It's officially fall. The weather's beginning to get more crisp and the courseload is inevitably getting heavier. As many of you gear up for semester projects and mid-term papers, we hope that Cato On Campus can assist you with your research needs and help you prepare for exams.

In addition to a wealth of information organized on our website - produced here at Cato or by various other liberty-friendly research institutions - you might also find our Ask the Expert project useful. If you ever struggle to find information for a paper, a rebuttal to a professor's illiberal claims, a clear argument to convince friends and family, or if you're just curious about something in the news, Cato On Campus can put your questions straight to the experts (the ones who literally write books on the subjects!).

For those of you looking for career advice, our friends at the Institute for Humane Studies just released an invaluable Public Policy Career Guide. Whether you're curious about which major to select, or want to know what skills or personal qualities are most valuable to an employer, IHS has compiled thoughtful insights and advice from an impressive list of policy professionals. It's a must read for anyone even slightly interested in working with ideas and policy.

Another great opportunity that we hope you'll consider is attending a Students For Liberty regional conference. The good people at SFL have organized nine seminars this fall, which take place all across the country. Each weekend conference features impressive libertarian speakers, ready to engage students on a wide variety of important issues and ideas. Check here to find a conference near you, and get involved with this exciting network of young libertarians. And did I mention they're free..?

Finally, we would like to take this opportunity to announce the first D.C. Forum for Freedom event of the school year, which is happening today, September 24th. It's titled: Balancing Liberty and Security in an Age of Terrorism. Whether you can join us here in D.C., or plan to follow the conversation live online, it's sure to be a great event.

As the seasons change -- naturally and politically -- this fall, we're here to supply you with the tools and resources to stay up to speed on the changing times and to manage your academic workload. Check us out, and let us know what we can do to better serve your needs!

Sincerely,
Joey Coon

www.CatoOnCampus.org

DC Forum for Freedom: Balancing Liberty and Security

Cato On Campus is hosting a student event on September 24th at the Cato Institute. Register today!

Cato On Campus is kicking off the school year with another fantastic speaker series. The D.C. Forum for Freedom begin its series of monthly events with: Balancing Liberty and Security in an Age of Terrorism. Panelists include Cato's David Rittgers, speaking on tradeoffs made in the name of "terrorism," and the ACLU's Michael German, addressing how the Bill of Rights sufficiently provides for counterterrorism. Students from around D.C. are invited to attend the forum held at the Cato Institute, and students from around the world are invited to attend online. The forum will begin at 4pm (EST) and will be followed by a reception with scholars, students, and other young professionals. Please register by September 23rd.

Economic Freedom of the World: 2010 Annual Report

The Cato Institute, in conjunction with the Fraser Institute and more than 70 international think tanks, released the 2010 edition of the Economic Freedom of the World Report. Noteworthy of this year's report, aggregate economic freedom suffered its first setback in decades. Of the 123 countries with chain-linked ratings, 88 exhibited rating decreases and only 35 recorded rating increases. To see the breakdown of rankings, check out the study's interactive map. New to this year's report is research showing the impact of economic freedom on unemployment rates and homicides. Read the full e-book (.pdf) here.

Guidebook: Your Path to a Public Policy Career

The Institute for Human Studies has recently released a new handbook for people -- specifically students with a classical liberal worldview -- interested in careers in public policy. The guide collects articles from many of the major players in the think tank and public policy world on topics like 'What Skills Do I Need in the Policy World?,' 'Roles Within a Think Tank,' and 'Changing Policy in the For-Profit Sector.' The guide is an excellent resource that complements IHS's series of career guides, like their 'Scaling the Ivory Tower' and 'Law School and Beyond.' Those and other resources are available here.

View and download the PDF of the guide here.

The Starfish and the Spider

The Tea Party has lately become the topic of many articles, news stories, and conversations. Cato On Campus hosted an event on the issue last month (video here), and last week the Cato Institute hosted Dick Armey and Matt Kibbe of FreedomWorks to discuss their recent book, 'Give Us Liberty: A Tea Party Manifesto,' and the rise of the Tea Party (video here). Many are commenting on how the Tea Party grew into a national phenomenon. In that vein, the National Journal has an article that documents several aspects of the Party's playbook and history. One thing the story discovers is that at the foundation of this political movement is, in fact, a business book, titled: The Starfish and the Spider.

Check out the article and 2 minute video here.

States Back in the Driver's Seat

Constitutional scholar Randy Barnett and Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates William Howell, in The Wall Street Journal, write about the need to restore the reins on the federal government referenced in the U.S. Constitution. Their method is to pass a constitutional amendment allowing the States the power to repeal unfavorable legislation. In fact, the Virginia legislature will be considering this proposal in its next session. As federal power continues to grow, Barnett and Howell note that such an amendment "allows thousands of democratically elected representatives outside the Beltway to check the will of 535 elected representatives in Washington, D.C." Afterall, they note, "checking abuses of power is what the written Constitution is all about."

Is Cato Conservative, Liberal, or Radical?

For Cato On Campus' Ask the Expert column, Jason Kuznicki explores the ideological underpinnings of the Cato Institute. Answering whether Cato subscribes to the label of "Liberal," "Conservative," "Radical," or something else, Kuznicki explains that it is difficult to confine Cato to any current, mainstream title, particularly when considering the historical nuances of such terms. However, he lays out the connections to and differences from each of the labels in question, and clarifies where and why the Cato Institute and its scholars take the positions they do.

The Ask the Expert column allows students to directly interact with scholars, getting answers to their most pressing questions. To view other questions and answers, visit the Ask the Expert archive page, here.

Does Spending Create Prosperity?

In a recent article, George Mason University economist Russ Roberts addresses the question of how top-down macro policies impact bottom-up economic growth. He questions the logic that spending resources could generate prosperity, stating that it's prosperity that drives spending. To move away from a theoretical discussion, Roberts uses two examples with empirical evidence: WWII and foreign aid. Both cases show that artificially inflating an economy with government spending only lasts a short while, and has minimal, if any, long-term impact. Foreign aid specifically shows that the political elite and interest groups are the ones who benefit most, at a cost to others.

Budgetary Savings from Military Restraint

Foreign Policy Analysis
By Benjamin Friedman and Christopher Preble

As the United States continues to wrestle with a weakened economy and growing debt, it needs to take drastic steps to preserve its vitality. In a time when much is on the line, a strong military is crucial. The U.S. needs a defense budget worthy of its name, one that protects Americans rather than wasting vast sums embroiling us in controversies remote from our interests. In a new study, Cato scholars Benjamin H. Friedman and Christopher Preble outline such a defense strategy and the substantial cuts in military spending that it allows. Friedman and Preble conclude that, "The United States does not need to spend $700 billion a year -- nearly half of global military spending -- to preserve its security."

Read the full Policy Analysis here.

The Miscellaneous Tariff Bill: A Blueprint for Future Trade Expansion

Trade Briefing Paper
By Daniel Griswold

In July 2010 Congress passed the U.S. Manufacturing Enhancement Act, otherwise known as the miscellaneous tariff bill (MTB), which unilaterally suspends duties on hundreds of imported goods of special interest to U.S. manufacturing companies. The bill marked a modest step forward for trade liberalization and offers a blueprint for future trade policy. More broadly, Congress should consider unilateral, permanent suspensions of tariffs that are controversial so that efficiency gains can be realized in production and not just consumption. This, and other trade liberalization policies, is a solid step towards building a more vibrant and competitive U.S. economy.

Read the full Briefing Paper here.

The Economics of Freedom: What Your Professors Won't Tell You

Students For Liberty has recently published a new book, with the Atlas Economic Research Foundation, designed to provide a foundation in the principles of liberty. The book features a significant portion of Frederic Bastiat's articulate and well-reasoned essays, along with a forward by F.A. Hayek and a closing essay by Tom G. Palmer. This book is part of SFL's Bastiat Project, which is an effort to provide students with the intellectual ammunition to counter the prevalence of bad economic thinking that is pulsing through our society. The project also includes an essay contest, applying lessons in the book to current public policy issues. Check out the essay contest here.