Cato Podcast

• The Rise and Fall of DOGE 1.0

  In this episode, Alex Nowrasteh and Ryan Bourne delve into the intriguing journey of Doge 1.0 under Donald Trump's administration. From Elon Musk's ambitious overhaul to the eventual departure of key figures, they explore the chaotic, amusing, and concerning facets of this government efficiency experiment. With insights into the economic impacts, legislative hurdles, and potential future in Doge 2.0, this discussion sheds light on the complexities of attempting a bureaucratic revolution. Join Alex and Ryan as they dissect the promises, failures, and hopes of a libertarian downsizing dream.Show Notes:Alex Nowrasteh and Ryan Bourne, "Cato Institute Report to the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)" White Paper, December 11, 2024Ryan Bourne and Alex Nowrasteh, "Small-Government Conservatives Should Give DOGE a Chance" The Dispatch, December 30, 2024Ryan Bourne and Alex Nowrasteh, "DOGE Can’t Just Trim Waste. It Has to Cut Government — A Lot" U.S. News & World Report, January 7, 2025Ryan Bourne, "DOGE: Efficiency Requires Elimination" The War on Prices, March 14, 2025Alex Nowrasteh and Ryan Bourne, "Six Ways to Understand DOGE and Predict Its Future Behavior" cato.org, March 17, 2025Ryan Bourne, "Does DOGE Show That There’s Little Government Waste?" The War On Prices May 9, 2025 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• Misinformation in the Age of AI

  Is misinformation really a new crisis—or just the latest chapter in a centuries-old debate over truth, speech, and power? In this episode, Cato Institute’s Jennifer Huddleston and David Inserra unpack the cultural and policy panic surrounding misinformation and disinformation in the age of AI, deepfakes, and viral tweets. Who should decide what counts as truth online? Plus, why humility, media literacy, and a competitive internet might be better solutions than censorship.Show Notes:Jennifer Huddleston, "AI and the Future of Our Elections" Testimony, September 27, 2023Jennifer Huddleston and David Inserra, "Oversight Board Comment on Misinformation and Manipulated Media: The Importance of Free Expression in the Debate over Misinformation" cato.org, October 25, 2023Jennifer Huddleston, "The Rush to Regulate AI Coule be the Death of Parody" National Review (Online), January 26, 2024David Inserra and Jennifer Huddleston, "Actually, Tim Walz, the First Amendment Does Protect Misinformation and ‘Hate Speech’" National Review, August 11, 2024Jennifer Huddleston and Emma Hopp, "What the Past Can Teach Us about Our AI Fears" Reason, October 29, 2024David Inserra and Brent Skorup, "Comments in Response to FCC “Delete, Delete, Delete” Initiative" cato.org, April 11, 2025David Inserra, "The Misleading Panic over Misinformation" Policy Analysis No. 999, June 26, 2025 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• The Illusion of Financial Privacy

  In this eye-opening episode, Cato Institute’s Norbert Michel and Nicholas Anthony explore how the 1970 Bank Secrecy Act has evolved from a tool to catch tax cheats into a sprawling financial surveillance system that erodes Fourth Amendment protections. They discuss the law’s expansion post-9/11 and emerging reform efforts that could restore financial privacy.Show Notes:Norbert Michel and Jennifer J. Schulp, "Revising the Bank Secrecy Act to Protect Privacy and Deter Criminals" Policy Analysis No. 932, July 26, 2022Nicholas Anthony, "The Right to Financial Privacy" Policy Analysis No. 945, May 2, 2023Norbert Michel, "The Bank Secrecy Act Is a Bigger Threat than FISA" Forbes, April 17, 2024Nicholas Anthony and Naomi Brockwell, "The Illusion of Financial Privacy" Reason.com, May 30, 2024 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• One Big Beautiful Podcast

  In this episode, Cato Institute's Scott Lincicome and Adam Michel dive deep into the sweeping new legislation—dubbed "The One Big Beautiful Bill"—moving through Congress. They break down what’s at stake as key provisions of the 2017 tax reform are set to expire, unpack the bill’s complex mix of tax cuts, new carve-outs, and industrial subsidies, and examine why temporary tax policy and policy uncertainty could derail economic growth. Plus, they confront the fiscal fiction behind tariffs as a reliable revenue source and make the case for a cleaner, more permanent pro-growth tax system. If you're looking for a sharp, honest take on where tax and trade policy stand in 2025—and where they should go—this one’s for you.Show Notes:Adam Michel, "Republicans’ One, Big, Beautiful Tax Bill Needs a Makeover" Cato.org, May 14, 2025Adam Michel, "Four Things the Senate Can Do to Improve the House Tax Bill" Cato.org, May 22, 2025Scott Lincicome, "Republicans Can’t Pay for Their Tax Cuts with Fantasy Revenue Sources" The Washington Post, May 27, 2025Scott Lincicome, "Trump’s Latest Tariff Idea Is Dangerously Foolish" The Dispatch, June 19, 2025Adam Michel, "Senate Big Beautiful Bill: More Growth, More Subsidies, More Debt" Cato.org, June 30th, 2025 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• An Announcement from the Cato Institute

  Starting July 1, we’ll be trying some new things on this feed, starting with conversations between Cato Institute scholars. We hope you’ll join us. Please consider listening to some of our other podcasts on cato.org/podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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