Cato Institute Event Videos (Full)

Since the tragic shooting death of Trayvon Martin, Florida's Stand Your Ground law has come under intense scrutiny. Florida governor Rick Scott is presently forming a task force to reexamine that state's law. Critics argue that such laws have led to shootouts over petty disputes and have hampered police investigations with a sweeping grant of legal immunity. Supporters of the Stand Your Ground law say it does not apply to the Martin case and that such laws merely protect those who use a firearm in self-defense from prosecution and financially ruinous litigation. Join us for a discussion of what these laws actually cover and what has happened in the 24 states that have enacted them since 2005.

Only 12 percent of Americans now approve of the job Congress is doing. Despite that, incumbents are overwhelmingly re-elected. Eighty-six percent of them survived the 2010 elections for the House of Representatives. That’s not much of a surprise when you consider that 80 percent of House districts are safe for one of the two major parties and 62 percent of incumbents face no primary challenge at all. No wonder many Americans feel those who “represent” them in Washington don’t really represent them at all. A new organization, the Campaign for Primary Accountability, is trying to level the playing field and to restore real representation by making incumbents more accountable to citizens. Its efforts have won praise across the political spectrum and condemnation from fans of the status quo. But it is not alone. Mark Meckler, a founder of the Tea Party Patriots, is launching a new effort to change American elections for the better. Please join us to hear these leaders talk about their continuing struggle to take back America.

(http://www.amazon.com/Free-Market-Fairness-John-Tomasi/dp/069114446X) (http://www.amazon.com/Free-Market-Fairness-John-Tomasi/dp/069114446X)Can libertarians care about social justice? In Free Market Fairness, John Tomasi argues that they can and should. Drawing simultaneously on moral insights from defenders of economic liberty such as F. A. Hayek and advocates of social justice such as John Rawls, Tomasi presents a new theory of justice. This theory, free market fairness, is committed to both limited government and the material betterment of the poor. Unlike traditional libertarians, Tomasi argues that property rights are best defended not in terms of self-ownership or economic efficiency but as requirements of democratic legitimacy. At the same time, he encourages egalitarians concerned about social justice to listen more sympathetically to the claims ordinary citizens make about the importance of private economic liberty in their daily lives. Free market fairness is also a distinctively American ideal. It extends the notion, prominent in America's founding period, that protection of property and promotion of real opportunity are indivisible goals. Indeed, according to Tomasi, free market fairness is social justice, American style. Please come hear a lively discussion of this provocative new book.

Many security analysts say the terrorist threat has increasingly become a local one. They argue that as the crackdown on the al Qaeda organization has fractured the movement, small groups of friends and isolated individuals, all receiving little more than inspiration from abroad, have become the primary concern. This half-day conference brings together leading homeland security and counterterrorism scholars and practitioners to assess these claims. The panelists will discuss whether the phenomenon is actually all that new and how big a threat it presents. Might the increased efforts to find terrorists have caused a perceived increase in their number? Have they effectively been invented in some cases by the policing methods applied? How dangerous are they? What role, if any, have al Qaeda leaders in Pakistan, Yemen, and elsewhere lately played? And what do the answers to these questions imply for counterterrorism policy? This conference is made possible with support from the Mershon Center for International Security Studies, Ohio State University. 9:00 a.m. Registration 9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Panel 1: The Homegrown Threat in the United States Moderator: Benjamin Friedman (/people/benjamin-friedman), Cato Institute Panelists: Risa Brooks, Marquette University John Mueller (/people/john-mueller), Ohio State University and Cato Institute Brian Jenkins, RAND Corporation 11:15 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. Panel 2: Homegrown Terrorism Elsewhere in the West Moderator: Max Abrahms, Johns Hopkins University Panelists: Mitchell Silber, New York Police Department and Columbia University Michael Kenney, University of Pittsburgh Glenn Carle, CIA (retired) 12:45 p.m. Luncheon

An emerging narrative in 2012 is that a proliferation of protectionist Chinese policies is to blame for worsening U.S.-China relations. There is no question that some Chinese policies have been discriminatory and provocative, but the U.S. government has also indulged in protectionism and made some poor choices that have and will continue to fuel bilateral disputes. Responsible policymakers should be looking beyond the politics to find solutions that remind people in both countries of our interdependence and the mutual benefits of the relationship. Join us for a discussion with U.S.-China trade policy experts about Dan Ikenson's new paper "Trade Policy Priority One: Averting a U.S.-China Trade War (http://www.cato.org/publications/free-trade-bulletin/trade-policy-priority-one-averting-uschina-trade-war)" and the nature of the bilateral trade relationship.

(http://www.amazon.com/Why-Nations-Fail-Origins-Prosperity/dp/0307719219/?tag=catoinstitute-20)Institutions — not geography, culture, or other factors — explain why some nations succeed and others fail. So says Daron Acemoglu in an ambitious new book drawing evidence from thousands of years of human history and from societies as diverse as those of the Inca Empire, 17th century England, and contemporary Botswana. Inclusive political and economic institutions, influenced by critical junctures in history, produce virtuous cycles that reinforce pluralism in the market and in politics. Acemoglu will contrast that pattern of development with that experienced under extractive institutions. He will also describe the conditions under which institutions favorable or inimical to development tend to arise. Karla Hoff will provide critical comments.

(http://www.amazon.com/Lost-Majority-Future-Government-Grabs/dp/0230116469/?tag=catoinstitute-20)How did the Democrats, who seemed unstoppable in 2009, lose their momentum so quickly, and what does it mean for the future of our two-party system? Sean Trende’s new book explores the underlying weaknesses of the Democratic promise of recent years, and shows how unlikely a new era of big government always was. Trende persuasively argues that both Republicans and Democrats are failing to connect with the real values of the American people, and that long-held theories of cyclical political "realignments" are baseless. Please join us to hear surprising insights about the current presidential race and the future of American politics.

In the months since the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) issued its November 2011 report, which raised new questions about Iran's nuclear program, the debate in Washington, D.C., over Iran has grown hotter. Policymakers, politicians, scholars, and pundits are now offering wildly divergent predictions and prescriptions. While these open debates are an improvement over the Beltway groupthink that accompanied the run-up to the Iraq War, many questions remain about the Obama administration's policy. This conference examines the two central questions surrounding U.S. policy toward Iran: Can diplomacy work? What are the options if diplomacy fails Please join us for a vigorous discussion of these critical issues. 8:30 a.m. Registration 9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Panel 1: Can Diplomacy Work?Is the current policy—or any diplomatic offer—likely to work? Has the administration defined "diplomacy" as being limited to sanctions and pressure? Could a different approach hold a better chance of success? How is success defined? Justin Logan, Cato Institute Alireza Nader, RAND Corporation Barbara Slavin, Atlantic Council Michael Adler, Woodrow Wilson Center 10:30 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. Break 10:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Panel 2: The Options if Diplomacy FailsIf diplomacy fails, what are the military and non-military options the U.S. administration would have? What are the prospects for success? What likely repercussions would follow from bombing Iran? Jamie Fly, Foreign Policy Initiative Matthew Kroenig, Georgetown University Nuno Monteiro, Yale University Joshua Rovner, U.S. Naval War College 12:15 p.m. Luncheon

(http://www.amazon.com/Knowledge-Coordination-Interpretation-Daniel-Klein/dp/019979412X/tag=catoinstitute-20)Adam Smith denounced the folly and presumption of interventionists, and Friedrich Hayek denounced their pretense of knowledge. Daniel B. Klein's new book attempts to renew Smith and Hayek and go beyond. His talk will focus on the hubris of interventionism, arguing that such arrogance hangs on maneuvers in government and "expert" quarters that pretend to make things simpler than they are. In particular, he will explain how economists flatten knowledge down to information and thereby shortchange the case for liberty. A candid understanding of knowledge makes us more virtuous and more libertarian. Link to Daniel B. Klein's presentation (http://www.cato.org/events/Improprieties_of_the_Pretense_of_Knowledge.ppt) (PPT)

Barack Obama: Civil Liberties Nightmare Wednesday, March 28, 2012 Noon–1 p.m. (EDT) Featuring a presentation and live discussion with Gene Healy, Cato vice president and author of The Cult of the Presidency: America's Dangerous Devotion to Executive Power. Please post questions for Gene Healy through the chat window below during the live event. Barack Obama: Civil Liberties Nightmare (http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=0cb8008132) The live video for this event will start on Wednesday, March 28 at Noon EDT. If you have any trouble, please contact Samantha Joest at 202-218-4617. makePlayer('seb-03-28-12.m4v', 'archive-2012', 3623, 445, 260); In the Hope-saturated days of Obama's ascendancy, the New Republic wrote that, if elected, the former law professor could be "our first civil libertarian president." How's that working out? Not well. Join Cato vice president Gene Healy for a discussion of President Barack Obama's expansion of executive power in areas such as war, assassination, surveillance and elsewhere. This special online-only series is an opportunity to hear from Cato's policy staff. The briefing will be broadcast live at www.cato.org/sponsor-e-briefing. Please note that it is not necessary to download any software to watch the briefing online; no reservation is necessary.Our thanks for your continued support of the Cato Institute. We hope you'll join in on the discussion.

(http://www.amazon.com/Peoples-Money-Balance-Eliminate-Federal/dp/1451666101/?tag=catoinstitute-20) For years, political observers have blamed voters for Washington's failure to balance the budget and reform entitlements, claiming that voters support a balanced budget in the abstract, but are unwilling to support the types of cuts actually needed to achieve that balance. But, in his new book, leading political pollster Scott Rasmussen says that Americans are willing to support the necessary changes if politicians provide the leadership required. Drawing on a comprehensive review of history, revelatory budgetary documents, and enlightening public opinion polls, Rasmussen lays out a step-by-step budget that could wipe out trillions of dollars from the national debt.

On Monday, March 26, the Supreme Court will begin hearing oral argument on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, "ObamaCare," which will run for six hours over three days. Brought against the Obama administration by 26 states, the National Federation of Independent Business, and two individuals, the case, Florida v. Dept. of Health & Human Services, raises fundamental questions about the scope of Congress's powers, the powers reserved to the states, and the rights of individuals in the critical realm of medical care. It is, without question, the most important case the Court has taken in decades. Please join us, three days before oral argument begins, for an analysis of this Act, the legal theories that will be before the Court, and the implications of its possible rulings. 10:15 a.m. Registration 10:45 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Panel 1: The Individual Mandate and Severability Moderator: Ilya Shapiro (/people/ilya-shapiro), Cato Institute Panelists: Michael Cannon (/people/michael-cannon), Cato Institute Randy Barnett (/people/randy-barnett), Georgetown University Law Center (Invited) Elizabeth Wydra, Constitutional Accountability Center 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Luncheon 1:00 p.m. – 2:15 p.m. Panel 2: Medicaid and the States Moderator: Roger Pilon (/people/roger-pilon), Cato Institute Panelists: Jagadeesh Gokhale (/people/jagadeesh-gokhale), Cato Institute Timothy Sandefur (/people/timothy-sandefur), Pacific Legal Foundation Simon Lazarus, National Senior Citizens Law Center This event can be viewed live at http://www.cato.org/live (http://www.cato.org/live).

With the Senate poised to consider comprehensive "cybersecurity" legislation this month, a bevy of questions need answers. Although it is difficult to secure computers, networks, and data, are government spending and regulation the answer? Are the cybersecurity threats touted in Washington real or trumped up? Should legal protections for privacy and other values give way in the name of "information sharing" with the Department of Homeland Security? Join us for a discussion with technology policy experts about cybersecurity's challenges and the approaches taken in current legislation.

State officials have spent the last 15 years attempting to devise a regime so they can force out-of-state vendors to collect sales taxes, but the Supreme Court has ruled that such a cartel is not permissible without congressional approval. Congress is currently considering the Main Street Fairness Act, a bill that would authorize a multistate tax compact and force many Internet retailers to collect sales taxes for the first time. Is this sensible? Are there alternative ways to address tax "fairness" concerns in this context? Join us for a discussion with technology policy experts about Internet tax policy and the legal and economic issues raised by current legislation.

(http://www.amazon.com/Flagrant-Conduct-Story-Lawrence-Texas/dp/0393062082/?tag=catoinstitute-20) In 2003 the Supreme Court struck down America's sodomy laws in the case of Lawrence v. Texas. In Flagrant Conduct, a work nine years in the making, Dale Carpenter challenges what we thought we knew about the case. Drawing on dozens of interviews, he analyzes the claims of virtually every person involved. Carpenter first introduces us to the interracial defendants themselves, who were hardly prepared "for the strike of lightning" that would upend their lives, and then to the Harris County arresting officers. He charts not only the careful legal strategy that Lambda Legal attorneys adopted to make the case compatible to a conservative Supreme Court but also the miscalculations of the Houston prosecutors who assumed that the nation’s extant sodomy laws would be upheld. Dale Carpenter clerked for Judge Edith H. Jones of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals and blogs frequently for The Volokh Conspiracy. Charles Lane is the author of The Day Freedom Died: The Colfax Massacre, the Supreme Court, and the Betrayal of Reconstruction. Geoffrey R. Stone of the University of Chicago Law School says, "Dale Carpenter's Flagrant Conduct does for Lawrence v. Texas what Richard Kluger's Simple Justice and Anthony Lewis's Gideon's Trumpet did for Brown v. Board of Education and Gideon v. Wainwright. It tells the story of a profoundly dramatic and important Supreme Court decision in a way that brings to life the stakes, the participants, the justices, and the drama of the constitutional controversy. It is a landmark achievement." Read a newly published article (http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/books/2012/03/12/120312crbo_books_lithwick?currentPage=all) on Flagrant Conduct and the story behind this landmark case in the March 12 issue of The New Yorker.