Cato on Campus is an online resource created for students by the Cato Institute, one of the nation’s leading public policy research foundations. With extensive content of its own, this site also provides direct access to the massive online resources of Cato’s public Web site – www.cato.org. As you will note, at the core of Cato on Campus is a commitment to how human well-being and dignity are enhanced by a commitment to individual liberty, limited government, free markets, and peace. (More..)
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Cato scholar Dan Mitchell analyses Obama’s track record on improving the economy. He notes that the Obama administration sets the record for having the least private sector experience. And, sad to say, their private sector inexperience has not been offset by their academic experience. In fact, the Obama administration has done a fairly good job doing exactly the opposite of what it claims to pursue. Mitchell states that for businesses to contribute to the economy, they need confidence that their efforts will be awarded and not punished or hindered – and taxes, restrictions, and bureaucracy are not the way to do that.
Tea parties, Rand Paul, limited-government, 10th Amendment, Millennial voters -- these are all topics that have burst forth on the public scene over the past two years. Come find out what they mean for the next election cycle, numerous policy issues, and the future of American politics. Cato scholar John Samples joins a panel to discuss these issues at an event hosted by Cato On Campus at the Cato Institute, August 20th, 2010 at 4:00p.m.
Should libertarians forge alliances and risk being compromised, or preserve their purity and risk irrelevance? Which political groups are worth rooting for, collaborating with, or just sprinting away from? Cato scholar Brink Lindsay contributes to this debate, hosted by Reason.
In a clever article posted at Reason, David Harsanyi links the plotline of Toy Story 3 – currently the highest grossing movie of the summer – to the rise of the Tea Party movement in American culture and politics. In fact, themes of liberty seem to be appearing throughout popular culture, particularly animation and commercials. Harsanyi cites the Washington Post when he remarks that all the Founding Fathers portrayed in commercials over the past year indicate a shifting trend that once again recognizes the stand for freedom that is inherent in our culture. “It is a matter of time before concerns about liberty begin to filter into mainstream popular culture.” So to paraphrase, “Stay tuned...”
In a timeless piece in The Freeman, George Leef notes that the problem with the growing focus on higher ed is that professors face rising pressure to graduate more students, even if their work is not good quality. The incentives are misaligned and the result is that a “C” has become the new “F.” When education becomes an industry that undermines its very purpose with artificial credentials, and when the government supports that cycle with billions of dollars in subsidies, many people loses – the qualified grads whose job market gets flooded by incompetent degree-holders, the kids and families that spend fortunes on school but don’t have what it takes to graduate, and the economy as a whole as we misallocate resources.
Cato scholar Gene Healy discusses the social and political trend to spread fear about terrorists when, in fact, they are often more like clowns than real threats. He gives several examples of bumbled plots involving inflammable fertilizer, ninja rats, and suicide bomber group hugs. No matter how stupid, however, Healy notes that some plots actually work and need to be vigilantly guarded against, but urges that caution be taken when elevating extremists with labels of being masterminds or geniuses. Healy says that, “We've given al Qaeda power over us they don't deserve. When we recognize that they're often inept and clownish, we weaken their ability to sow terror.”
"Green" policies are often advertised as good for the environment and cost-efficient; we are bringing together a few scholars who will address these claims economically and scientifically, painting a picture that shows otherwise. This event will focus on the increasing push by the federal government to go "green," and how such policies on energy and environment negatively impacts society, especially young people. Please join us!
America's Future Foundation and Students For Liberty co-hosted a debate at the Cato Institute between interns from libertarian and conservative organizations, addressing the question, "is libertarianism or conservatism a more desirable political philosophy?"
Gambling has been around for much of human history. But as it grows from a local practice to an international online phenomenon worth $335 billion, people begin raising questions. Cato scholar Radley Balko participates in the Economist's debate series, on the resolution: "This house believes there should be no legal restrictions on gambling." Blako describes many practical reasons why gambling creates perverse incentives, but says that the best reason to legalize gambling is upon the grounds of individual liberty. "If liberty means anything at all, it means the freedom to make our own choices about our own lives, our money, our habits and how we spend our leisure time, even if they happen to be choices other people would not make for themselves." Check out the debate and share your thoughts here.
The Foundation for Economic Education recently held Freedom University, their annual weeklong seminar. Now you can enjoy lectures from cutting-edge scholars right in your own home! This podcast series includes 16 recordings from the seminar on topics like “The Freedom Philosophy” and “The Morality of Capitalism.”
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