Cato Events Podcast

Secretary of Energy Chris Wright is charged with leading the Department of Energy through unprecedented changes. His mandate to unleash energy dominance—often through deregulation that expands the supply and types of energy available by allowing markets to function more freely—is solidifying the United States as the global leader in energy production. Secretary Wright draws inspiration from a rare mix of academic training, political acumen, and private sector entrepreneurship.

Still, deregulation faces significant domestic and international headwinds, and many stakeholders want the government to play an increased role in the energy sector. Join us for a special fireside chat to discuss the current state of energy policy and the energy revolutions to come.

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Social Security is widely portrayed as a self-financed program with a long-term trust fund solvency problem. But for more than a decade, the program has already been financed in part through federal borrowing. The trust fund is a political construct, not a true repository of savings or investments. Since 2010, the Treasury has borrowed more than $1.5 trillion to pay Social Security benefits, and borrowing is projected to rise sharply even before the trust fund is exhausted in 2032. Over the next 75 years, the program’s cash-flow shortfall will exceed $28 trillion in present-value terms.

This event will examine how trust fund accounting masks Social Security’s growing contribution to federal debt, why economic growth cannot solve the problem on its own, why lifting the payroll tax cap will not sustainably close the program’s funding gap, and how current benefit design fuels immediate deficits and long-term fiscal imbalance. Experts will discuss reform strategies that address the program’s structural flaws and prevent Social Security from worsening the debt crisis.

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As America approaches the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, Proclaiming Liberty revisits the revolutionary summer of 1776 through the minds of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, two men whose words and ideas gave birth to modern liberty. Timothy Sandefur’s engaging narrative brings to life the “American mind” of those extraordinary Founders—their arguments, ideals, and dedication to natural rights and self-government, all of which coalesced in America’s Declaration of Independence.

Join us for a rich conversation about liberty and the enduring promise of 1776.

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The Future of Free Speech confronts a stark truth: The right to speak freely is under siege. Once celebrated as a cornerstone of democratic societies, free expression is now met with growing suspicion and retaliation across the globe. 

In this book, Jacob Mchangama and Jeff Kosseff present a panoramic view of how we arrived at this pivotal moment. They argue for a reinvigorated, global commitment to open dialogue and civic-minded solutions.

Join Mchangama and Kosseff for a discussion with moderator David Inserra on how free speech can meet modern challenges without abandoning its foundational role in sustaining democracy, human rights, and shared understanding.

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The Federal Reserve, established in 1913, has evolved far beyond its original mandate, becoming one of the most debated institutions in the United States.

Some critics blame it for economic instability and want it abolished, while some supporters advocate expanding its powers. Over time, the Fed has taken on more responsibilities like achieving specific macroeconomic goals, providing fiscal support to the federal government, and regulating thousands of banks and other financial institutions. This expansion has led to greater government involvement in individuals’ economic lives. As the Federal Reserve is on the cusp of a new leadership regime, the opportunity for reform is greater than ever.

Cato Institute scholars Jai Kedia, Research Fellow, and Norbert Michel, Vice President and Director of the Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives, were joined for a timely conversation on their Reforming the Fed series. The discussion was moderated by Eleanor Mueller, Economy Policy Reporter at Semafor, and explored proposals to reshape the Federal Reserve, the challenges facing U.S. monetary policy, and what meaningful reform could look like in practice.

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In the wake of the February 2026 Supreme Court ruling on the legality of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) tariffs, the Trump administration has used alternative authorities to reimpose tariffs, including a 10 percent global tariff under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974.

As written, Section 122 allows the president to impose a temporary import tariff of up to 15 percent to: (1) deal with large and serious US balance of payments deficits, (2) prevent an imminent and significant depreciation of the dollar in foreign exchange markets, or (3) cooperate with other countries in correcting an international balance-of-payment disequilibrium. Many experts have questioned, however, whether any of these conditions apply today and thus whether the administration’s new tariffs are, like the IEEPA levies, unlawful.

This policy forum will feature a fireside chat with Representative Jimmy Panetta (D‑CA) and the Cato Institute’s Clark Packard on Section 122 and congressional tariff authorities, followed by an expert panel discussion on the legality of Section 122, whether its conditions exist today, and the role of Congress in reforming executive branch tariff authority.

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The universal human drive to matter—to feel our lives hold genuine significance—fuels both our greatest achievements and our deepest divisions. It inspires innovation, care, and cooperation while giving rise to ideological extremism, tribalism, and zero-sum conflicts that can challenge individual liberty and peaceful coexistence.

MacArthur Fellow and National Humanities Medalist Rebecca Newberger Goldstein joins us to discuss her latest book, The Mattering Instinct: How Our Deepest Longing Drives Us and Divides Us. Through real-life stories of individuals pursuing meaning—from artists and thinkers to everyday heroes and reformed extremists—Goldstein illustrates how the uniquely human need for meaning inspires “mattering projects” that drive both progress and polarization.

Cato research fellow and psychologist Adam Omary will moderate the discussion and offer commentary on the book’s implications for addressing the contemporary crisis of meaning, defending civil liberties, and advancing human progress.

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In June 2025, when stepping into the Federal Reserve Board’s role of vice chair for supervision, Michelle W. Bowman announced a comprehensive review of the bank capital framework. Since that time, she has introduced changes to two of the framework’s four pillars, the supplementary leverage ratio and the stress-testing regime. As a next step in the comprehensive review, the Federal Reserve, together with the other federal bank regulatory agencies, will introduce proposed changes to the risk-based bank capital requirements.

Join Vice Chair for Supervision Bowman at the Cato Institute as she details her comprehensive review and what is next for bank capital requirements and Basel III.

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