Cato Event Podcast

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One year after China's modest currency reforms, the issue remains a sticking point in U.S.-China trade relations. Critics argue that China's yuan remains grossly undervalued, bestowing an unfair advantage on imports from China at the expense of U.S. producers. Other observers contend that benefits from trade with China far outweigh any concerns about its currency. Policy options range from doing nothing to aggressive diplomacy to imposing steep tariffs on Chinese imports. Three experts on U.S.-China trade will discuss the status of reform in China, the impact of U.S.-China trade and exchange rates on our economy, and what change, if any, should be made in U.S. economic policy toward China. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today's largest corporations have mastered the art of working with government officials at every level to stifle market competition. They reap billions through a complex web of higher taxes, stricter regulations, and shameless government handouts. The Big Ripoff pulls back the curtain to show who is strangling America's tradition of free enterprise and how and why they are doing it. Author Timothy Carney will discuss how the incestuous relationship between big business and even bigger government works to the detriment of consumers, taxpayers, and entrepreneurs. Columnist and Fox News contributor Jim Pinkerton will provide comments on the book. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

More than any other Founding Father, Thomas Jefferson made his reputation on the brilliance of his writing, not least the stirring defense of limited government and individual rights in the Declaration of Independence. Few writers have said so much on so many subjects—and said it so well—as Jefferson. The Quotable Jefferson—the most comprehensive and authoritative book of Jefferson quotations ever published—demonstrates that. John Kaminski of the University of Wisconsin has collected and arranged Jefferson's pronouncements on almost 500 subjects, ranging from the profound and public—the Constitution—to the personal and peculiar—cold water bathing. Please join us to discuss the life and writings of our foremost defender of liberty. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The U.S.-Japan strategic relationship is evolving. With the United States struggling to meet military commitments abroad, and with Japan increasingly asserting military autonomy, more can be done to equitably distribute security burdens between the two countries. Christopher Preble will discuss his recent Policy Analysis, "Two Normal Countries: Rethinking the U.S.-Japan Strategic Relationship," which explains that a more equitable alliance will provide a durable foundation for addressing the most pressing security challenges in the region and beyond. Preble is joined by two experts on U.S.-Japan strategic relations to discuss the paper and frame the debate over the proper roles and missions for the United States and Japan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The current era of globalization is only a partial return to a liberal economic order. Renowned development economist Deepak Lal will explain why minimal government intervention, free trade, free capital flows, and the abolition of international organizations such as the World Bank offer the best path for growth and healthy international relations. In his view, attempts to ameliorate the impact of the market threaten global economic progress and stability. Ethan Kapstein believes that countries will shape their own destinies only in an international system that emphasizes the central role of states and the diverse social contracts they represent. Can these two views be reconciled? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the Senate prepares to debate the Federal Marriage Amendment many scholars are looking at evidence from Scandinavia, Belgium, and the Netherlands. Some observers have argued that experience in those countries shows that legal recognition of same-sex unions leads to a decline in traditional marriage and marital child rearing. A new book challenges that analysis. William N. Eskridge Jr. and Darren R. Spedale find that the argument often advanced is inconsistent with the Scandinavian evidence. In no way, they write, has marriage in the Nordic countries suffered from legalization of same-sex unions. A close look at the data suggests that the sanctioning of gay marriage in the United States would neither undermine marriage as an institution nor harm the well-being of children. Maggie Gallagher argues that the move toward gay marriage in Europe is part of a larger marriage crisis, including a powerful trend away from marriage as a social norm for childbearing and child rearing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday, May 30The Basic Economics of Health Care and Insurance MarketsFeaturingPeter Van Doren, Senior Fellow, Cato Institute, Former professor of public policy at Princeton, Yale, and UNC–Chapel HillPublic debate about health care is often very ill informed about what insurance markets can and cannot do and what effects health care expenditures actually have on morbidity and mortality. This session will explain to Hill staff basic facts and concepts essential to the understanding of insurance and health care markets as well as the political struggles that accompany them. Wednesday, May 31How Not to Reform Health CareFeaturing Michael Tanner, Director, Health and Welfare Studies, Cato InstituteIn reforming health care, policymakers should follow the principle "First, Do No Harm." There are many proposals for health care reform that will do more harm than good. This session will look at some of them: a single-payer system, employer and individual mandates, insurance regulation, and managed competition.Thursday, June 1Liberalizing the Private Health Care SectorFeaturing Michael F. Cannon, Director, Health Policy Studies, Cato InstituteHealth insurance grows increasingly expensive, and the number of uninsured continues to rise. Is there relief? This session will focus on the problems faced in the private health care sector, how public policy contributes to those problems, and how free-market reforms can make medical care and health insurance more affordable and more valuable. Friday, June 2Reforming Government Health Insurance ProgramsFeaturing Michael F. Cannon, Director, Health Policy Studies, Cato InstituteToday's struggles with Medicare Part D will look like a walk in the park once Congress begins to grapple with large numbers of baby boomers entering the Medicare program. The federal-state Medicaid program poses similar problems. This presentation will introduce Hill staff to those programs and suggest market-based reforms that would save taxpayer dollars and improve the quality of care.Cato Institute luncheon seminars on the Hill are free of charge. Registration for each seminar closes 24 hours in advance. Please arrive early. Seating is limited and not guaranteed. News media inquiries only (no registrations), please call (202) 789-5200.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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In April Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney signed into law one of the most ambitious health care reform proposals in recent history. The legislation mandates that all Massachusetts residents purchase health insurance, provides subsidies for low- and middle-income families, and sets up a new purchasing mechanism to reform the health insurance marketplace. Some observers hail this law as a major step toward achieving universal coverage. Others worry that it is a first step on the slippery slope to national health care. Four experts will examine the benefits and flaws of the Massachusetts plan and whether other states or the nation should follow its example. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.