Author: Cato Institute

Is your financial life really private? In this eye-opening episode, Cato Institute's Norbert Michel and Nicholas Anthony take us deep into the world of financial surveillance, starting with the 1970 Bank Secrecy Act. What was originally sold as a tool to catch tax cheats has quietly evolved into a sprawling system of government oversight—with banks and financial institutions acting as unwitting watchdogs. From suspicious activity reports to the third-party doctrine, Norbert and Nicholas explain how the erosion of Fourth Amendment protections has happened largely out of public view. They break down the law’s legacy, how it expanded post-9/11, and why $10,000 isn’t the large sum it once was. But there's reason for optimism. With growing public awareness, privacy-focused tech, and new reform legislation finally on the table, change might be within reach. If you thought your bank account was your business, think again—this episode will make you see it in a whole new light.

Show Notes:

Norbert Michel and Jennifer J. Schulp, "Revising the Bank Secrecy Act to Protect Privacy and Deter Criminals" Policy Analysis No. 932, July 26, 2022

Nicholas Anthony, "The Right to Financial Privacy" Policy Analysis No. 945, May 2, 2023

Norbert Michel, "The Bank Secrecy Act Is a Bigger Threat than FISA" Forbes, April 17, 2024

Nicholas Anthony and Naomi Brockwell, "The Illusion of Financial Privacy" Reason.com, May 30, 2024

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In this episode, Cato Institute's Scott Lincicome and Adam Michel dive deep into the sweeping new legislation—dubbed "The One Big Beautiful Bill"—moving through Congress. They break down what’s at stake as key provisions of the 2017 tax reform are set to expire, unpack the bill’s complex mix of tax cuts, new carve-outs, and industrial subsidies, and examine why temporary tax policy and policy uncertainty could derail economic growth. Plus, they confront the fiscal fiction behind tariffs as a reliable revenue source and make the case for a cleaner, more permanent pro-growth tax system. If you're looking for a sharp, honest take on where tax and trade policy stand in 2025—and where they should go—this one’s for you.

Show Notes:

Adam Michel, "Republicans’ One, Big, Beautiful Tax Bill Needs a Makeover" Cato.org, May 14, 2025

Adam Michel, "Four Things the Senate Can Do to Improve the House Tax Bill" Cato.org, May 22, 2025

Scott Lincicome, "Republicans Can’t Pay for Their Tax Cuts with Fantasy Revenue Sources" The Washington Post, May 27, 2025

Scott Lincicome, "Trump’s Latest Tariff Idea Is Dangerously Foolish" The Dispatch, June 19, 2025

Adam Michel, "Senate Big Beautiful Bill: More Growth, More Subsidies, More Debt" Cato.org, June 30th, 2025

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Starting July 1, we’ll be trying some new things on this feed, starting with conversations between Cato Institute scholars. We hope you’ll join us. Please consider listening to some of our other podcasts on cato.org/podcast.

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Caleb O. Brown hosted the Cato Daily Podcast for nearly 18 years, producing well over 4000 episodes. He has gone on to head Kentucky’s Bluegrass Institute. This is one among the best episodes produced in his tenure, selected by the host and listeners.

An engineer and brewer thought he would take up home distilling as a hobby, but he then learned it’s a federal crime. In Ream v. U.S. Department of Treasury, he’s fighting back. The Buckeye Institute’s Robert Alt explains.

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Caleb O. Brown hosted the Cato Daily Podcast for nearly 18 years, producing well over 4000 episodes. He has gone on to head Kentucky’s Bluegrass Institute. This is one among the best episodes produced in his tenure, selected by the host and listeners.

The housing crunch affects so many parts of the country. In Arizona, it’s harder to build than you might think. Leo Biasiucci is the Republican majority whip of the state’s House of Representatives. We talked about how best to advance flexibility for new housing.

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Caleb O. Brown hosted the Cato Daily Podcast for nearly 18 years, producing well over 4000 episodes. He has gone on to head Kentucky’s Bluegrass Institute. This is one among the best episodes produced in his tenure, selected by the host and listeners.

The people who write the rules under which we must live generally ought to be subject to accountability from voters. That’s not a controversial proposition, but how it works in practice is more complicated. Daniel Dew of the Pacific Legal Foundation comments.

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Caleb O. Brown hosted the Cato Daily Podcast for nearly 18 years, producing well over 4000 episodes. He has gone on to head Kentucky’s Bluegrass Institute. This is one among the best episodes produced in his tenure, selected by the host and listeners.

What happens when public university officials violate your free speech rights? Often, they get qualified immunity, thus shielding them from the consequences of those actions. Casey Mattox with Americans for Prosperity comments.

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Caleb O. Brown hosted the Cato Daily Podcast for nearly 18 years, producing well over 4000 episodes. He has gone on to head Kentucky’s Bluegrass Institute. This is one among the best episodes produced in his tenure, selected by the host and listeners.

Psychedelics have powerful impacts on the human mind, and researchers are finding new ways to use those drugs to help people overcome mental difficulties. Do they also herald a new freedom of thought? Mason Marks of the Petrie-Flom Center comments.

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Caleb O. Brown hosted the Cato Daily Podcast for nearly 18 years, producing well over 4000 episodes. He has gone on to head Kentucky’s Bluegrass Institute. This is one among the best episodes produced in his tenure, selected by the host and listeners.

Impeachment isn’t a dirty word. Gene Healy explains why Congress should consider it more often.

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Caleb O. Brown hosted the Cato Daily Podcast for nearly 18 years, producing well over 4000 episodes. He has gone on to head Kentucky’s Bluegrass Institute. This is one among the best episodes produced in his tenure, selected by the host and listeners.

Textiles are everywhere, and before the Industrial Revolution, even tiny advances in textile development had massive ripple effects. Virginia Postrel traces this amazing history in The Fabric of Civilization: How Textiles Made the World.

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