http://www.cato.org/events/archive.html Event Videos from the Cato Institute webmaster@cato.org (Cato Webmaster) en-us Copyright 2008, Cato Institute, All Rights Reserved Wed, 23 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EDT Podcast of policy and book forums, Capitol Hill briefings and other events from the Cato Institute Individual Liberty, Limited Government, Free Markets, and Peace The Cato Institute Cato,Institute,Events,Policy,Forums,Book,Forums,Conferences,Capitol,Hill,Briefings http://www.cato.org/images/subscriptions/catologo_podcast_2.jpg http://www.cato.org/events/archive.html Cato Logo 100 100 webmaster@cato.org Cato no http://www.cato.org/event.php?eventid=4674 In the aftermath of 9/11, President Bush declared that the struggle against terrorism would be nothing less than a war-a new kind of war that would require new tactics, new government powers, and a new mindset. In a new book, Bush's Law, Eric Lichtblau argues that counterterrorism officials at the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the National Security Agency, and the Central Intelligence Agency were asked to play roles they had never played before. To facilitate these new roles, legal restrictions were set aside, or disregarded, as administration officials sanctioned new intelligence and law enforcement programs. As a reporter for the New York Times, Lichtblau helped to break the story on the NSA's warrantless wiretapping program, for which he was later awarded the 2006 Pulitzer Prize for national reporting. Wed, 23 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.catomedia.org/archive-2008/cbf-04-23-08.m4v Featuring the author [Eric Lichtblau], New York Times. Moderated by [Timothy Lynch], Cato Institute. ... In the aftermath of 9/11, President Bush declared that the struggle against terrorism would be nothing less than a war-a new kind of war that would require new tactics, new government powers, and a new mindset. In a new book, Bush's Law, Eric Lichtblau argues that counterterrorism officials at the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the National Security Agency, and the Central Intelligence Agency were asked to play roles they had never played before. To facilitate these new roles, legal restrictions were set aside, or disregarded, as administration officials sanctioned new intelligence and law enforcement programs. As a reporter for the New York Times, Lichtblau helped to break the story on the NSA's warrantless wiretapping program, for which he was later awarded the 2006 Pulitzer Prize for national reporting. 00:52:48 no Cato,Institute,forums,events,briefings http://www.cato.org/event.php?eventid=4765 In the modern global economy, highly skilled workers are increasingly important to continued growth and prosperity. Yet despite the dramatically increasing demand for foreign skilled labor, Congress has failed to increase the number of H-1B visas. As a result, U.S. immigration laws permit only a fraction of willing, skilled workers to add their talents to our society, reducing the welfare of both domestic workers and those who were denied access. Please join Senator Judd Gregg and Cato scholar Daniel Griswold for a discussion of reforming U.S. immigration policy to improve economic growth, expand individual choice, and maintain America's competitive advantage in innovation. Thu, 17 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.catomedia.org/archive-2008/hb-04-17-08.m4v Featuring [Senator Judd Gregg] (R-NH) and [Daniel Griswold], Director, Center for Trade Policy Studies, Cato Institute.... In the modern global economy, highly skilled workers are increasingly important to continued growth and prosperity. Yet despite the dramatically increasing demand for foreign skilled labor, Congress has failed to increase the number of H-1B visas. As a result, U.S. immigration laws permit only a fraction of willing, skilled workers to add their talents to our society, reducing the welfare of both domestic workers and those who were denied access. Please join Senator Judd Gregg and Cato scholar Daniel Griswold for a discussion of reforming U.S. immigration policy to improve economic growth, expand individual choice, and maintain America's competitive advantage in innovation. 00:21:16 no Cato,Institute,forums,events,briefings http://www.cato.org/event.php?eventid=4500 On March 29 Zimbabweans will cast their votes in presidential and parliamentary elections that are likely to be rigged in favor of Robert Mugabe and his ZANU-PF party. Mugabe and the ZANU-PF elite have presided over the collapse of living standards in Zimbabwe and the destruction of her economy. They are also responsible for massive human rights abuses that include a massacre of some 20,000 civilians in the Matabeleland in the 1980s. The panel will discuss the current economic and political situation in Zimbabwe, and possible post-election scenarios. The forum will coincide with the release of a new Cato study detailing Zimbabwe's decline. Mon, 24 Mar 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.catomedia.org/archive-2008/cpf-03-24-08.m4v Featuring: [Walter H. Kansteiner], Principal, Scowcroft Group Former Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs; [Carol Thompson], Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of African Affairs, Department of State; and [Richard Tren], Director, Af... On March 29 Zimbabweans will cast their votes in presidential and parliamentary elections that are likely to be rigged in favor of Robert Mugabe and his ZANU-PF party. Mugabe and the ZANU-PF elite have presided over the collapse of living standards in Zimbabwe and the destruction of her economy. They are also responsible for massive human rights abuses that include a massacre of some 20,000 civilians in the Matabeleland in the 1980s. The panel will discuss the current economic and political situation in Zimbabwe, and possible post-election scenarios. The forum will coincide with the release of a new Cato study detailing Zimbabwe's decline. 01:14:42 no Cato,Institute,forums,events,briefings http://www.cato.org/event.php?eventid=4437 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. Wed, 19 Mar 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.catomedia.org/archive-2008/cpf-03-19-08.m4v Featuring the author [Patrick Garry], University of South Dakota Law School; with comments by [Roger Pilon], Cato Institute, and [Abe Krash], Georgetown University Law Center and Arnold & Porter LLP; moderated by [Ilya Shapiro], Cato Institute.... 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. 01:13:00 no Cato,Institute,forums,events,briefings http://www.cato.org/event.php?eventid=4525 Economic success-among individuals, firms, products and countries-is often unexpected and unpredicted. William Easterly will draw on insights from Nobel laureate Friedrich Hayek to explain why prediction is difficult, success is rare and failure is common; the advantages of decentralized decision making to discover what works best in the market and in public policy; and the need to rely on dispersed and local knowledge, rather than government planning, for poor countries to achieve growth. Arvind Subramanian will draw on his experience working at multilateral institutions to comment on the relevance of Hayek's insights to developing countries and the current foreign aid debate. Tue, 18 Mar 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.catomedia.org/archive-2008/cpf-03-18-08.m4v Featuring [William Easterly], Professor of Economics, New York University, with comments by [Arvind Subramanian], Senior Fellow, Peterson Institute for International Economics. Moderator [Ian Vásquez], Cato Institute.... Economic success-among individuals, firms, products and countries-is often unexpected and unpredicted. William Easterly will draw on insights from Nobel laureate Friedrich Hayek to explain why prediction is difficult, success is rare and failure is common; the advantages of decentralized decision making to discover what works best in the market and in public policy; and the need to rely on dispersed and local knowledge, rather than government planning, for poor countries to achieve growth. Arvind Subramanian will draw on his experience working at multilateral institutions to comment on the relevance of Hayek's insights to developing countries and the current foreign aid debate. 01:28:09 no Cato,Institute,forums,events,briefings http://www.cato.org/event.php?eventid=4516 In 1974, Richard Nixon promoted the possibility of U.S. energy independence in six years. In 1975, Gerald Ford promised it in ten. And in 2007, Barack Obama, Rudy Giuliani, Hillary Clinton, Mitt Romney, John Edwards and John McCain all trumpeted energy independence as an essential priority for the next president. In 2007, six books were published hailing energy independence as the answer to everything from global warming to terrorism. But what is energy independence? Is it possible? In Gusher of Lies (2008) Robert Bryce breaks down and debunks the myth of energy independence. In addition to his most recent book, Bryce is also the author of Pipe Dreams: Greed, Ego, and the Death of Enron, and Cronies: Oil, the Bushes, and the Rise of Texas, America's Superstate. He is managing editor of Energy Tribune, and a contributing writer for the Texas Observer. Tue, 18 Mar 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.catomedia.org/archive-2008/cbf-03-18-08.m4v Featuring [Robert Bryce], Managing Editor, Energy Tribune. Moderated by [Jerry Taylor], Cato Institute.... In 1974, Richard Nixon promoted the possibility of U.S. energy independence in six years. In 1975, Gerald Ford promised it in ten. And in 2007, Barack Obama, Rudy Giuliani, Hillary Clinton, Mitt Romney, John Edwards and John McCain all trumpeted energy independence as an essential priority for the next president. In 2007, six books were published hailing energy independence as the answer to everything from global warming to terrorism. But what is energy independence? Is it possible? In Gusher of Lies (2008) Robert Bryce breaks down and debunks the myth of energy independence. In addition to his most recent book, Bryce is also the author of Pipe Dreams: Greed, Ego, and the Death of Enron, and Cronies: Oil, the Bushes, and the Rise of Texas, America's Superstate. He is managing editor of Energy Tribune, and a contributing writer for the Texas Observer. 01:40:56 no Cato,Institute,forums,events,briefings http://www.cato.org/event.php?eventid=4567 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. Wed, 12 Mar 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.catomedia.org/archive-2008/cpf-03-12-08.m4v Featuring: [Yon Goicoechea], Former General Secretary, Venezuelan Student Parliament; [Gustavo Tovar], Author, Estudiantes por la libertad (Students for Liberty) (Caracas: El Nacional, 2007); and [Gerver Torres], Senior Scientist, Gallup. Modera... 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. 01:20:51 no Cato,Institute,forums,events,briefings http://www.cato.org/event.php?eventid=4561 Few topics arouse more passionate debate than climate change. There is broad agreement that humans are affecting the Earth’s temperature, but how can policymakers effectively address climate change while also advancing human well-being? Should society focus on reducing greenhouse gases or on building resilience and reducing vulnerability? Please join Pat Michaels and Indur Goklany for a discussion about climate change. Fri, 29 Feb 2008 00:00:00 EST http://www.catomedia.org/archive-2008/hb-02-29-08.m4v Featuring [Indur Goklany], author of The Improving State of the World and a new Cato study, “What to Do about Climate Change,” and delegate to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and [Patrick J. Michaels], Senior Fellow in Environment... Few topics arouse more passionate debate than climate change. There is broad agreement that humans are affecting the Earth’s temperature, but how can policymakers effectively address climate change while also advancing human well-being? Should society focus on reducing greenhouse gases or on building resilience and reducing vulnerability? Please join Pat Michaels and Indur Goklany for a discussion about climate change. 00:41:38 no Cato,Institute,forums,events,briefings http://www.cato.org/event.php?eventid=4448 Twilight at Monticello is an unprecedented and engrossing personal look at Thomas Jefferson in his final years that will change the way readers think about him. During the years from his return to Monticello in 1809 until his death in 1826, Jefferson dealt with illness and debt, corresponded with the leading figures of the Revolution, and became a radical decentralist and admirer of the New England townships, where, he believed, the real fire of liberty burned bright. Jefferson had witnessed the strength of local governments during his ill-advised, near-dictatorial embargo, which proved to be the great crisis of his political life, not because he placed too much faith in his countrymen's capacity for self-government but because, for once in his life, he placed too little faith in it. During these years, Jefferson also became increasingly aware of the costs to civil harmony exacted by the Founding Fathers' failure to effectively reconcile slaveholding within a republic dedicated to liberty. Right up until his death on the 50th anniversary of America's founding, Thomas Jefferson remained an indispensable man, albeit a supremely human one. Based on new research and documents culled from the Library of Congress, the Virginia Historical Society, and other special collections, including hitherto unexamined letters from family, friends, and Monticello neighbors, Alan Pell Crawford paints an authoritative and deeply moving portrait of Thomas Jefferson as private citizen — the first original depiction of the man in more than a generation. Tue, 19 Feb 2008 00:00:00 EST http://www.catomedia.org/archive-2008/cbf-02-19-08.m4v Featuring the author, [Alan Pell Crawford].... Twilight at Monticello is an unprecedented and engrossing personal look at Thomas Jefferson in his final years that will change the way readers think about him. During the years from his return to Monticello in 1809 until his death in 1826, Jefferson dealt with illness and debt, corresponded with the leading figures of the Revolution, and became a radical decentralist and admirer of the New England townships, where, he believed, the real fire of liberty burned bright. Jefferson had witnessed the strength of local governments during his ill-advised, near-dictatorial embargo, which proved to be the great crisis of his political life, not because he placed too much faith in his countrymen's capacity for self-government but because, for once in his life, he placed too little faith in it. During these years, Jefferson also became increasingly aware of the costs to civil harmony exacted by the Founding Fathers' failure to effectively reconcile slaveholding within a republic dedicated to liberty. Right up until his death on the 50th anniversary of America's founding, Thomas Jefferson remained an indispensable man, albeit a supremely human one. Based on new research and documents culled from the Library of Congress, the Virginia Historical Society, and other special collections, including hitherto unexamined letters from family, friends, and Monticello neighbors, Alan Pell Crawford paints an authoritative and deeply moving portrait of Thomas Jefferson as private citizen — the first original depiction of the man in more than a generation. 00:48:21 no Cato,Institute,forums,events,briefings http://www.cato.org/event.php?eventid=4383 The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is facing a host of new challenges. In Afghanistan, NATO’s forces are being relentlessly attacked by the Taliban, and popular support for maintaining troops there is fading. The proposed deployment of antiballistic missiles, a potential flashpoint in Kosovo, and the growing tension between Russia and some of its neighbors all have the potential to divide members of the alliance. Meanwhile, NATO’s inability to deter a cyber attack that virtually paralyzed NATO member Estonia’s access to the Internet raises questions about the alliance’s ability to protect its newest members. The panelists will discuss these and other challenges confronting NATO, offering their thoughts on the future of the alliance, and recommendations for U.S. policymakers. Thu, 31 Jan 2008 00:00:00 EST http://www.catomedia.org/archive-2008/cpf-01-31-08.m4v Featuring [Stanley Kober], Research Fellow in Foreign Policy Studies, Cato Institute; [Susan Eisenhower], Chairman Emeritus, The Eisenhower Institute; [Lawrence S. Kaplan], Emeritus Director of the Lemnitzer Center for NATO and European Union St... The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is facing a host of new challenges. In Afghanistan, NATO’s forces are being relentlessly attacked by the Taliban, and popular support for maintaining troops there is fading. The proposed deployment of antiballistic missiles, a potential flashpoint in Kosovo, and the growing tension between Russia and some of its neighbors all have the potential to divide members of the alliance. Meanwhile, NATO’s inability to deter a cyber attack that virtually paralyzed NATO member Estonia’s access to the Internet raises questions about the alliance’s ability to protect its newest members. The panelists will discuss these and other challenges confronting NATO, offering their thoughts on the future of the alliance, and recommendations for U.S. policymakers. 01:26:00 no Cato,Institute,forums,events,briefings http://www.cato.org/event.php?eventid=4297 In his new book, The Mind of the Market: Compassionate Apes, Competitive Humans, and Other Tales from Evolutionary Economics, Michael Shermer examines such questions as: How did we evolve from ancient hunter-gatherers to modern consumer-traders? Why are people so irrational when it comes to money and business? He argues that the new science of evolutionary economics provides an answer to both of those questions. Shermer shows how evolution and economics are both examples of a larger phenomenon of complex adaptive systems. Along the way, he answers such provocative questions as, Do our tribal roots mean that we will always be a sucker for brands? How is the biochemical joy of sex similar to the rewards of business cooperation? How can nations increase trust within and between their borders? Finally, Shermer considers the consequences of globalization and why free trade promises to build alliances between nations. Michael Shermer is the founding publisher of Skeptic magazine, a monthly columnist for Scientific American, and the author of Why People Believe Weird Things and Why Darwin Matters. Fri, 11 Jan 2008 00:00:00 EST http://www.catomedia.org/archive-2008/cbf-01-11-08.m4v Featuring [Michael Shermer].... In his new book, The Mind of the Market: Compassionate Apes, Competitive Humans, and Other Tales from Evolutionary Economics, Michael Shermer examines such questions as: How did we evolve from ancient hunter-gatherers to modern consumer-traders? Why are people so irrational when it comes to money and business? He argues that the new science of evolutionary economics provides an answer to both of those questions. Shermer shows how evolution and economics are both examples of a larger phenomenon of complex adaptive systems. Along the way, he answers such provocative questions as, Do our tribal roots mean that we will always be a sucker for brands? How is the biochemical joy of sex similar to the rewards of business cooperation? How can nations increase trust within and between their borders? Finally, Shermer considers the consequences of globalization and why free trade promises to build alliances between nations. Michael Shermer is the founding publisher of Skeptic magazine, a monthly columnist for Scientific American, and the author of Why People Believe Weird Things and Why Darwin Matters. 01:05:22 no Cato,Institute,forums,events,briefings http://www.cato.org/event.php?eventid=4292 John McCain is one of the most familiar figures in American politics, a figure with great appeal to many. However, his concrete governing philosophy and actual track record have been left unexamined. Matt Welch’s new book McCain: The Myth of a Maverick gives a flesh-and-bones political portrait of a man onto whom people project their own ideological fantasies. It is the first realistic assessment of what a John McCain presidency might look like. Welch lays out the root cause of the senator's worldview: his personal transformation from underachieving youth to war hawk, in which he used the "higher power" of American nationalism to save his life and soul. Please join us to discuss this new work on the day that New Hampshire decides the fate of Senator McCain’s enduring aspiration to attain the presidency. Tue, 08 Jan 2008 00:00:00 EST http://www.catomedia.org/archive-2008/cbf-01-08-08.m4v Featuring the author, [Matt Welch], Editor-in-Chief, Reason Magazine, and [Lance Tarrance, Jr.], Former Senior Strategist, McCain for President.... John McCain is one of the most familiar figures in American politics, a figure with great appeal to many. However, his concrete governing philosophy and actual track record have been left unexamined. Matt Welch’s new book McCain: The Myth of a Maverick gives a flesh-and-bones political portrait of a man onto whom people project their own ideological fantasies. It is the first realistic assessment of what a John McCain presidency might look like. Welch lays out the root cause of the senator's worldview: his personal transformation from underachieving youth to war hawk, in which he used the "higher power" of American nationalism to save his life and soul. Please join us to discuss this new work on the day that New Hampshire decides the fate of Senator McCain’s enduring aspiration to attain the presidency. 01:08:32 no Cato,Institute,forums,events,briefings