtually paralyzed NATO member Estonia?s access to the Internet raises questions about the alliance?s ability to protect its newest members.
The panelists will discuss these and other challenges confronting NATO, offering their thoughts on the future of the alliance, and recommendations for U.S. policymakers.
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Fri, 11 Jan 2008 00:00:00 EST
In his new book, The Mind of the Market: Compassionate Apes, Competitive Humans, and Other Tales from Evolutionary Economics, Michael Shermer examines such questions as: How did we evolve from ancient hunter-gatherers to modern consumer-traders? Why are people so irrational when it comes to money and business? He argues that the new science of evolutionary economics provides an answer to both of those questions. Shermer shows how evolution and economics are both examples of a larger phenomenon of complex adaptive systems. Along the way, he answers such provocative questions as, Do our tribal roots mean that we will always be a sucker for brands? How is the biochemical joy of sex similar to the rewards of business cooperation? How can nations increase trust within and between their borders? Finally, Shermer considers the consequences of globalization and why free trade promises to build alliances between nations. Michael Shermer is the founding publisher of Skeptic magazine, a monthly columnist for Scientific American, and the author of Why People Believe Weird Things and Why Darwin Matters.
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Tue, 08 Jan 2008 00:00:00 EST
John McCain is one of the most familiar figures in American politics, a figure with great appeal to many. However, his concrete governing philosophy and actual track record have been left unexamined. Matt Welch?s new book McCain: The Myth of a Maverick gives a flesh-and-bones political portrait of a man onto whom people project their own ideological fantasies. It is the first realistic assessment of what a John McCain presidency might look like. Welch lays out the root cause of the senator's worldview: his personal transformation from underachieving youth to war hawk, in which he used the "higher power" of American nationalism to save his life and soul. Please join us to discuss this new work on the day that New Hampshire decides the fate of Senator McCain?s enduring aspiration to attain the presidency.
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Thu, 06 Dec 2007 00:00:00 EST
Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI), ranking member on the House Budget Committee, has introduced the Taxpayer Choice Act, which would repeal the alternative minimum tax (AMT) and replace today?s complicated income tax with a Simplified Tax. The new system would have just two rates and a large standard deduction, and would greatly reduce the damage and complexity caused by the current income tax.
Ryan will talk about his legislation and the growing budget battle over tax increases in Congress. Chris Edwards and Dan Mitchell will contrast the Ryan plan with other tax reforms, highlight the importance of AMT repeal, and consider the outlook for tax policy in coming months.
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Wed, 05 Dec 2007 00:00:00 EST
Americans are being told that expanding trade has put downward pressure on U.S. jobs and wages, leaving most Americans worse off, and this growing perception has undermined support for trade-liberalizing agreements. In a comprehensive new study, the Cato Institute's Daniel Griswold finds that a decade of rapid trade expansion has actually lifted the income levels of most American workers and families. Griswold's study systematically examines trends in job growth and displacement, real wages and benefits, household income, and household net worth, finding that Americans are better off because of free trade.
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Mon, 03 Dec 2007 00:00:00 EST
The war on terror has presented U.S. courts with many thorny legal issues relating to civil liberties and national security. On December 5 the Supreme Court takes up the case of Boumediene v. Bush, which centers on the right of "enemy combatants" being held in Guantanamo Bay to have their detention reviewed by American civilian courts. On one hand, what right does the president have to hold people indefinitely without recourse to judicial review? On the other, does the Constitution really require that everyone picked up by our military in wartime have access to our courts? Fundamentally, how do you balance liberty and security during a war without end where the enemy doesn't play by the traditional laws of war? Please join us for a spirited debate of these and related issues.
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Fri, 30 Nov 2007 00:00:00 EST
Poole will address two questions: Do Federal Reserve monetary policy actions serve to bail out the markets? To the extent that such bailouts occur, do they raise moral hazard issues?
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Wed, 28 Nov 2007 00:00:00 EST
Does feminism give a much-needed voice to women in a patriarchal world? Or is the world not really patriarchal? Does feminism support equality in education and the military, or does it discriminate against men by ignoring such issues as male-only draft registration and boys lagging behind in school? This book offers a sharp debate on the impact of feminism on men between bestselling author Warren Farrell and the acclaimed philosopher James P. Sterba. Join us for a wide-ranging exchange on issues from love, sex, dating, and rape to domestic violence, divorce, and child custody, as well as systemic issues, from the school system to the criminal justice system, the media to the military, and health care to the workplace.
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Tue, 27 Nov 2007 00:00:00 EST
Last summer, the National Petroleum Council issued a report titled "Facing the Hard Truths about Energy." The 380-page study, which was put together under the direction of former ExxonMobil CEO Lee Raymond, included the work of 350 contributors (two-thirds of whom came from outside the oil and gas field) who availed themselves of the expertise of more than 1,000 third parties involved in the energy sector. The findings? If the world is going to meet the energy demands of 2030, it will require Herculean efforts from both private and public actors. How realistic is the study?s assessment of the future? How reliable is the policy blueprint being forwarded? Joseph Caggiano and David Bellman?both of whom helped put the report together?will discuss the study?s findings, and Richard Gordon?winner of an outstanding lifetime achievement award from the International Association for Energy Economics (1992)-will provide an independent assessment.
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Thu, 15 Nov 2007 00:00:00 EST
In Discover Your Inner Economist, the economist and blogger Tyler Cowen provides quirky and insightful advice for life based on his signature urbane style of economic reasoning. On his blog, MarginalRevolution.com, Cowen offers economic advice in his periodic "Dear Trudie" posts. Presumably Cowen offers good economics. But dare one take an economist's advice? Emily Yoffe, author of Slate's popular "Dear Prudence" advice column, will advise. Please join us for an advice-off, as Trudie meets Prudie to discuss the practical benefits of economic reasoning (or lack thereof) in everyday life.
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Thu, 15 Nov 2007 00:00:00 EST
Since the depth of the U.S. manufacturing recession in 2002, the sector as a whole has experienced sustained and robust growth. The year 2006 set a record for output, revenues, profits, profit rates, return on investment, exports, and imports. The United States remains the world?s most prolific manufacturing country, accounting for two and a half times more output than Chinese factories in 2006. Should these figures put to rest assertions that the U.S. manufacturing sector is eroding because of trade? Do they support a conclusion that the sector is thriving? U.S. manufacturing experts Ikenson and Vargo will offer perspectives on the real state of U.S. manufacturing in today's global economy.
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Wed, 14 Nov 2007 00:00:00 EST
Conference Schedule
8:00 - 9:00 a.m.
Registration — F. A. Hayek Auditorium Foyer
9:00 - 9:10 a.m.
Welcoming Remarks — F. A. Hayek Auditorium
James A. Dorn
Vice President for Academic Affairs, Cato Institute
9:10 - 10:00 a.m.
Keynote Address
Ben S. Bernanke
Chairman, Board of Governors, Federal Reserve System
Listen to Welcoming Remarks and Keynote in Real Audio
Download a Podcast of the Welcoming Remarks and Keynote Address [MP3]
Watch video of the Welcoming Remarks and Keynote Address [RealVideo]
10:00 - 11:00 a.m.
Panel 1: The Future of the Renminbi
Listen to Panel 1 in Real Audio
Watch Panel 1 in Real Video
Download a Podcast of Panel 1 (MP3)
Moderator: Zanny Minton Beddoes
U.S. Economics Editor, The Economist
Eddie Yue
Deputy Chief Executive,
Hong Kong Monetary Authority
John Greenwood
Chief Economist,
Amvescap
Fred Hu
Managing Director,
Goldman Sachs (Asia)
11:15 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Panel 2: Monetary Stability, Exchange Rate Regimes, and Capital Controls: What Have We Learned?
Listen to Panel 2 in Real Audio
Watch Panel 2 in Real Video
Download a Podcast of Panel 2 (MP3)
Moderator: Mickey D. Levy
Chief Economist, Bank of America
Arnold Harberger
Professor of Economics, UCLA
Miranda Xafa
Executive Board, International Monetary Fund
Marvin Goodfriend
Professor of Economics, Carnegie Mellon University
Surjit S. Bhalla
Managing Director, Oxus Research
12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
Luncheon — Wintergarden
1:30 - 2:15 p.m.
Luncheon Address —
F. A. Hayek Auditorium
Listen to Luncheon Address in Real Audio
Watch Luncheon Address in Real Video
Download a Podcast of the Luncheon Address (MP3)
Yi GangAssistant Governor, People?s Bank of China
2:15 - 3:30 p.m.
Panel 3: Remembering Milton Friedman: Money and Freedom
Listen to Panel 3 in Real Audio
Watch Panel 3 in Real Video
Download a Podcast of Panel 3 (MP3)
Moderator: William A. Niskanen
Chairman, Cato Institute
Anna J. Schwartz
Research Associate, National Bureau of Economic Research
George Selgin
Professor of Economics, University of Georgia
Steve H. Hanke
Professor of Applied Economics, Johns Hopkins University
Richard H. Timberlake
Professor of Economics Emeritus, University of Georgia
3:45 - 4:15 p.m.
Closing Address
Listen to Closing Remarks in Real Audio
Watch Closing Remarks in Real Video
Download a Podcast of Closing Remarks (MP3)
Antonio Martino
Professor of Economics, University of Rome, Luiss, and
Member of Italian Parliament
4:15 - 5:00 p.m.
Reception — Wintergarden
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Mon, 29 Oct 2007 00:00:00 EDT
In his new book, Is The Welfare State Justified?, philosopher Daniel Shapiro insightfully combines moral and political philosophy with contemporary social science to argue that proponents of the welfare state ? egalitarians, communitarians, and liberals alike ? have misunderstood the implications of their own principles, which in fact support more market-based or libertarian institutional conclusions than most people realize. Please join us for a discussion of this important and controversial new book on the missing moral foundations of the welfare state.
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Thu, 25 Oct 2007 00:00:00 EDT
Anxiety about the impact of trade on real wages and the middle class has complicated efforts to move forward on trade liberalization. How real are those worries and how should policymakers respond? In a new edition of his book In Defense of Globalization, Columbia University economist Jagdish Bhagwati addresses the economic critiques that have now arisen, such as the alleged adverse impact of trade on real wages in the United States, and finds them mistaken. He has also taken aim at the critique of Alan Blinder and others who warn that job insecurity will soon spread to millions of service-sector workers. Joining the discussion will be Matthew Slaughter, a former member of the president's Council of Economic Advisers, who has argued that the government must respond with policies that more aggressively address income inequality if free trade is to be maintained.
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Wed, 24 Oct 2007 00:00:00 EDT
Government planning inevitably leads to tyranny, said Friedrich Hayek in his 1944 book, The Road to Serfdom. After the fall of the Soviet Union, most Americans agreed that Hayek was right?yet our governments are still planning.
Federal, state, and local governments in the U.S. employ more than 20,000 planners, bureaucrats who write comprehensive, long-range plans that try to control other people?s land, money, and resources. These plans almost always end in disaster.
In The Best-Laid Plans, Randal O?Toole urges Congress and state and local governments to repeal existing planning laws and shut down planning departments. O?Toole shows that government planning is doomed to fail and that the problems that planning claims to address can be better dealt with through user fees, markets, and other incentives rather than through regulatory planning.
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Tue, 09 Oct 2007 00:00:00 EDT
Taiwan spends far too little on its own defense, in large part because the Taiwanese believe the United States is their ultimate protector. Meanwhile, Taiwan's political leaders are creating the worst possible combination: the provocative cross-strait policy of President Chen Shui-bian and the opposition-dominated legislature's irresponsible policy on defense spending. A bold cross-strait policy coupled with inadequate defense spending virtually invites a Chinese challenge, and America would be caught in the middle. Please join us for an analysis of the dangers inherent in the U.S.-China-Taiwan relationship, and a proposal for a new way forward.
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Wed, 26 Sep 2007 00:00:00 EDT
Africa has the world's least welcoming business environment, but it is also a land of opportunity. Countless entrepreneurs battle stifling bureaucracies, pervasive corruption and political instability to provide their customers with the goods and services they need. Henry Posner is the chairman of a company that owns railways in Mozambique and Malawi. Strive Masiyiwa, one of CNN/Time Magazine?s "15 Global Influentials of the Year" in 2002, is the founder and CEO of a telecommunications company that operates in half a dozen African countries. They will share their insights on doing business in Africa and their suggestions for reform.
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Tue, 25 Sep 2007 00:00:00 EDT
In Abigail Alliance for Better Access to Developmental Drugs v. Eschenbach, terminally ill patients won an impressive victory before a panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. That panel ruled that when the government prevents terminally ill patients from accessing experimental drug treatments, it violates those patients' constitutionally protected right to save their own lives. On appeal, however, an en banc opinion from the D.C. Circuit overturned the panel opinion, setting the stage for an appeal to the Supreme Court. Please join Michael F. Cannon, the Cato Institute's director of health policy studies; Scott Ballenger, lead counsel for the Abigail Alliance; and Ezekiel Emanuel, a leading critic of the Abigail Alliance's case as they discuss the economics, ethics, and constitutionality of allowing the state to stand between dying patients and unproven therapies.
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Tue, 25 Sep 2007 00:00:00 EDT
Since the depth of the U.S. manufacturing recession in 2002, the sector as a whole has experienced sustained and robust growth. The year 2006 set a record for output, revenues, profits, profit rates, return on investment, exports, and imports. The United States remains the world?s most prolific manufacturing country, accounting for two and a half times more output than Chinese factories in 2006. Should these figures put to rest assertions that the U.S. manufacturing sector is eroding because of trade? Do they support a conclusion that the sector is thriving? Four experts on U.S. manufacturing will offer differing perspectives on the real state of U.S. manufacturing in today's global economy.
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Thu, 20 Sep 2007 00:00:00 EDT
Despite the infusion of nearly 30,000 Army and Marine Corps personnel, Adm. Michael Mullen, the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs, admits, ?No amount of troops in no amount of time will make much of a difference? in Iraq if there is no effective Iraqi government. Are the objectives and benchmarks set for the Iraqi government achievable? To what extent has the surge reduced overall violence in Iraq? How much longer should the United States be willing to give the surge to work before considering a change in policy?
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Tue, 18 Sep 2007 00:00:00 EDT
Congress is working to reauthorize the No Child Left Behind Act, and prospects for meaningful reform are poor. Most proposals call for a nip here and a tuck there, but little else. That won?t do, according to Cato education analyst Neal McCluskey?s new book Feds in the Classroom: How Big Government Corrupts, Cripples and Compromises American Education. After examining Washington?s education track record and the largely forgotten history of American schooling, McCluskey concludes that only two things ? ceasing federal education involvement and implementing universal school choice ? can get our kids the education they need. Please join us for a discussion of this controversial thesis and what must be done to truly leave no child behind.
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Wed, 12 Sep 2007 00:00:00 EDT
Immigration remains the most controversial component of globalization. In a provocative new book, British author Philippe Legrain presents a comprehensive case for expanding the freedom of workers to cross international borders legally, especially from less- to more-developed countries. With an American audience in mind, Legrain examines the economic benefits of both high-skilled and low-skilled immigration and addresses the very concerns that blocked Senate passage of comprehensive immigration reform earlier this year. Among the questions the book seeks to answer: Is Latino immigration splitting America in two? Do Mulsim immigrants threaten our security and way of life? Comments will be provided by a leading U.S. immigration expert.
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Tue, 11 Sep 2007 00:00:00 EDT
The Duke lacrosse rape case, which dominated cable news shows for months, turned out to be one of the most shameful episodes of prosecutorial abuse in recent memory. More than that, it exposed the soft underbelly of both the academy and the media?the rush to judgment by people obsessed with class, race, and gender politics. Stuart Taylor, one of the nation?s foremost legal journalists, and Prof. KC Johnson have just now drawn the vast material that surrounded the case into a riveting narrative that George Will called a ?scalding and disturbing book on America?s civic culture? and John Grisham said ?smothers any lingering doubt that in this country the presumption of innocence is dead.? Please join us for a discussion of this important new book.
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Wed, 05 Sep 2007 00:00:00 EDT
The No Child Left Behind Act is up for reauthorization, and, supporters? rhetoric to the contrary, it has failed to live up to its promises. A new Cato Institute study documents the facts: NCLB does not improve academic achievement, fails to deliver meaningful parental choice, and impedes truly effective reforms, all while costing taxpayers tens of billions of dollars each year.
Please join Rep. Scott Garrett, whose LEARN Act offers a promising first step toward truly effective education reform, along with study authors Neal McCluskey and Andrew Coulson, as they discuss the rationale for ending NCLB and chart a better way forward based on U.S. and in
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