The Cato Weekly Podcast

By Cato InstituteNews Government News Commentary Politics

Favorites
215
Followers
Typical duration
30 min
per episode

Based on Podcast App listening data

The Cato Weekly Podcast episodes

March 03 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 Logan, Thomas Berry, and Brandan P. Buck examine the constitutional and political questions surrounding the U.S. war on Iran. They explore whether the president has legal authority to initiate hostilities without congressional approval, why President Trump launched the war and how it might end, and why Congress struggles to reclaim its war-making authority.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
31 min
February 26 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 Sankey separate truth from exaggeration—testing the economic claims, unpacking the legal fight over tariff power, and decoding the foreign-policy moves behind the applause lines.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
41 min
February 24 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 action against Iran to past debates over Yemen and Venezuela, they explore how successive administrations have expanded executive authority and why Congress has struggled to reclaim its constitutional role.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
37 min
February 20 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 on overtime." They also explore the economics of California's billionaire tax ballot initiative, and whether Trump Accounts are a good savings vehicle.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
42 min
February 17 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, Jim Dorn, and Aaron Steelman share firsthand stories about Cato’s growth, Crane’s strategic vision, and the long-term approach that shaped debates on markets, foreign policy, and individual liberty around the world.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
36 min
February 12 Raging Against Modernity
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 is, where it came from, and why it matters in today’s political debates.

They explore the key thinkers and personalities behind the postliberal movement, its critique of classical liberalism, and its views on executive power, the American founding, constitutionalism, and contemporary public policy. The conversation examines how postliberal ideas are shaping modern conservatism and what they could mean for the future of American politics.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
41 min
February 10 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 the NHL’s influx of Soviet and Russian players, they show how “imports” raise quality, delight consumers, and expose the contradictions in protectionist thinking.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
39 min
February 05 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 firearms as intrinsic hazards, the hypocrisy of selective Second Amendment support, and why protecting unpopular speakers and armed protesters is essential to preserving civil liberties for everyone.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
40 min
February 03 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, and Jai Kedia break down what the Fed actually controls, what it does not, and why inflation, debt, and financial instability cannot be fixed by interest-rate tweaks alone.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
28 min
January 29 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 and economic collapse, explain why regime insiders cannot credibly deliver reform, and make the case for immediate engagement with María Corina Machado and the opposition that overwhelmingly won the 2024 election.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
30 min

About The Cato Weekly Podcast

From the publisher's feed

Every Tuesday on The Cato Weekly Podcast, leading scholars and policy analysts from the Cato Institute delve into the big ideas shaping our world: individual liberty, limited government, free…