Cato Institute

What can we expect from Trump 2.0 on financial regulation? Trump’s first term cut regulatory overreach, but could a second term veer into harmful interventionism that undermines free markets—such as tariffs, industrial policy, and pressures on the Federal Reserve? Finance expert Norbert Michel analyzes the risks:

Why is cannabis a cash-only business? Even with state-level cannabis legalization, federal laws prevent banks from working with dispensaries. Repealing federal prohibition could boost local economies and reduce security risks.

Around 87% of US children attend public schools. This means most students are subject to federal rules on EVERYTHING from sports ??curriculum. Families deserve school choice. Educational freedom expert Neal McCluskey dives deep ??

?? The cost of US involvement in the Middle East is adding up. President-elect Trump should center US Middle East policy on two chief objectives: disentanglement and deprioritization. Policy expert Jon Hoffman dives deep:

Did you know the US government can spy on Americans without a warrant? We dusted off this episode in which Tulsi Gabbard joined the Cato Daily Podcast to discuss Section 702 and make the case for reform to protect our rights. Listen in:

"Green energy" isn't always as green as it seems. The push for solar power under the IRA could disrupt 700,000 acres of Western public lands—an area the size of 538,000 football fields—displacing plants, animals, and ecosystems. It's time to transfer federal lands to state control, where environmental and economic trade-offs can be made by those closest to the impact, writes Chris Edwards.

The war on drugs is failing, and doubling down with US Special Forces won’t change that. Mexican cartels have evolved, and further militarization risks worsening instability without solving the problem. A smarter approach is overdue, writes Brandan Buck:

Should we end the Department of Education and return control to the states? Yes, argues @NealMcCluskey. But beware: nationalizing school choice, another Trump administration proposal, is a bad idea. Listen to the @CatoPodcast: https://lnkd.in/gMugM74X

Cato Institute Today event (Book Forum): A Life for Liberty: The Making of an American Originalist. Featuring Thomas Berry (Cato), Jonathan Turley (GWU Law), & Randy E. Barnett (Georgetown Law). Great conversation about Randy’s book, his upbringing, higher ed journey as a law student, his interest in justice and some advice for current law students. Some of the takeaways are: ?Be BOLD and be open with your VALUES ?How we could ask critical questions and be able to have ability to look at ourselves critically (differentiating yourself fr the others) ?If you have your own principles, you won’t lose competing ideas <— (my fav one) Here is the link to watch: https://lnkd.in/eGc4CDfy #bookforum #dcevents #dcthinktank #libertarianthinktank #cato

??$14 TRILLION That’s how much Congress could save by cutting tax loopholes and subsidies. With the 2025 tax debate heating up, tax policy expert Adam Michel shares why it’s time for bold reforms: