Unintended Consequences - Cato Institute

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https://www.cato.org/regulation/fall-2025
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https://www.cato.org/regulation/summer-2025
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https://www.cato.org/regulation/spring-2025/perils-free-information
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https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/17/business/economy/the-great-compression.html
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Is Public Funding Actually Bad for Public Media?

Episode 14

Friday, July 11, 2025 • Duration 31:57

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which subsidizes National Public Radio and the Public Broadcasting Service, received half a billion dollars from the federal government each year. While budget battles over the amount of funding are routine, there are more fundamental questions at stake. Join Peter Van Doren and Paul Matzko as they dig into the surprising, partisan history of the origins of public media and the unintended consequences of government subsidies.

In conjunction with Regulation Magazine Summer 2025 edition.

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

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Is YouTube Good or Bad? The Perils and Promise of ‘Free’ Information

Episode 13

Thursday, June 12, 2025 • Duration 31:14

Every minute, over 500 hours of content are uploaded to YouTube. Some of those videos likely infringe on existing intellectual property rights. In his Regulation cover article, law professor Jonathan Barnett argues that protections for intellectual property, including on platforms like YouTube, have become too weakened. That has resulted in a massive redistribution of wealth from IP holders to online platforms and users. Yet by lowering the functional costs of sharing ideas and data, the internet has generated an explosion in creativity, which is ostensibly the purpose of granting IP rights in the first place. Join Peter and Paul as they discuss whether there’s an optimal degree of strictness for intellectual property rights.

In conjunction with Regulation Magazine Spring 2025 edition.

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

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Starter Homes, Electric Vehicles, and Poverty

Wednesday, February 14, 2024 • Duration 01:06:33

Incentives matter, but they don’t care about your intentions. In this episode Paul and Peter start by talking with special guest and Truist Distinguished Professor of Economics at Winston-Salem State University Craig Richardson. He discusses how the federal government tried to prevent greedy banks from taking advantage of homebuyers but just ended up making it harder for first-time homebuyers, especially those from minority communities, to afford a house. They also discuss a review of Matthew Desmond’s book Poverty, by America, as well as efforts by the Biden administration to boost the transition to electric vehicles.

Featuring Peter Van Doren, Paul Matzko, and Craig Richardson

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

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Whiskey, Electricity, and Antitrust

Tuesday, October 10, 2023 • Duration 01:05:00

Peter and Paul discuss three topics – adulterated whiskey, Texan electricity, and Brandeisian antitrust – with one core theme: government action under political pressure is a poor substitute for market discipline. With special guests Macy Scheck and Daniel Smith.

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

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Enforcing Smart Water Management Policies and Encouraging Bureaucratic Neutrality is Harder Than You Might Imagine

Monday, July 24, 2023 • Duration 01:03:54

Is there an “optimal hypocrisy” when it comes to enforcing laws and regulations? That’s the central theme in this episode of Unintended Consequences, which covers both water policy and the neutrality of government economists.

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

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Railroad Profiteering and Mortgage Forbearance

Wednesday, April 19, 2023 • Duration 51:48

In this episode of the Unintended Consequences podcast, we start by investigating whether railroads are making excessive profits by cutting back labor expenses. That’s the subject of Peter’s new paper, which is particularly timely given the reaction to the train derailment in eastern Ohio. Then, Mark Calabria joins to discuss his cover article about his time as the head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency and the steps he took to prevent a mortgage meltdown during the pandemic. Finally, Peter and Paul tackle the limits of zoning reform as a solution for runaway housing inflation.

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

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PM2.5 and Decentralizing Pollution Standards

Episode 12

Thursday, May 8, 2025 • Duration 27:21

One of the hottest debated topics in environmental pollution policy is PM2.5, particulate matter that is so small it can bypass your respiratory system’s filters and enter your bloodstream. Everyone agrees that it’s a potential problem, but Paul and Peter discuss why a single national standard for PM2.5 might be an expensive mistake that actually hurts public health by misallocating attention and resources.

In conjunction with Regulation Magazine Spring 2025 edition.

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

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Trade Policy as an Act of Self-Immolation

Episode 11

Thursday, April 17, 2025 • Duration 27:33

On April 2, 2025, President Trump announced the largest tariffs in more than a century, sparking a stockmarket crash and heightening fears of a potential recession. It shouldn’t be a surprise for our listeners; one of our episodes last year covered the sweeping tariffs then being proposed by candidate Trump. But now that the tariffs are actually here, tune in as Paul and Peter discuss the likely negative effects for the US economy and American consumers. Then stick around for the second half of the episode for an update on the status of the TikTok ban.

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

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Congestion Pricing and VMT Taxes

Episode 10

Thursday, March 13, 2025 • Duration 27:14

New York City’s congestion pricing policy is meant to reduce traffic in Manhattan and to raise money for public transit. But it’s attracted the ire of many, including President Donald Trump. Join Paul Matzko and Peter Van Doren as they discuss what congestion pricing is, why it’s so controversial, and why it’s generally a good idea to more accurately price the use of roads.

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

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Who Builds the Building Code?

Episode 9

Thursday, February 13, 2025 • Duration 26:38

Should your home have a sprinkler system installed? Well, the organization likely responsible for your local building code thinks so. But mandating sprinklers in every single family home would be expensive, and this wouldn’t be the first time that regulators failed to sufficiently account for costs and tradeoffs. Join Paul Matzko and Peter Van Doren for a closer look at an organization you’ve never heard of, the International Code Council, which has significant influence on what gets built in America today.

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

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Unintended Consequences – Details, episodes & analysis

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Unintended Consequences – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

Recent rankings

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

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Other10

New York Times1

RSS feed quality and score

Publication history

Latest published episodes

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Apple Podcasts

Spotify

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Other10

New York Times1