The article argues that the Federal Reserve's recent rate hike decision, while justifiable on inflation grounds, highlights a critical lack of an underlying, transparent policy framework. The core problem is that the Fed's decisions appear discretionary, leading to market uncertainty because the committee's judgment, rather than clear data, dictates policy shifts. The author proposes that the Fed adopt a formal monetary policy rule—an algebraic formula linking the target rate to indicators like inflation and unemployment—to replace subjective guidance. Implementing such a rule would provide market predictability, enhance transparency, and shield the Fed from political attacks by making deviations from the standard easily quantifiable.
FISA Section 702 Lapse Assured—What Now?
English Summary
Despite government warnings of intelligence "darkness," CATO argues that Section 702's lapse will have limited practical impact because existing FISC certifications are grandfathered through March 2027, other FISA authorities remain, and most signals intelligence operates under Executive Order 12333 independent of 702. The genuine operational constraint is the inability to issue new directives to service providers, not loss of existing capability. However, the author warns that surveillance capabilities will persist through 12333 without the oversight architecture—FISC review, congressional reporting, compliance procedures—creating operations without adequate accountability. This is particularly concerning given documented tripling of warrantless searches of sensitive targets (journalists, religious groups) in 2025 and the administration's disabling of independent oversight bodies. Congress should condition reauthorization on a warrant requirement for searches of Americans' data, addressing the core civil liberties problem.
中文摘要
儘管政府發出關於情報「黑暗期」的警告，卡托研究所主張第702條款的終止影響有限，原因是現有外國情報監視法院（FISC）的認證已獲保留至2027年3月，其他《外國情報監視法》（FISA）權限仍然存在，且大部分訊號情報在獨立於第702條款的《行政命令12333》下運作。真正的運作制約不在於現有能力喪失，而在於無法向服務提供商發布新指令。然而，作者警告，在缺乏監督機制—包括FISC審查、國會報告、合規程序—的情況下，監視能力將通過《行政命令12333》持續存在，導致缺乏適當問責的運作。鑒於2025年對記者和宗教團體等敏感目標的無搜索令搜索數量增加三倍的文件證據，以及政府禁用獨立監督機構的事實，這尤其令人關注。國會應將對美國人數據搜索的搜索令要求作為重新授權的條件，以解決核心公民自由問題。
Related Entries
-
1.
-
2.
The brief challenges current border policies that allow agents to search travelers' digital devices without a warrant, arguing this violates the Fourth Amendment. Cato contends that the existing 'border-search exception' is being misused to grant the government an overly broad, warrantless window into private digital lives. The core argument is that personal possession of data should not be treated as a vulnerability, while third-party cloud storage should not be treated as a refuge. If upheld, these policies transform routine border crossings into invasive investigative checkpoints, significantly eroding constitutional privacy rights.
-
3.
The ongoing Ebola outbreak in the DRC serves as a critical warning that the global health security system is fundamentally unprepared for future biological threats. The difficulty in containing this outbreak is compounded by the rising risk of emerging pathogens and the growing potential for AI misuse in bioweapon development. Policy must therefore shift from reactive, crisis-driven funding to sustained, proactive investment in resilient public health infrastructure, particularly in conflict zones. Addressing this requires strengthening global surveillance, ensuring consistent international cooperation, and mitigating the intersection of conflict, climate change, and disease spread.
-
4.A Design Lab Pilot to Inform Strategies for Expanding Access to Medications for Opioid Use Disorder in Community Mental Health Centers (RAND)
Despite MOUD being the standard of care for opioid use disorder, access remains severely limited in Community Mental Health Centers (CMHCs), which serve the primary population with co-occurring disorders. A Design Lab pilot identified payment limitations and regulatory complexity as the chief barriers to implementation. The most feasible and high-impact strategy identified was establishing a structured learning exchange between CMHC leaders and insurers to improve reimbursement understanding. Policymakers and payers are therefore advised to pilot this learning exchange model to initiate broader payment reform and expand evidence-based care for this vulnerable population.
-
5.
The article argues that modern conflicts are increasingly defined by attrition, driven by three strategic gaps: the difference between nominal military power and usable capacity; the difficulty of achieving breakthroughs in a technologically advanced battlefield; and the detachment of military means from clear political objectives. Evidence from Ukraine and the Middle East demonstrates that sustained logistics, rapid technological adaptation, and proxy networks are now more decisive than sheer military size. For policymakers, this implies a strategic shift away from seeking short, decisive victories toward preparing for prolonged, high-cost engagements, requiring a focus on sustainable supply chains and defining concrete, attainable political end-states.