Cato Institute Event Videos (Full)

History teaches that government spying is naturally subject to abuse without strong oversight, yet only the tiniest fraction of electronic surveillance of Americans—the tip of a vast and rapidly growing iceberg—is meaningfully visible to Congress, let alone the general public. Under the controversial FISA (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act) Amendments Act of 2008, set to expire at the end of the year, the National Security Agency is empowered to vacuum up the international communications of Americans under sweeping authorizations that dispense with the need for individual warrants. Despite reports of large-scale overcollection of Americans' e-mails and phone calls, including purely domestic traffic, the NSA has brazenly refused to give Congress any estimate of how many citizens' private conversations are being captured in its vast databases, and legislators have shown little willingness to demand greater transparency as they prepare to reauthorize the law. Increasingly, even ordinary criminal investigations employ off-the-books electronic surveillance techniques that circumvent federal reporting requirements. The public is informed about the few thousand wiretaps authorized every year but remains largely in the dark about newer and far more prevalent techniques, such as the routine use of cell phones as sophisticated tracking devices. Join us for a look behind the veil of secrecy and a discussion of how to establish sorely needed accountability.

Last July the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the Transportation Security Administration must do a "notice-and-comment" rulemaking on its policy of sending passengers through Advanced Imaging Technology machines (aka "body-scanners" or "strip-search machines") and putting people who refuse the machines through a prison-style pat-down. The TSA is supposed to publish its policy in the Federal Register, take comments from the public, and issue a final rule that responds to public input. It has been a year since that ruling, and TSA hasn't even started the process. Come learn about the lawsuit that produced the ruling, the effort to get TSA to do a rulemaking, and some of the information the TSA will have to consider when it follows the court's ruling.

(http://www.amazon.com/Fundamental-Freedom-Republicans-Conservatives-Libertarians/dp/1442215712/?tag=catoinstitute-20)It is an axiom of modern American politics that most Republicans and conservatives are not only anti-gay, but that they have capitulated to an anti-gay agenda formulated and pursued by the religious right for the past several decades. David Lampo makes the case that, contrary to the conventional wisdom of many on the right, support for gay rights by Republicans and conservatives is not only consistent with their stated belief in individual liberty and limited government, but will also provide long-term political benefits for the GOP and the conservative movement. He argues that the anti-gay agenda promoted by many social conservatives succinctly exposes the hypocrisy of those who talk of limited government and individual rights, but ignore both when it comes to gay rights and other personal freedom issues. It is, in fact, the defenders of gay rights within the Republican ranks who are keeping faith with core conservative principles. He also presents a variety of polling data that show that rank-and-file Republicans, including many Tea Party supporters, are far more supportive of gay rights than commonly presumed. As the GOP faces a changing nation, Lampo's provocative call to revive and realize cherished American principles should be heard by every citizen. Please join us for an important discussion of politics and principles.

In a complex decision, the Supreme Court has ruled that the individual mandate component of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is constitutional under Congress's taxing power. What is left of the idea that the Constitution creates a government of limited powers? What does this case-of-the-century mean for both the Constitution and our health care system and what are next steps for Congress? Please join Cato Institute legal and health policy scholars for an in-depth discussion of these important issues. Registration is now closed for this event. We are sorry we can't accommodate you for this program but are grateful for your interest and hope you will attend another of our events in the near future. A video of the event will be available online at http://www.cato.org/events/archive.html (http://www.cato.org/events/archive.html). Videos are generally posted 24 hours after an event.

In a complex decision, the Supreme Court has ruled that the individual mandate component of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is constitutional under Congress's taxing power. What is left of the idea that the Constitution creates a government of limited powers? What does this case-of-the-century mean for both the Constitution and our health care system and what are next steps for Congress? Please join Cato Institute legal and health policy scholars for an in-depth discussion of these important issues. 1:00 p.m. Registration 1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. The Scope of Constitutional Powers (http://wpc.0873.edgecastcdn.net/000873/archive-2012/cc-07-02-12-1.m4v)Watch the Event in QuickTime (M4V) (http://wpc.0873.edgecastcdn.net/000873/archive-2012/cc-07-02-12-1.m4v) (http://wpc.0873.edgecastcdn.net/000873/archive-2012/cca-07-02-12-1.mp3)Download a Podcast of the Event (MP3) (http://wpc.0873.edgecastcdn.net/000873/archive-2012/cca-07-02-12-1.mp3) Randy Barnett (http://www.cato.org/people/randy-barnett), Georgetown University Law Center Ilya Shapiro (/people/ilya-shapiro), Cato InstituteDavid Rivkin, Baker Hostetler LLP Moderator: Roger Pilon (/people/roger-pilon), Cato Institute 3:00 p.m. – 3:15 p.m. Break 3:15 p.m. – 4:45 p.m. The Future of Health Care (http://wpc.0873.edgecastcdn.net/000873/archive-2012/cc-07-02-12-2.m4v)Watch the Event in QuickTime (M4V) (http://wpc.0873.edgecastcdn.net/000873/archive-2012/cc-07-02-12-2.m4v) (http://wpc.0873.edgecastcdn.net/000873/archive-2012/cca-07-02-12-2.mp3)Download a Podcast of the Event (MP3) (http://wpc.0873.edgecastcdn.net/000873/archive-2012/cca-07-02-12-2.mp3) Michael F. Cannon (/people/michael-cannon), Cato InstituteAvik Roy, Manhattan InstituteGrace-Marie Turner, Galen Institute Moderator: Michael Tanner (/people/michael-tanner), Cato Institute 4:45 p.m. Reception

The Supreme Court's Obamacare Ruling: What Does It All Mean?

While the basic tenets of libertarianism — individual liberty, limited government, free markets and peace — seem simple and desirable to a broad swath of society, many people hesitate to identify as libertarian or advocate for libertarian policy proposals. Such reticence often stems from questions about the philosophical, moral, social, or economic justifications behind a liberty-maximizing approach. Can social and economic order emerge when individuals pursue their own interests, or do societies need leaders to govern them? What would happen to social services and infrastructure in a laissez-faire environment? Would culture and prudence dissolve? Would the rich dominate the poor? From monetary policy to drug legalization, foreign policy to free markets, Tom Palmer will address these issues and explain how a libertarian philosophy emerges as a consistent ideology that can be applied to the entire scope of public policy. Join us at the Cato Institute's F. A. Hayek Auditorium for this discussion with interns from all over the Washington metro area. Drinks and hors d'oeuvres to follow. Don't miss the first installment of our Summer Intern Event Series.

(http://www.amazon.com/The-Locavores-Dilemma-Praise-000-mile/dp/1586489402/?tag=catoinstitute-20) "Eat Local" has become the mantra of a new generation of food activists. Implicit in the locavore agenda is the belief that it combines healthy eating and a high standard of environmental stewardship while delivering important economic benefits and increasing food security within local economies. In a newly published book titled The Locavore's Dilemma, geographer Pierre Desrochers and his wife, Hiroko Shimizu, offer the first book to seriously question the locavore perspective. Desrochers concludes that "eating local" would only deliver increased social and economic misery, environmental degradation, greater food insecurity, and poorer nutrition. Gary Blumenthal, president of World Perspectives, Inc., a firm specializing in international agricultural commodities marketing, and supply, will provide a critical discussion of Desrochers and Shimizu's challenging assessment of the environmental costs of "eating local."

Some political commentators have called the Obama administration's intervention last year in the Libyan civil war an “undeniable success” and one of “the greatest triumphs and signature moments in Barack Obama's presidency.” One year later, however, Libya remains in crisis. Reports suggest that operatives linked to al Qaeda are active in Libya. Militias are detaining thousands of former regime loyalists and engaging in widespread torture. Instability remains rampant and has spilled into neighboring states. Moreover, President Obama's unilateral decision to intervene contravened congressional war powers. What do these troubling developments mean for the future of the UN’s “responsibility to protect”? Did the death of Muammar Qaddafi vindicate the intervention? Will Qaddafi’s example make other so-called rogue states less willing to relinquish their nuclear programs? Were political commentators premature in declaring NATO's intervention a success? Please join us as leading scholars examine this under-appreciated and almost forgotten topic.

On June 23, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 — which requires gender equity in all federally funded education programs — will turn 40 years old. The law is considered a major success by many, opening opportunities for women that they believe would not otherwise have existed. But adulation for Title IX isn’t universal, especially when it comes to the negative effect some maintain it has had on men’s intercollegiate sports. And there are more fundamental questions: Is there something wrong with the law because it focuses disproportionately on sports? Could it make academics a contentious battleground if its focus were turned from sports? Is it constitutional? And, are its curbs on freedom worth its benefits? Please join us for a lively discussion of this landmark law.

The debate over the transportation reauthorization bill brings to the forefront several important issues for the future of transportation, including the role of federal funding for public transit and the implications of changing transportation preferences. Cato Institute senior fellow Randal O’Toole will demonstrate how the “Great Streetcar Conspiracy” sheds light on faults in the New Starts and Small Starts funding process. Sam Staley of the DeVoe Moore Center at Florida State University will discuss market-oriented reforms of the transit industry, and author Alan Pisarski will look at whether there is a significant trend for young people to prefer public transit over driving.

The Cato Institute and Next American City will jointly host a panel discussion about housing and development policy in American cities. For several decades, U.S. policymakers have grappled with how to make housing more affordable for more people. In the past year, several new books have claimed that various government tools, such as zoning and subsidies, have limited people's access to desirable, affordable housing—while other leading thinkers have suggested that markets alone will not create socially, economically, and environmentally sustainable communities. With a shared goal of creating livable, affordable communities for all people—but diverging ideas of how to get there—the panel will give voice to a range of perspectives on the hotly debated issue of how to shape 21st-century American cities.

Critics continue to decry money in American politics and blame the judicial decisions in Citizens United and SpeechNow for, among other things, prolonging the GOP nomination fight. Some members of Congress have responded by proposing a revised DISCLOSE Act, which proponents argue would increase disclosure and eliminate disproportionate influence in elections, and opponents denounce as an encroachment on free speech rights. Are the critics right about recent spending on speech? Have Citizens United and SpeechNow harmed American democracy? Should Congress move quickly to enact DISCLOSE? Please join us for looks back and forward in the perennial struggle over free speech and political spending.

Inaugurated last year, the Cato Papers on Public Policy is a volume of highly innovative articles by recognized national experts on contemporary economic and public policy issues - with a particular focus on critically evaluating the limits of government policies. In conjunction with the volume's creation, which will be published in November, the papers are initially presented and discussed at a public conference by the authors, a distinguished group of discussants, invited academics from around the country, local economists from government and think tanks, and members of the public. The topics that will be discussed at this year's Conference include: Evidence to dispute the conventional wisdom that U.S. CEOs, top executives, and corporate governance are being paid more and more, and not being penalized for poor performance.  The 500% increase in the rate of imprisonment between 1970-2000 and an empirical approach to measuring how deterrence and incapacitation can affect crime reduction. The effectiveness of the Term-Auction Facility program, one of the main tools used by the Federal Reserve during the financial crisis. Analyzing how the French failure to monetize gold inflows in the late 1920s and early 1930s contributed to the overall reduction in world gold reserves and impacted the world price level. Conference Schedule Thursday, June 7 1:15 – 1:30 p.m. Introduction and Welcome Jeffrey Miron (/events/speakers/jeffrey-miron.html) Harvard University and Senior Fellow, Cato Institute 1:30 – 3:00 p.m. An Evaluation of the Term Auction Facility Plan Efraim Benmelech (/events/speakers/efraim-benmelech.html), Harvard University Discussants:   Simon Gilchrist (/events/speakers/simon-gilchrist.html), Boston University   Ross Levine (/events/speakers/ross-levine.html), Brown University 3:00 – 3:30 p.m. Break 3:30 – 5:00 p.m. The French Gold Sink and the Great Depression Douglas Irwin (/events/speakers/douglas-irwin.html), Dartmouth College Discussants:   Charles Calomiris (/events/speakers/charles-calomiris.html), Columbia University   James Hamilton (/events/speakers/james-hamilton.html), University of California, San Diego 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. Wine and Cheese Reception Friday, June 8 8: 00 – 8:30 a.m. Continental Breakfast 8:30 – 10:00 a.m The General Equilibrium Effect of Mass Incarceration Justin McCrary (/events/speakers/justin-mccrary.html), University of California, Berkeley Sarath Sanga (/events/speakers/sarath-sanga.html), Yale University Discussants:   Steve Durlauf (/events/speakers/steve-durlauf.html), University of Wisconsin   Bruce Sacerdote (/events/speakers/bruce-sacerdote.html), Dartmouth College 10:00 – 10:30 a.m. Break 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.   Some Facts About CEO Pay and Corporate Governance Steve Kaplan (/events/speakers/steve-kaplan.html), University of Chicago Discussants:   Carola Frydman (/events/speakers/carola-frydman.html), Boston University   Luke Taylor (/events/speakers/luke-taylor.html), University of Pennsylvania

The current narrative regarding the 2008 systemic financial system collapse is that numerous seemingly unrelated events occurred in unregulated markets, requiring widespread bailouts of the financial system. The Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission, created by the U.S. Congress to investigate the causes of the crisis, promotes this politically convenient narrative, and the 2010 Dodd-Frank Act operationalizes it by extending federal protection and regulation of banking and finance to cover virtually all financial activities, including hedge funds and proprietary trading. Markets can become unbalanced, but they generally correct themselves before crises become systemic. Because of the accumulation of past political reactions to previous crises, this did not occur with the most recent crisis. Public enterprises had crowded out private enterprises, and public protection and the associated prudential regulation had trumped market discipline. Prudential regulation created moral hazard, and public protection invited mission regulation, both of which undermined prudential regulation itself and eventually led to systemic failure. Join us for a discussion of this issue with Kevin Villani, co-author of the new paper, "What Made the Financial Crisis Systemic?" (http://www.cato.org/publications/policy-analysis/what-made-financial-crisis-systemic)