app_store_button

google_play_button

Details page - Device banner - 894x1036

Step into an infinite world of stories

Listen and read

Cato Institute

Podcast of policy and book forums, Capitol Hill briefings and other events from the Cato Institute
 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cato Event Podcast

Join us for the official launch of Reimagining Social Security: Global Lessons for Retirement Policy Changes by Romina Boccia and Ivane Nachkebia, a timely and urgent new book in which the authors rethink how America can safeguard retirement security for current and future generations. As the Social Security program nears a fiscal tipping point, the authors bring together expert insights, international case studies, and actionable policy solutions to show how the United States can reform its retirement system without burdening younger generations with unsustainable debt and taxes.

Now marking its 90th year, Social Security faces a critical moment: By 2033, the program’s trust fund depletion could trigger automatic benefit cuts of 23 percent unless Congress acts. Reimagining Social Security dives into the root causes of this crisis and explores how reforms adopted in countries including Canada, Germany, Sweden, and New Zealand can offer valuable guidance for the United States. Through original interviews and novel analysis, the authors present a compelling case for bold reforms that take a meaningful step toward fiscal sustainability while safeguarding a vital source of income for many retirees and protecting workers from undue tax burdens that reduce their choices and opportunities for a better life.

The event will feature presentations and panel discussions with leading experts in retirement and fiscal policy. Join us for a timely discussion on principled, evidence-based reforms to restore Social Security’s fiscal sustainability and to protect future generations from mounting debt and economic decline—before it’s too late.

 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Panel 1: Transitioning to a Flat-Benefit System

Panel 2: Slowing the Growth of Social Security

Panel 3: Enhancing Private Retirement Savings

Closing: Cato Social Security Model Presentation

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Competencies in Civil Discourse: Episode 9

It is often said that public schooling is the bedrock of democracy. It prepares children to be knowledgeable citizens, and some believe that it exemplifies democratic governance through its control by locally elected school boards. But what if such control is a bug, not a feature? What if it elevates the concerns of adults, many of whom do not even have children, over the children the schools are supposed to teach? And what if it turns education into a gladiatorial political arena rather than a peaceful realm for learning?

No Adult Left Behind sets aside the bromides, asks these tough questions, and reveals the dangerous flaws in democratically controlled education.

Join us to discuss!

 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

No Adult Left Behind: How Politics Hijacks Education Policy and Hurts Kids

Please join us for a cocktail reception and conversation in NYC this fall. We are pleased to have New York Post columnist and author Rikki Schlott in conversation with Cato vice president for general economics and Stiefel Trade Policy Center Scott Lincicome as our featured speakers.

Rikki and Scott will examine New York City’s mayoral race as a microcosm of a troubling trend: Gen Z’s embrace of socialist policies that purportedly fix real economic problems many Americans are facing today. Using candidate Zohran Mamdani’s surprising victory as an example, they’ll explore how economic pressures and uncertainty are driving many voters toward progressive solutions like industrial policy and rent control, even though free market approaches, including zoning reform and deregulation, offer better, proven pathways to genuine, broad-based prosperity. Why are government-centered policies gaining traction when market-based solutions have historically delivered economic growth, lower prices, and higher living standards?

As we approach Cato’s 50th anniversary in 2027, our mission is clear: to keep liberty at the forefront of national debates and ensure a freer future for generations to come. To meet this challenge, in May, Cato publicly launched the Vision for Liberty Campaign—a bold initiative to expand our impact and accelerate the spread of the ideas that drive human flourishing. Cato president and CEO Peter Goettler will discuss Cato’s policy priorities, as well as how we are developing new audiences and scaling our educational programs.

 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Allure of Bad Economics: Why Big Government Policies Keep Gaining Ground

Welcoming Remarks and the Vision for Liberty - Cato On Tour Oct. 2025

The United States continues to allocate substantial military and diplomatic resources to counter Chinese influence in the Middle East. However, Beijing has shown little interest in assuming a dominant security role in the region, raising doubts about the effectiveness of framing US engagement through the lens of great-power competition. As policymakers debate the United States’ global commitments, a critical assessment of the rationale, risks, and opportunity costs of current US policy in the Middle East is necessary.

This forum will bring together leading experts to examine China’s core regional interests, the risks of overstating China’s ability and desire to dominate the Middle East, and opportunities to better align US force posture with actual interests in the region.

Join us at the Cato Institute for a timely conversation on the future of US strategy in the Middle East.

 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A Costly Distraction: US–China Competition in the Middle East

Online platforms have created unprecedented opportunities for individuals to share ideas and reach wider audiences. Supporters of these platforms point to how they have reduced barriers to participation, providing new and creative opportunities for discourse and connection. Critics, however, raise concerns that these platforms can allow the spread of misinformation, the amplification of offensive speech, or the power of private companies to shape which voices are heard and which are silenced. The internet has become a central arena in debates about the scope and limits of free expression.

The United States has long valued the First Amendment’s broad protections, but public support is waning. A 2024 Freedom Forum poll found that only 58 percent of Americans would ratify it today—down five points in four years. Critics argue that certain types of speech, while legal, can cause harm or suppress the voices of vulnerable groups. Free speech advocates warn that narrowing protections will risk government censorship and shrink the space for open debate.

This tension raises an important question: Are current interpretations of the First Amendment sufficient to safeguard free expression in the digital age? To mark Free Speech Week, we are hosting two prominent scholars to debate this issue.

 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cato Free Speech: Debate Are Contemporary Understandings of the First Amendment the Best Way to Protect Free Expression in the 21st Century?

Listen and read

Other podcasts you might like ...