# What is the CATO Institute all about (and their position on global warming) **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [March 30, 2009, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-cato-institute-all-about-and-their-position-on-global-warming/491311 "2009-03-30T15:01:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2009, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-cato-institute-all-about-and-their-position-on-global-warming/491311/1 "2009-03-30T15:01:08Z")
First, I do not want to debate global warming, I want to understand what the CATO Institute is and their position. In this morning’s Washington Post, there was a full-page ad placed by the CATO Institute disputing Obama’s position that there is scientific consensus on global warming. It listed over 100 PhD’s as signatories. Although there are some experts who dispute that global warming is caused by human activity, my impression has been that the mainstream scientific community accepts it. When I saw the ad from CATO, which even disputes whether global warming is even happening, I wondered if they are legitimate part of a mainstream debate, or whether they are a splinter group that is not taken seriously by the mainstream. So what is the CATO Institute? ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2009, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-cato-institute-all-about-and-their-position-on-global-warming/491311/2 "2009-03-30T15:08:30Z")
The Cato Institute is a [libertarian](http://www.cato.org/about.php) think tank. As long as the favored solution to the climate change crisis is for government to impose any kind of limitations on industry, the Cato Institute will stick their fingers in their ears and scream “LALALALALA”. I’m thinking it’s a safe bet that less than 3 of those “100 PhDs” is a climatologist or even a meteorologist. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2009, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-cato-institute-all-about-and-their-position-on-global-warming/491311/3 "2009-03-30T15:14:27Z")
The climate scientists at Realclimate had already a reply (as they had a draft of CATO’s survey with the questions and citations) > **[RealClimate: With all due respect…](https://www.realclimate.org/index.php/archives/2009/03/with-all-due-respect/)** > > RealClimate: There was a great comedy piece a few years back (whose origin escapes us) that gave examples of how the English would use their language when speaking to a non-native speaker to imply the precise opposite of what was actually being... > [@](#): > > There are a number of amusing details here. While we are curious about the credentials of “Dr. N. Here”, we certainly understand why they are looking for a little more variety on the list. More surprising (and somewhat ironically) the mailing list for signature requests includes a number of scientists who don’t agree with these sentiments at all. It’s as if Michaels and Cato actually believe that these various lists of “dissenting” scientists are accurate reflections of support for their agenda. They appear to be have been conned by their own disinformation. > > As an exercise for our readers, perhaps people would like to speculate on who is going to end up on the published list? (If indeed it gets published). Ginger Spice would be likely on past form, but they might improve the screening this time around… > > But most amusing are the footnotes that they use to bolster their case. There are four: the brand new Swanson and Tsonis (GRL, 2009), Brohan et al (JGR, 2006) (which is there to provide a link to the HadCRU temperature data), Pielke et al (BAMS, 2005), and the oft-derided Douglass et al (IJoC, 2008). > > Of these papers, not one has the evidence to support the statements attributed to them in the main text. > [@](#): > > More interestingly is what is not cited. President Obama’s statement “The science is beyond dispute and the facts are clear”, can’t possibly refer to every issue in science or every potential fact. Instead he is likely referring to the basic and pretty much uncontested facts that i) CO2 and other greenhouse gases have increased due to human activity. CO2 emissions in particular continue to increase at a rapid rate; ii) the effect of these gases is to warm the climate and it is very likely that most of the warming over the last 50 years was in fact driven by these increases; and iii) the sensitivity of the climate is very likely large enough that serious consequences can be expected if carbon emissions continue on this path. We would be astonished if Michaels disputed this since he is on record as agreeing that the IPCC climate sensitivity range is likely to be correct and has never questioned the human contribution to CO2 and other GHG increases. He and his colleagues have even done analyses that show that after correcting for ENSO effects, there is no sign of a slowdown in global warming at all. > > Instead this is a classic red-herring: Ignore the facts you don’t dispute, pick some others that are ambiguous and imply that, because they are subject to some debate, we therefore know nothing. Michaels (and Cato) presumably thinks this kind of nonsense is politically useful and he may be correct. But should he claim it is scientifically defensible, we would have to answer: > > “With all due respect, Dr. Michaels, that is not true.” ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2009, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-cato-institute-all-about-and-their-position-on-global-warming/491311/4 "2009-03-30T15:36:53Z")
FYI, the name is ultimately derived from the name “Cato.” It’s not an abbreviation or acronym. No need to set it in all caps. To add to what **JayJay** said – a think tank or policy institute is an institution that offers grants and salaries to scholars to produce papers on public policy matters. The best known one is probably the Brookings Institution. The Cato Institute pretty much always takes the position that government action is not needed. They also criticized the initiation of the Iraq war. ---
**Author:** ![HorseloverFat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8e8cbc/32.png) [@HorseloverFat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HorseloverFat)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2009, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-cato-institute-all-about-and-their-position-on-global-warming/491311/5 "2009-03-30T15:43:57Z")
[Cato](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cato_Institute) is the policy arm of the capitalist business machine. So you’ll see opinions that reflect on business positively. For instance, global warming is blamed on CO2 which is produced by the engines of business, be it manufacturing, transport, etc. Cato is a great organization if youre a billionaire with lots of corporate holdings. They say exactly what you want them to say. This is how [lobbying the government works](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lobbying). Things like science, truth, reason, etc are naive concepts that go against its stated and unstated goals. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2009, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-cato-institute-all-about-and-their-position-on-global-warming/491311/6 "2009-03-30T16:19:43Z")
> [@HorseloverFat](#): > > [Cato](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cato_Institute) is the policy arm of the capitalist business machine. I suppose that’s why Cato has vociferously denounced the [auto bailout](http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=9787), the [Troubled Asset Relief Plan](http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=9970), [capital injection for banks](http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=10074), the [AIG bailout](http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=9650), the [Bear Stearns intervention](http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=9665), and the [stimulus plan](http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=9931) (huge portions of which will go to businesses and government contractors.) If Cato is one thing, they are consistent. They abhor nearly all forms of government intervention and regulation, and that includes spending public money rescuing failed businesses. ---
**Author:** ![davekhps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@davekhps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davekhps)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2009, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-cato-institute-all-about-and-their-position-on-global-warming/491311/7 "2009-03-30T16:21:42Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > When I saw the ad from CATO, which even disputes whether global warming is even happening, I wondered if they are legitimate part of a mainstream debate, or whether they are a splinter group that is not taken seriously by the mainstream. They’re as legitimate as Brookings, Heritage, CSIS, AEI, and all the other Washington think tanks out there. They’re agenda is libertarian, so you’ll have a mix of Left and Right philosophy, but much more Right. And HorseLover? No need to fight The Revolution today. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2009, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-cato-institute-all-about-and-their-position-on-global-warming/491311/8 "2009-03-30T16:36:08Z")
> [@](#): > > I suppose that’s why Cato has vociferously denounced the auto bailout, the Troubled Asset Relief Plan, capital injection for banks, the AIG bailout, the Bear Stearns intervention, and the stimulus plan (huge portions of which will go to businesses and government contractors.) Those guys all fell behind on their dues. ---
**Author:** ![HorseloverFat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8e8cbc/32.png) [@HorseloverFat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HorseloverFat)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2009, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-cato-institute-all-about-and-their-position-on-global-warming/491311/9 "2009-03-30T18:55:33Z")
Of course theyre against the bailout, because in the end the bailout means: 1. More taxes. Its gotta come from somewhere 2. More regulation. OHNOES!!! They dont want any of that. If GM folds, so be it. Someone else will move into their market. GM’s influence is much smaller than the collective influence of the wolves waiting to divide up that market share. Regulation. They hate it alll. So what if it destroys the world economy. Thats the average man’s worry, not theirs. Theyre set for life. They dont need jobs. They only care about this quarter’s bottom line. Putting in regulations to save the economy? That’s like acid to them. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2009, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-cato-institute-all-about-and-their-position-on-global-warming/491311/10 "2009-03-30T19:07:30Z")
Since any evaluation of the Cato Institute is bound to be political, this is probably better off in GD than GQ. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2009, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-cato-institute-all-about-and-their-position-on-global-warming/491311/11 "2009-03-30T19:09:20Z")
> [@acsenray](#): > > FYI, the name is ultimately derived from the name “Cato.” It’s not an abbreviation or acronym. No need to set it in all caps. Apparently so. In their ad, though, it is given as all caps, although it appears on lines where \*everything \*is all caps. > [@](#): > > The best known one is probably the Brookings Institution. I have a friend who works for Brookings (actually, not any more, he was just appointed to be the US rep to NATO). But I never heard of Cato. > [@jayjay](#): > > I’m thinking it’s a safe bet that less than 3 of those “100 PhDs” is a climatologist or even a meteorologist. I can’t speak for the qualifications of any of the people they list, but they include a paleoclimatologist, a retired climatologist, a few meteorologists. Most of those listed give no clue as to their field of specialization. (BTW, on closer review I see a few are not PhD’s. Just for the record.) The ad is available as a [small PDF file on their web site](http://www.cato.org/special/climatechange/cato_climate.pdf). ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2009, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-cato-institute-all-about-and-their-position-on-global-warming/491311/12 "2009-03-30T19:11:13Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > Apparently so. In their ad, though, it is given as all caps Display text and other similar uses – such as corporate logos – often set things in all caps. That has no bearing on capitalization in normal text. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2009, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-cato-institute-all-about-and-their-position-on-global-warming/491311/13 "2009-03-30T20:17:27Z")
> [@HorseloverFat](#): > > Of course theyre against the bailout, because in the end the bailout means: > > 1. More taxes. Its gotta come from somewhere > 2. More regulation. OHNOES!!! > > They dont want any of that. If GM folds, so be it. Someone else will move into their market. GM’s influence is much smaller than the collective influence of the wolves waiting to divide up that market share. > > Regulation. They hate it alll. So what if it destroys the world economy. Thats the average man’s worry, not theirs. Theyre set for life. They dont need jobs. They only care about this quarter’s bottom line. Putting in regulations to save the economy? That’s like acid to them. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2009, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-cato-institute-all-about-and-their-position-on-global-warming/491311/14 "2009-03-30T20:28:29Z")
> [@HorseloverFat](#): > > Regulation. They hate it alll. So what if it destroys the world economy. Thats the average man’s worry, not theirs. Theyre set for life. They dont need jobs. They only care about this quarter’s bottom line. Putting in regulations to save the economy? That’s like acid to them. I wonder what a wonk at Cato who got laid off would say after losing his/her job, house and being evicted and losing tons of dough on some un-regulated derivative dealing. ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2009, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-cato-institute-all-about-and-their-position-on-global-warming/491311/15 "2009-03-30T22:14:54Z")
> [@guizot](#): > > I wonder what a wonk at Cato who got laid off would say after losing his/her job, house and being evicted and losing tons of dough on some un-regulated derivative dealing. “Damn, I was a moron for investing in unregulated derivatives.” ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2009, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-cato-institute-all-about-and-their-position-on-global-warming/491311/16 "2009-03-30T23:34:22Z")
> [@acsenray](#): > > FYI, the name is ultimately derived from the name “Cato.” [Cato the Elder](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cato_the_Elder) was known as a thoroughly incorruptible statesman, austerely virtuous and strict, and also as one of the most horrible, nasty, evil and unpleasant persons of classical antiquity. One has to question the sanity of any modern organization that would care to use his name. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2009, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-cato-institute-all-about-and-their-position-on-global-warming/491311/17 "2009-03-31T01:02:44Z")
> [@HorseloverFat](#): > > [Cato](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cato_Institute) is the policy arm of the capitalist business machine. So you’ll see opinions that reflect on business positively. For instance, global warming is blamed on CO2 which is produced by the engines of business, be it manufacturing, transport, etc. > > Cato is a great organization if youre a billionaire with lots of corporate holdings. They say exactly what you want them to say. This is how [lobbying the government works](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lobbying). Things like science, truth, reason, etc are naive concepts that go against its stated and unstated goals. And I suppose your own hysterical blathering is an example of “science, truth and reason”? ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2009, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-cato-institute-all-about-and-their-position-on-global-warming/491311/18 "2009-03-31T01:17:36Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > [Cato the Elder](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cato_the_Elder) was known as a thoroughly incorruptible statesman, austerely virtuous and strict, and also as one of the most horrible, nasty, evil and unpleasant persons of classical antiquity. One has to question the sanity of any modern organization that would care to use his name. They’re named after John Trenchard and Thomas Gordon, who wrote a bunch of essays in 18th century England (“Essays on Liberty, Civil and Religious”) under the pseudonym Cato. These essayists chose the pseudonym Cato after Cato the Younger, who fought Julius Caesar, due to his outspoken opposition to tyranny. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2009, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-cato-institute-all-about-and-their-position-on-global-warming/491311/19 "2009-04-02T19:59:29Z")
> [@Captain\_Amazing](#): > > They’re named after John Trenchard and Thomas Gordon, who wrote a bunch of essays in 18th century England (“Essays on Liberty, Civil and Religious”) under the pseudonym Cato. These essayists chose the pseudonym Cato after Cato the Younger, who fought Julius Caesar, due to his outspoken opposition to tyranny. Scant improvement. [Cato the Younger](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cato_the_Younger) was as rigid and as unpleasant as his illustrious ancestor, plus he was also nuckin’ futs, like a modern politician who insists on attending Senate sessions dressed like a 17th-Century Puritan, and glowering at everyone for their failure to emulate him. ---
**Author:** ![Ocean\_Annie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8797f3/32.png) [@Ocean\_Annie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ocean_Annie)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2009, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-cato-institute-all-about-and-their-position-on-global-warming/491311/20 "2009-04-03T04:50:05Z")
One of the best ways to evaluate a policy institute is to look at funding. A list of donors is found in the annual reports. It may require a little digging because the larger donations are usually from foundations and charitable funds to allow the mega rich tax free lobbying. The donors are the clients. They pay the institute for unethical research, lobbying, and PR campaigns. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-cato-institute-all-about-and-their-position-on-global-warming/491311.md?page=2)