The concept of impeachment was not new at the time of the Constitutional Convention. The Framers thought including the ability to impeach the Chief Magistrate to the Constitution was extremely important. However, today it is hard to picture in our polarized political climate that there would ever be a super majority in the Senate in order to impeach and remove a president. Were there debates about including impeachment in the Constitution at the Constitutional Convention? What is the scope of th...
Oct 26, 2018•58 min
Like economic policy, it can be hard to judge the relative freedom of tech policy. Depending on the tech policy we are referring to, the United States is still a massive hub and innovator. That is not to say that we do not have current regulations that may inhibit innovation of certain emerging tech sectors. Naturally, with new technology, comes fear of the unknown and we have to make sure that we do not succumb to those fears. Listening to fears could result in limiting our ability to develop t...
Oct 19, 2018•46 min
If you are a regular listener of Free Thoughts, you are surely familiar with Free Thoughts fan favorite Peter Van Doren. Today, Peter Van Doren joins us for special bonus episode of Free Thoughts to discuss the latest issue of Regulation Magazine. If you like what you hear, you can check out Regulation online by heading to cato.org/regulation. What percent of American consumer expenditures actually end up in China? Is trade to blame for the disappearing manufacturing jobs? Why does the federal g...
Oct 17, 2018•14 min
Sahar Khan explains the complicated history of Pakistan, and its’ relationship with the U.S., from its designation as an independent country from Great Britain in 1947. Is a majority of Pakistan Muslim? What is the difference between a Sunni Muslim and a Shi’a Muslim? Do they get along? Are their other divisions between Muslims? What is the government structure of Pakistan? Did September 11th, 2001 change the relationship between the U.S. and Pakistan? What military groups does Pakistan sponsor?...
Oct 12, 2018•48 min
America has roughly 4500 institutions of higher education. In a majority of those institutions, there aren’t any students shouting down, sometimes violently, guest speakers. These widely-publicized events tend to occur in left-leaning parts of the country, most notably the Northeast and the Western seaboard. However, heightened levels of anxiety and depression within student populations is readily visible across the country. Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt join us to discuss their theory, whic...
Oct 05, 2018•49 min
Jesse Norman believes that many books about Adam Smith miss two key parts of his work. The first being some technical consequences associated with Smiths’ work on economics. The second is that he was part of the Scottish Enlightenment, which was not a result of questioning religion, as the Enlightenment in other parts of the world was. Norman explains how Adam Smith’s life progressed to the point of where he produced The Wealth of Nations . Norman thinks of Smith as not only the father of econom...
Sep 28, 2018•45 min
P.J. O’Rourke offers comedic relief about the state of our politics from his unique journalistic perspective influenced by the “sunshine” of the 1960s. O’Rourke has worked for many notable publications such as the National Lampoon and Rolling Stone Magazine. He has had two New York Times #1 Bestsellers; Parliament of Whores and Give War a Chance . He is currently a correspondent for the Atlantic as well as the H.L. Mencken Research Fellow at the Cato Institute. Why does show business and left-wi...
Sep 21, 2018•31 min
Chris Fettweis joins us this week to discuss his book Psychology of a Superpower: Security and Dominance in U.S. Foreign Policy. Fettweis argues that as a country, Americans, tend to be so fearful of our perceived enemies that we are willing to spend much more on national security measures than is neccessary. Ultimately, we may end up doing more harm than good. What is unipolarity? Is the United States the most fearful country in the world? Do we spend more money on national security because of ...
Sep 14, 2018•50 min
Do enough people benefit from public transportation considering the amount of money poured into those politically-driven endeavors? Peter Van Doren joins us this week to break down this issue. The percentage of people who use public transit on a daily basis is higher, for obvious reasons, in urban areas. However, even in a city like Washington, D.C., only “700,000 people use the public metro rail system in comparison to the 5 million who commute downtown by car.” Van Doren argues that mass trans...
Sep 07, 2018•48 min
Matthew J. Moore discusses how Buddhism may align with libertarian tendencies; most importantly the need to think for yourself. At the core of Buddhism is the hope or want to escape from suffering, with that being said it is grounded on four noble truths. In traditional Buddhist teaching, there are gods, but they’re all mortal. The universe according to the Buddha has no beginning and no end, and they will all eventually die and be reincarnated. Matthew J. Moore elaborates on the Buddhist politi...
Aug 31, 2018•52 min
Chris Edwards joins us this week to discuss the politics that goes into attempting to minimize the federal deficit. The Federal Government determines the federal budget, however there is not a balanced-budget requirement, which leads to the growth of the federal deficit. The Federal Government does two main “things” according to Edwards; they produce stuff and they transfer income. Obviously, national defense is one of the main things that the Federal Government produces. If they were to cut tha...
Aug 24, 2018•43 min
Reverend Rob Schenck joins us this week to discuss not only his book Costly Grace: An Evangelical Minister’s Rediscovery of Faith, Hope, and Love, but also his career in the evangelical world and how it morphed into continued political engagement. Schenck, at the age of eighteen, decided that he would live his life in the service of God. He elaborates on how his religious life can be divided into three separate awakenings and how over the past few years he has come to see how politicized the eva...
Aug 17, 2018•48 min
Matthew Larosiere joins us to discuss how his interest in the design and development of weapons is controversial. Larosiere argues that most people agree that everyone should be able to defend themselves. However, most people do not understand that “aimed fire” is actually more effective than peppering bullets hoping to hit your target. The “aimed fire” technique is actually the most utilized military tactic because it results in a higher level of precision and accuracy. Larosiere also touches o...
Aug 10, 2018•49 min
Adam Bates, from the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP), joins us this week for our 250th episode to talk about how the Muslim ban, which President Trump initiated during his first week in office, inspired him to change his work focus from criminal justice reform to refugee relief. Bates addresses how the Administration is “overtly hostile” towards refugees. In our current political climate, it is an extremely trying time for refugee law, but also to be a refugee. The Refugee Act of...
Aug 02, 2018•45 min
What tends to drive Congress’ institution overall? Where do organizations like Cato fit into the legislative process? What is the difference between the work that think tanks like Cato do, and that work of the Hill and lobbyists? Who is writing the actual legislation that might become law? Further Readings/References: The Statrix: How Government Wraps Our Perception of the World - Free Thoughts Podcast Washington’s Five Tricks - Free Thoughts Podcast The Distinction Between Governance and Govern...
Jul 27, 2018•53 min
Thomas Hazlett joins us for a discussion on the history of the U.S. government’s regulation of the airways. Efforts to liberate the radio spectrum have generated so much progress, ushering in smartphones, social media, podcasts and online media providers. But the battle for reform is not even half won. Further Readings/References: Check out the book: The Political Spectrum: The Tumultuous Liberation of Wireless Technology, from Herbert Hoover to the Smartphone Learn more about Thomas Hazlett Che...
Jul 20, 2018•46 min
Sebastian Edwards joins us today to discuss why we abandoned the gold standard. Edwards recently published American Default: The Untold Story of FDR, the Supreme Court, and the Battle over Gold . On April 5, 1933, FDR ordered Americans to sell all their gold holdings to the government. This was followed by the abandonment of the gold standard and the devaluation of the dollar. American Default is the story of this forgotten chapter in America’s history. Further Readings Learn More about Sebastia...
Jul 13, 2018•58 min
If you are a regular listener of Free Thoughts, you are surely familiar with Free Thoughts fan favorite Peter Van Doren. Today, Peter Van Doren joins us for special bonus episode of Free Thoughts to discuss the latest issue of Regulation Magazine. If you like what you hear, you can check out Regulation online by heading to cato.org/regulation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jul 09, 2018•13 min
Alex Nowrasteh joins us today to discuss the state of immigration in President Trump’s America. Further Readings The Truth About Immigration (with Alex Nowrasteh) - Free Thoughts Podcast You Are Now Free to Move About the Planet (with Alex Nowrasteh - Free Thoughts Podcast Understanding Immigration - The Encyclopedia of Libertarianism Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Jul 06, 2018•44 min
Building Tomorrow Podcast explores the ways technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship enable private individuals to build a free, wealthy, and peaceful world. Subscribe to Building Tomorrow here! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jul 05, 2018•1 sec
Gary Chartier joins us for a conversation on freedom of expression. He just published his new book An Ecological Theory of Free Expression . Chartier argues for an “understanding of expressive freedom as rooted and realized in a complex set of social ecosystems that merit protection on multiple grounds and applies it provocatively to a range of contemporary issues.” Further Readings More about Gary Chartier More work by Gary Chartier Liberty Chronicles: The Corporation Problem (with Gary Chartie...
Jun 29, 2018•48 min
Find the book here: Seasteading: How Floating Nations Will Restore the Environment, Enrich the Poor, Cure the Sick, and Liberate Humanity from Politicians More about Joe Quirk Learn more about Seasteading here Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Jun 22, 2018•50 min
Status, Prestige, Activism and the Illusion of American Decline by John Glaser Free Thoughts Podcast - Close America’s Overseas Bases (with John Glaser) Free Thoughts Podcast - Is the Iran Deal a Good Deal? (with John Glaser) Encyclopedia of Libertarianism - Foreign Policy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Jun 15, 2018•45 min
This week Jessica Flanigan joins us to discuss the rights of self-medication; rights to purchase and use unapproved treatments, prohibited drugs, and pharmaceuticals without a prescription. As Jessica describes in her most recent publication in Cato Unbound , “For most patients, rights of self-medication needn’t change how they make medical decisions. After all, rights of self-medication do not preclude patients from consulting with physicians or using only government-certified drugs. But if pat...
Jun 08, 2018•58 min
Jay Cost joins us to discuss his new book The Price of Greatness: Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and the Creation of American Oligarchy . In the history of American politics there are few stories as enigmatic as that of Alexander Hamilton and James Madison’s bitterly personal falling out. Jay Cost is the first to argue that both men were right—and that their quarrel reveals a fundamental paradox at the heart of the American experiment. Further Readings/References: More about Jay Cost here . ...
Jun 01, 2018•58 min
Mike Munger joins us to discuss his new book Tomorrow 3.0: Transaction Costs and the Sharing Economy . We discuss the future of the sharing economy, the role of the middle man, and the fundamental economic concept of transaction costs. Further Readings/References: Tomorrow 3.0: Transaction Costs and the Sharing Economy Learn more about Mike Munger here . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
May 25, 2018•52 min
Diego Zuluaga joins us for a discussion on cryptocurrencies. We also discuss fiat money, Gresham’s law and the difference between blockchain and cryptocurrencies. Further Readings Your World on the Blockchain - Free Thoughts Podcast Contracts and Cryptography - Free Thoughts Podcast Is Bitcoin the Future of Money? - Free Thoughts Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
May 18, 2018•48 min
Dan Ikenson joins us to answer one important question: is the United States in a trade war? We also discuss the future of trade policy and trade policy regulation. Further Readings/References: Free Trade - Encyclopedia of Libertarianism.org How Free Trade Creates Wealth - Free Thoughts Podcast Specialization and Trade: A Re-introduction to Economics Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
May 11, 2018•46 min
Will Duffield joins us to discuss Cambridge Analytica and the future of social media. What is Cambridge Analytica? What is Facebook doing with all this data? Should we expect more regulation of online advertising or nationalized social media platforms? Further Readings/References: Free Thoughts Podcast: Free Speech Online (with Will Duffield) Free Thoughts Podcast: Nothing Is Secure (with Julian Sanchez) Free Thoughts Podcast: The Internet Doesn’t Need to Be Saved (with Peter Van Doren) Hosted o...
May 04, 2018•52 min
Peter Van Doren joins us again to discuss his time on federal jury duty. On February 20th, 2018, Van Doren reported to the Federal District Court and was selected for jury duty. It was an MS-13 murder case involving an ongoing criminal conspiracy. We discuss conspiracy law, the nature of jury duty and the qualms of the criminal justice system. Further Readings/References: More about Peter Van Doren Cato book Jury Nullification Nancy MacLean and the Lazy Jury Fallacy by Trevor Burrus An Essay on ...
Apr 27, 2018•56 min
