Cato Event Podcast

Cryptocurrencies and blockchain technologies, like Bitcoin, are revolutionizing the way we think about government currency monopolies, transferring money across the globe, maintaining financial privacy and security, and verifying ownership of money or potentially everything. Their place in society and the financial system is rapidly expanding and with it a host of hopes, questions, and risks. Will they provide financial security outside of government systems, or will consumers be unprotected from losses? Will they ensure financial privacy or enable criminal activity? Will they replace central banking or serve as a new tool for monetary management? And will government regulations encourage, discourage, or remain neutral to these emerging and transformative technologies? Join us for a day-long conference considering the policy implications of the decentralized cryptocurrency revolution. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cryptocurrencies and blockchain technologies, like Bitcoin, are revolutionizing the way we think about government currency monopolies, transferring money across the globe, maintaining financial privacy and security, and verifying ownership of money or potentially everything. Their place in society and the financial system is rapidly expanding and with it a host of hopes, questions, and risks. Will they provide financial security outside of government systems, or will consumers be unprotected from losses? Will they ensure financial privacy or enable criminal activity? Will they replace central banking or serve as a new tool for monetary management? And will government regulations encourage, discourage, or remain neutral to these emerging and transformative technologies? Join us for a day-long conference considering the policy implications of the decentralized cryptocurrency revolution. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The global poverty aid industry is big business, with the West spending more than a trillion dollars in the past decade on programs to promote development. Filmed in 20 countries, Poverty, Inc. unearths the uncomfortable side of international charity, finding that much of it hurts the world’s poor more than it helps them. Join us for a screening of the documentary that explores how perverse incentives, lack of local knowledge, and weak institutional environments combine with altruism and cynicism to produce sometimes catastrophic results. The record of aid contrasts with the film’s portrayal of the dignity and productive potential of the poor. Co-producer Mark Weber will briefly answer questions after the screening. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since 2001 the United States has created or restructured more than two counterterrorism organizations for every apprehension it has made of Islamists apparently planning to commit terrorism within the country. Central to this massive enterprise are the efforts of police and intelligence agencies to follow up on over ten million tips, the vast majority of which lead nowhere. In their new book, Chasing Ghosts, John Mueller and Mark G. Stewart try to answer a few simple, yet rarely asked questions: Is the chase worth the effort? Or is it excessive given the danger that terrorism actually presents? The authors will present their findings followed by questions and discussion related to the U.S. fight against terrorism. Please join us for what is sure to be a lively event. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There is, perhaps, no bigger name in American education than John Dewey, and he wrote, arguably, nothing more influential than Democracy and Education, which turns 100 years old this year. How has the book held up over the century, with its prescription for schools to use children's natural inclinations to both educate them and unite diverse people? How educationally and socially effective have those ideas been, and how lasting their influence? Join us as we reflect on 100 years of this seminal work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Colombia’s half-century war with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) has cost the lives of hundreds of thousands of people and remains Latin America’s longest armed conflict. After more than three years of talks, the Colombian government and the guerrillas are nearing a self-imposed deadline for the completion of peace negotiations. Despite the support that the peace process enjoys outside Colombia, key provisions already agreed to are leading many to reject the agreement. José Miguel Vivanco will explain why the lack of meaningful accountability for crimes against humanity committed by both parties contravenes international law, delegitimizes the negotiations, and undermines the chance for sustainable peace. Adam Isacson will make the case in favor of the agreement. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Supporters claim the dependent-coverage mandate is one of the most popular provisions of the Affordable Care Act. This provision requires employer-based insurance plans that offer dependent coverage to cover dependents up to age 26. Scholars are just beginning to measure the benefits and costs of this mandate. In a forthcoming study, Stanford University economist Jay Bhattacharya examines the effect of this mandate on wages, finding it has reduced cash compensation by $1,200 per covered worker. Asako S. Moriya from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has measured the effect of the mandate on inpatient hospitalizations among young adults, emergency department use, and other measures. We hope you’ll join our expert panel to discuss new research on this still-controversial law. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 2015 Japan passed landmark reforms of its national security laws, including a reinterpretation of its constitutional prohibition against collective security activities. Now Japan can legally cooperate with the United States in defensive military operations, leading many observers to declare that Japan has abandoned its post–World War II “pacifist principles.”Are such pronouncements correct? Or are the national security reforms simply the most recent recalibration of Japan’s postwar grand strategy? In her new analysis, Jennifer Lind argues the latter, stating that cries of “Japan is abandoning pacifism” are not only misleading, but distort the magnitude of recent changes. According to Lind, while Japan prefers to buck-pass to the United States, it has historically accepted more responsibility in the alliance when its threat environment grows increasingly dangerous and uncertainty exists about the U.S. commitment.But what are the implications for U.S. security of a more assertive Japan? And does Japan’s acceptance of more responsibility suggest that other U.S. allies would act accordingly if Washington were to step back? Lind along with a distinguished panel will discuss these and other important questions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Every year, federal, state, and local governments spend nearly $1 trillion to fight poverty, yet millions of Americans remain trapped in poverty with little hope for the future. Could the welfare system itself be part of the problem? Phil Harvey and Lisa Conyers make the case that our current welfare system has failed the poor, hurting the very people it is supposed to help. They suggest that good intentions are not enough and that if we truly want to reduce poverty, we need to understand the limits of government and radically reform our approach to welfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Domestic minerals and metals are a cornerstone of the U.S. economy, but data just published by the Energy Information Agency (EIA) show that investment in U.S. mining and exploration declined an incredible 35 percent last year—from $135 billion in 2014 to $88 billion in 2015—representing the second largest decline since 1948. The withdrawal of federal lands, often with permanent restrictions on mining force manufacturers to look elsewhere, and the permitting process is long and drawn out. Federal holdings used to be called the “land of many uses,” but increasingly Washington has decided that one of those uses is no longer the mining of coal and minerals. Millions of acres, largely in the West, are now zoned for no mining, no matter how remote or rich they might be.Mamula, a PhD geologist with extensive experience in both private industry and government (with the U.S. Geological Survey and the Central Intelligence Agency), will discuss the causes of and the solutions for this problem which is increasing in strategic importance for the United States. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.