Americans have long rejected a national ID, but many U.S. state governments are quietly developing national ID systems in a variety of forms. A new paper from Jim Harper summarizes the stances of each of the 50 states on various ID systems, including REAL ID, E-Verify, facial recognition, and license-plate scanning. Together, those technologies—along with other initiatives orchestrated at the federal level—are the leading edge of a national identification and tracking infrastructure.
Global freedom has moderately declined, from 7.05 to 6.93 on a ten-point scale, since 2008 according to the third annual Human Freedom Index (HFI), the most comprehensive measure of freedom ever created for a large number of countries around the globe. “In many parts of the world, freedom is under assault, with nationalism, populism, and hybrid forms of authoritarianism being sold as viable alternatives. As such, the largest deteriorations in freedom have occurred in Syria, Egypt, Venezuela, Belize, and Greece,” says co-author Tanja Porčnik. “The good news is that freedom has taken root in a diverse set of societies and it is also spreading in numerous countries around the globe.”
Private-sector utilities provide the bulk of electricity generation, transmission, and distribution in the United States. However, the federal government also owns a share of the nation’s electricity infrastructure. A new bulletin from Cato scholar Chris Edwards argues that federal power infrastructure should be privatized and that subsidies to rural electric cooperatives should be ended.
January 31, 2018
January 31, 2018
January 31, 2018
January 31
Featuring the author Bryan Caplan, Professor of Economics, George Mason University; with comments by Kevin Carey, Director, Education Policy Program, New America; moderated by Neal McCluskey, Director, Center for Educational Freedom, Cato Institute.
4:00PM to 5:30PM ESTFebruary 1
Featuring Sabith Khan, Assistant Professor, California Lutheran University; Coauthor, Islamic Education in the United States and the Evolution of Muslim Nonprofit Institutions; and Shariq Siddiqui, Executive Director, Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action; Coauthor, Islamic Education in the United States and the Evolution of Muslim Nonprofit Institutions; moderated by Neal McCluskey, Director, Center for Educational Freedom, Cato Institute.
12:00PM to 1:30PM ESTFebruary 5
By invitation only
5:30PM to 7:00PM EST
In America today, how independent can a jury be? How much power does a jury have to not only judge a defendant’s actions, but the merits of the law? What happens when jurors decide in criminal trials not to enforce the law or not to convict a defendant if they conclude it would be unjust? This classic book, originally published 15 years ago and now available for free reading and downloading, details the power of juries, and takes readers through the doctrine of jury independence, the law, and the practical and political implications of jury nullification.
To encourage people everywhere to better understand and appreciate the principles of government that are set forth in America’s founding documents, the Cato Institute published this pocket-size edition.
The Cato Institute offers a wealth of online educational audio and video resources, from self-paced guides on the ideas of liberty and the principles of economics, to exclusive, archived lectures by thinkers such as Milton Friedman and F. A. Hayek. Browse through some highlights of our collections, for personal study or for use in the classroom.
If we wish to live in a free society, the rule of law must be paramount – equally applicable to those who govern and those who are governed. But—how much law? How is it crafted and enforced? And, what challenges does the American constitutional system of law face at a time of growing political and ideological hostility? Cato University’s College of Law, being held in New Orleans, March 15-17, 2018 will energetically address these topics. Full details and registration now available.
Government Cannot Solve Every Societal Problem
On “Releasing the Memo”
The Cheap Assault on the Immigration Visa Lottery
Infrastructure and Regulations
President Trump’s infrastructure approach will likely call for increased government spending.
White House Plan Bans 22 Million Legal Immigrants over 5 Decades
“Merit-based” immigration reform would focus on increasing the number of immigrants at both ends of the skill spectrum. The White House proposal is the opposite of the reforms that would lead America toward prosperity.
The Sessions War on Marijuana
Despite the many problems that may come from the Sessions Memo, the overall impact is not likely to be as widespread as some may fear.
New Human Freedom Index: A Decline in Global Freedom
Switzerland is the freest country in the world, followed by Hong Kong, which fell from first place for the first time since the rankings began.
More Private School Choice Helps Students Worldwide