Cato Event Podcast

This book takes a fresh look at the role of the Supreme Court in our constitutional system. Although criticisms of judicial power often attribute its rise to the activism of justices seeking to advance particular political ideologies, Patrick Garry argues instead that the Court’s power has grown mainly because of certain New Deal-era decisions that initially seemed to portend a lessening of that power. The Rehnquist Court tried to strengthen the Constitution's structural protections of liberty but, according to Garry, this effort only went halfway because the Court relied exclusively on judicially enforced rights. A more comprehensive reform would require a return to a reliance on federalism and separation of powers as devices for protecting liberty. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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

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

Some believe the 2008 election may transform the modern conservative movement. Others say the administration of George W. Bush has already moved the Republican Party away from any claim to being the champion of limited government and individual liberty. Mickey Edwards argues that conservatives have abandoned these principles in favor of an imperial presidency. These “conservatives” have gutted the system of checks and balances, abandoned due process, and trampled on our cherished civil liberties. From Goldwater to Reagan, conservatives tried to protect citizens from government intrusion; now they see few limits on what government can do. Please join us for a discussion of this new book and its implications for the next administration and beyond. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On December 2, 2007, Venezuelans rejected through a referendum constitutional changes proposed by President Hugo Chávez that would have turned their country into a socialist state. The Venezuelan student movement played the key role in that outcome. Student leader Yon Goicoechea will explain how and why students from public and private universities from across the country came together in defense of basic liberties. Author and human rights activist Gustavo Tovar will describe how the movement's philosophy of nonviolence helped to forge an effective opposition. Gerver Torres will discuss the significant impact of the "No" vote on public opinion and politics in Venezuela and throughout Latin America. All three speakers will discuss the future of the student movement and of Venezuelan politics. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Throes of Democracy, the second volume in Walter McDougall's series on American history, illuminates a period of profound transformation in American politics and society. From the presidency of Andrew Jackson to the splits and regeneration of American political parties, Throes of Democracy describes in vivid detail America's transformation from frontier Republic to national state.McDougall, winner of the Pulitzer Prize, pays particular attention to the diverse experiences of the new Americans representing a mélange of religions, ethnicities, and ideologies: Jews, Protestants, Catholics; Germans, Irish, Africans; Whigs and Democrats. Examining the outcome of the Civil War, McDougall makes a compelling argument that the failure of Reconstruction can be seen as a progenitor of America's latter-day failed attempts at regime change and nation building. In the end, McDougall's dedication to historical accuracy, his elegant prose, and his sharp analysis make for an eminently readable and moving narrative.Please join the author and our distinguished commentators for a discussion of this fine new history. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Returning to the subject that first made him famous over two decades ago, Richard Epstein, the author of Takings, has a new book on property rights. In it, he takes readers from the strongly protective property rights advocated by the Constitution's Framers to the weak property rights supported by progressive and liberal politicians in the 20th century. Using both political theory and economic analysis, Epstein offers a compelling interpretation of the Fifth Amendment's Takings Clause to draw the connections between property rights, individual liberty, and social progress. And he looks also at the renewed appreciation of property rights that has arisen in the aftermath of the Supreme Court's infamous Kelo v. New London decision. Please join us for a discussion of this new work, with vigorous comments from the other side. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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

"We all know what to do, but we don't know how to get re-elected once we have done it," said Jan-Claude Juncker, the prime minister of Luxembourg. He was referring to a key political conundrum faced by leaders in most democracies, including members of the European Union and the United States, who realize the need for economic reforms but often fail to tackle them out of fear of voters' displeasure. Munkhammar argues in his new book The Guide to Reform that many supposed obstacles to reform are not obstacles at all and shows that almost all of the reformist governments in the OECD have been reelected. His book discusses successful reforms in, among other nations, Ireland, Spain, and Sweden, and offers practical advice on how to get them done. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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