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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

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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Social Security in the Red: Implications for Federal Debt

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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Proclaiming Liberty: John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and the Declaration of Independence

What does life on the front lines of criminal justice actually look like—and what can it teach us about the state of American law today? Please join us for a discussion with Randy Barnett on his new memoir, Felony Review: Tales of True Crime and Corruption in Chicago, a gripping behind-the-scenes account of his years as a young prosecutor in the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office during the late 1970s and early 1980s.
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Felony Review: Tales of True Crime and Corruption in Chicago

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.

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

The Future of Free Speech: Reversing the Global Decline of Democracy’s Most Essential Freedom

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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Reforms for a New Era at the Federal Reserve: A Conversation with Eleanor Mueller

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.

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

Congress, the Balance of Payments, and Tariff Reform

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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The Mattering Instinct: How Our Deepest Longing Drives Us and Divides Us

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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Basel III and Bank Capital Rules: A Conversation with Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle W. Bowman

President Trump has launched a war with Iran, leaving the American public with more questions than answers. Great uncertainty remains around the war’s strategic objectives, the duration of the campaign, and its long-term impacts on the United States, Iran, and the Middle East. Join us for a conversation with leading experts who will examine the possible trajectories of Operation Epic Fury and its broader consequences for the region and beyond.
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Trump’s Iran Gamble

As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, many of us think about the heroic figures who formed the foundation of our democracy. The Prohuman Foundation and Sphere Education Initiatives are excited to support you in thinking about these brave Americans by highlighting five unsung heroines who greatly influenced America’s Founding: Elizabeth Freeman, Anna Smith Strong, Nanyehi (Nancy Ward), Deborah Sampson, and Esther de Berdt Reed. During this webinar, we will dive deep into five lessons that encourage students to discover character strengths such as curiosity, courage, humanity, grit, and compassion while developing key skills in literacy and civil discourse. You will hear from the Prohuman Foundation and Sphere about the various ways to engage with these women’s stories in helping your students learn to recognize their own capacities for developing character strengths in their own lives.

The webinar will consist of two parts. The first part will include a conversation between the Prohuman Foundation and Sphere to set the stage for understanding the unique opportunities presented by this collaborative effort. The second part will include deeper dives into the lessons themselves and the practical, tangible tools that can be applied in secondary classrooms. Educators will be empowered to use these resources to help their students develop a growth mindset, cultivate positive connections, engage in civil discourse, and respect viewpoint diversity.

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Unsung Heroines of the American Revolution: A Collaboration Between Sphere and the Prohuman Foundation

Colleges often seem hostile to, or at least uninterested in, Western civilization, free markets, and other “conservative” or “libertarian” subjects. This has left a void that is increasingly being filled by privately funded academic centers founded in or near colleges and universities. But how objective are such centers? Do their donors call all the shots? Can they significantly widen inquiry in academia? Please join Cato and the John W. Pope Center for Higher Education Policy for an in-depth discussion of this growing phenomenon.Download “Renewal in the University: How Academic Centers Restore the Spirit of Inquiry,” by the Pope Center’s Jay Schalin.
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Private Funding, Public Debate: Reviving the Spirit of Inquiry in Higher Education

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