Every Tuesday on The Cato Weekly Podcast, leading scholars and policy analysts from the Cato Institute delve into the big ideas shaping our world: individual liberty, limited government, free markets, and peace. Whether unpacking current events, debating civil liberties, exploring technological innovation, or tracing the history of classical liberal thought, we promise insightful analysis grounded in rigorous research and Cato’s signature libertarian perspective. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Latest episodes
Showing 20 · updated from the feed
The Original Sin of US Health Policy
Why is American health care so expensive and complicated? Michael F. Cannon argues that its roots can be traced back to a often forgotten feature of the federal tax code:
Nov 3 30 min
The Myth of the Good Old Days
Housing, healthcare, groceries, and the cost of living give us plenty to worry about. But how bad was life before modern conveniences transformed human life?
Paul Meany
Oct 27 32 min
Trading Democracy for Oil? The Venezuela-US Deal
Everything about the Trump administration’s oil deal with Venezuela is troubling: It was negotiated in secret, raises questions about its legality and transparency, and w
Oct 20 27 min
How Bad Policy Delays Adulthood
Young Americans are leaving home, finding jobs, buying homes, starting families, and saving for retirement later than previous generations. But is this a problem with you
Oct 13 29 min
Is the US Already Quasi-Socialist?
Socialism is making a comeback in American politics, but do people actually know what "socialism" means?
In this episode of the Cato Weekly Podcast, Paul Meany sits down
Oct 6 32 min
The Controversy Over Flock Cameras
Flock cameras and other forms of surveillance technology are spreading across America, promising to help police solve crimes. But the technology has also created a vast n
Sep 29 37 min
How Hard Is It to Rig an American Election?
How Hard Is It to Rig an American Election?
Election fraud claims are increasingly more common.
Walter Olson joins Stephen Rowe to separate genuine election irregularit
Sep 22 27 min
Uncle Sam Owning Private Companies?
In an unprecedented expansion of its role in the marketplace, the Trump administration has acquired ownership interests in dozens of firms.
Cato's Scott Lincicome joins
Sep 15 29 min
How Much Would the DSA's Agenda Cost?
Free health care, housing, college, paid leave, and retirement benefits may sound appealing... but how would we pay for them?
Rikki Schlott sits down with Cato’s Adam Mi
Sep 8 21 min
Coming Soon: The Cato Weekly Podcast
Every Tuesday on The Cato Weekly Podcast, leading scholars and policymakers from the Cato Institute delve into the big ideas shaping our world: individual liberty, limite
Sep 1 1 min
How to Spot a Wrong Number
A number that's precise, dramatic, and politically convenient should raise your suspicion, not lower it. Aaron Brown, author of Wrong Number:
How to Extract Truth from a
Aug 27 40 min
Heller's Sequel Has a New Weapon
The Supreme Court has agreed to hear Vermont versus Cook County, its biggest Second Amendment case since Heller. The Cato Institute's Clark Neily, who worked on the origi
Aug 25 34 min
How Do You Solve A Problem Like Affordability?
Rep. Kevin Fitzpatrick (R) and Rep. Thomas Suozzi (D) lead one of Washington's only bipartisan caucuses, the Problem Solvers Caucus, and they've teamed up on an affordabi
Aug 20 30 min
Can Government Run a Grocery Store?
New York City Mayor Mamdani wants five city owned grocery stores selling staples 30% below cost, at $70 million to build and $100 million a year to run. Cato's Rikki Schl
Aug 18 28 min
Bad Ways To Improve Housing Affordability
Nearly 60% of housing markets in the United States have been characterized as “unaffordable.” Cato's Ryan Bourne talks with Howard Husock of the American Enterprise Insti
Aug 13 42 min
The Eternal Quest for More Tariffs
Earlier this year the Supreme Court ruled that the president could not use the "International Emergency Economic Powers Act" (IEEPA) to impose tariffs and the administrat
Aug 11 27 min
Wealth Taxes Failed Abroad. Why Try Them Here?
Most rich countries that tried annual wealth taxes eventually scrapped them, but now California and Elizabeth Warren want to run the experiment in the United States. Ryan
Aug 6 38 min
Iran: Schrodinger's War
The conflict with Iran is simultaneously ending and escalating, and Justin Logan says that's no accident. He tells the Cato Institute's Laura Bondank-Harmon why the strat
Aug 4 26 min
AI: Must We Act Now?
Artificial intelligence could transform productivity, employment, and living standards. But does that mean governments should “act now” to “steer” the technology? Economi
Jul 30 41 min
Happy 60th Birthday, Now Pay the Bill
Medicare spent $1.2 trillion in 2025 and still can't show it's saving lives. The Cato Institute's Laura Bondank-Harmon is joined by Michael Cannon and David Hyman to mark
Jul 28 26 min
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#18
all-time peak
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Chart positions
Where The Cato Weekly Podcast ranks today in each Apple Podcasts chart (US, Nov 3, 2026).
A curated, balanced selection of Apple Podcasts reviews.
I learn so much everyday by tuning in. This is required listening on a daily basis. It lays a strong foundation for thinking critically about a complicated world that is compounded with complex ideas.
GoneGone47 · Sep 2024
Caleb Brown has the best podcast voice. But I enjoy how informative the show is, how it gets right to the point and doesn’t waste time. I also value how Cato frequently admits when it’s wrong, which is very seldom. PS school choice is not the nirvana you think it is. But I actually admire your hopefulness about it.
mhaliett · Mar 2024
This is my favorite podcast. The content is excellent and it is moderated in an intelligent, thoughtful and educating fashion. I have learned a lot by listening and have enjoyed having some of my positions challenged by considering the information discussed by the host and the many guests. It only takes a few episodes to realize that almost every guest is incredibly well informed and reasoned in their commentary. There may be times I don’t agree with the perspective but enjoy the conversation. Good stuff! Highly recommend.
swehrheim · Aug 2022
Love this podcast for its lack of emotion and simple, factual reporting on the important issues facing our country. Interesting and informative guests and concise format.
focsteve · Dec 2021
Since the departure of Caleb Brown, this podcast has been in a death spiral. Caleb brought clarity, coherence, and a disciplined commitment to intellectual honesty. His absence exposes how much of the podcast’s credibility rested on his stewardship.
Discussions that once challenged assumptions with sharp inquiry now drift through MAGA talking points with little depth.
The shift in tone is disappointing. This show increasingly sounds apologetic toward the current administration, softening criticism where a libertarian perspective should cut sharply. Instead of confronting state overreach and executive excess, recent episodes seem to contort themselves to avoid uncomfortable truths.
The CATO Institute prides itself on defending liberty through fearless examination. Yet the podcast bearing its name no longer reflects that mission. What once served as a platform for challenging ideas now functions as an echo chamber that shields power rather than scrutinizing it.
Sadly, it is difficult to recommend it to anyone who takes libertarian reasoning seriously.
Eat Drink Fun · Dec 2025
I gave this a try expecting thoughtful, libertarian discussion—but it came across as oddly partisan and more conservative than I anticipated. Hard to tell if this was just a bad sample or if the tone has shifted overall, but it wasn’t what I expected from Cato.
CitiCustomer · Oct 2025
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Here you find the Apple Podcasts chart positions of The Cato Weekly Podcast, its latest episodes to listen to directly, and reviews from listeners. Rankings are updated daily for the United States.
