# 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:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**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:** [April 3, 2009, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-cato-institute-all-about-and-their-position-on-global-warming/491311/21 "2009-04-03T04:56:45Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > 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. Well, first of all, it wasn’t named after Cato the Younger…it was named after the Cato Letters. And while that might be how you see Cato, in the 17th and 18th centuries, that wasn’t how Cato was seen. He was seen as one of the heroes of the late Republic, as a martyr for freedom and against tyranny. Addison’s 1712 play, “The Tragedy of Cato” was a major success in Enlightenment England, and some famous lines came from it. Patrick Henry’s “Give me liberty or give me death!” was a quote from the play, as was Nathan Hale’s reputed last words “I regret I have only one life to live for my country”. In addition to Cato’s Letters, in the debates over the Constitution, a major anti-Federalist author wrote essays under the pseudonym Cato. As recently as 1940, a group of English authors wrote a condemnation of the Chamberlain government called “Guilty Men” under the pseudonym Cato. So I think you have a false idea of what Cato represents in the Anglo-American sphere of ideas. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2009, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-cato-institute-all-about-and-their-position-on-global-warming/491311/22 "2009-04-03T14:11:51Z")
> [@Ocean\_Annie](#): > > The donors are the clients. They pay the institute for unethical research, lobbying, and PR campaigns. Presumably they also pay for the ethical research, lobbying, and PR campaigns. ---
**Author:** ![MichaelQReilly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@MichaelQReilly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelQReilly)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2009, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-cato-institute-all-about-and-their-position-on-global-warming/491311/23 "2009-04-03T14:29:15Z")
> [@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. In this case it’s a reference to [Cato’s Letters](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cato's_Letters), which were letters written in Britain in the 1730’s arguing in favor of classical republicanism that went on to have substantial impact on American political though leading up to the Revolution. ---
**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, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-cato-institute-all-about-and-their-position-on-global-warming/491311/24 "2009-04-03T16:06:45Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > Presumably they also pay for the ethical research, lobbying, and PR campaigns. Fair enough. But everyone should be skeptical of global warming research funded by Exxon Mobile and The American Petroleum Institute or fiscal policy championed by a think tank funded by corporations and the richest 400 Americans. ---
**Author:** ![Staale\_Nordlie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Staale\_Nordlie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Staale_Nordlie)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2009, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-cato-institute-all-about-and-their-position-on-global-warming/491311/25 "2009-04-03T16:15:01Z")
> [@Ocean\_Annie](#): > > … a think tank funded by corporations and the richest 400 Americans. Cite? ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2009, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-cato-institute-all-about-and-their-position-on-global-warming/491311/26 "2009-04-03T16:50:16Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > 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. This seems somewhat akin to holding Americans liable for the personal failings of Amerigo Vespucci. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2009, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-cato-institute-all-about-and-their-position-on-global-warming/491311/27 "2009-04-03T18:18:05Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > 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. Sometimes they are right, sometimes they are wrong. Just like any other organization. I don’t think they have any “secret and sinister purpose” here. ---
**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 4, 2009, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-cato-institute-all-about-and-their-position-on-global-warming/491311/28 "2009-04-04T00:03:33Z")
> [@Staale\_Nordlie](#): > > Cite? Donors are listed in the annual reports (PDF). [Cato Annual Report p47](http://www.cato.org/about/reports/annual_report_2007.pdf) [The Heritage Foundation p92](http://www.heritage.org/About/upload/AnnualReport06.pdf) [Sourcewatch.org](http://www.sourcewatch.org) and [mediatransperancy.org](http://mediatransperancy.org/) are good sites for information about charitable funds and foundations. Below are just a few examples of foundations created from private family wealth that are listed in the annual reports of conservative think tanks. Corporations are listed, but they also create charitable trusts and foundations to hide policy lobbying. Carthage Foundation – Richard Mellon Scaife Castle Rock Foundation – Joseph Coors JM Foundation --Jeremiah Milbank, Bordons Milk The Earhart Foundation --Henry Earhart, White Star Oil DeVos Foundation –Amway Pew Charitable Trusts – Sunoco Chemical heirs John M. Olin Foundation – Olin Chemical The Koch Family –David and Charles Koch, Kotch Industries Claude R. Lambe Charitable Foundation, Kotch Industries Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation –Oil and Biotechnology Walton Family Foundation Gates Foundation Here is a list of the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List\_of\_wealthiest\_foundations"]Wealthiest Foundations ---
**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 4, 2009, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-cato-institute-all-about-and-their-position-on-global-warming/491311/29 "2009-04-04T00:12:45Z")
Missed the edit --Here is a working link for the [wealthiest foundations.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_wealthiest_foundations)[mediatransparency.org](http://mediatransparency.org) is the other site with a bad link. You can Google it. ---
**Author:** ![DMC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dmc/32/18049_2.png) [@DMC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMC)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-cato-institute-all-about-and-their-position-on-global-warming/491311/30 "2009-04-04T01:21:09Z")
> [@Staale\_Nordlie](#): > > Cite? Hell, it was founded by Charles Koch with two others, but he’s the money behind it. Koch is the billionaire son of a John Birch Society founding member and just happens to run [Koch](http://www.corpwatch.org/article.php?id=516) [Industries](http://www.usdoj.gov/opa/pr/2000/January/019enrd.htm), the first or second largest (depending on which way the wind is blowing that day, and how Cargill happens to be doing) privately held company in the U.S. If you look at the largest grants they’ve received over the past dozen years or so, you’ll see that they’re all from him. The next largest are from his fellow “think-tank” buying buddies, “Scaife and Friends.” Want to guess why Cato takes certain positions on government regulations and global warming? ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-cato-institute-all-about-and-their-position-on-global-warming/491311/31 "2009-04-04T03:59:31Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > Apparently so. In their ad, though, it is given as all caps, although it appears on lines where \*everything \*is all caps. And, after years and years on the intertubes, we all know how to interpret posts in ALL CAPS. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-cato-institute-all-about-and-their-position-on-global-warming/491311/32 "2009-04-04T04:38:10Z")
They publish a magazine, Reason, to which a libertarian friend of mine bought me a subscription. It’s basically a libertarian magazine for the business conservatives who have left the party over social issues and spending. It feeds them some red meat but keeps them in from straying too far at voting time. Ideologically it is consistent. ---
**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:** [April 4, 2009, 9:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-cato-institute-all-about-and-their-position-on-global-warming/491311/33 "2009-04-04T09:28:49Z")
> [@The\_Second\_Stone](#): > > They publish a magazine, Reason, to which a libertarian friend of mine bought me a subscription. It’s basically a libertarian magazine for the business conservatives who have left the party over social issues and spending. It feeds them some red meat but keeps them in from straying too far at voting time. Reason Magazine isn’t published by Cato. It’s published by the Reason Foundation, which is a libertarian thinktank out in California, and not affiliated with Cato. Cato’s main publications are the “Cato Policy Report”. which comes out bimonthly, the Cato Journal, coming out three times a year, and Regulation Magazine, which comes out four times a year. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-cato-institute-all-about-and-their-position-on-global-warming/491311/34 "2009-04-04T21:04:28Z")
> [@Ocean\_Annie](#): > > Below are just a few examples of foundations created from private family wealth that are listed in the annual reports of conservative think tanks. Corporations are listed, but they also create charitable trusts and foundations to hide policy lobbying. > > Carthage Foundation – Richard Mellon Scaife > Castle Rock Foundation – Joseph Coors > JM Foundation --Jeremiah Milbank, Bordons Milk > The Earhart Foundation --Henry Earhart, White Star Oil > DeVos Foundation –Amway > Pew Charitable Trusts – Sunoco Chemical heirs > John M. Olin Foundation – Olin Chemical > The Koch Family –David and Charles Koch, Kotch Industries > Claude R. Lambe Charitable Foundation, Kotch Industries > Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation –Oil and Biotechnology > Walton Family Foundation > Gates Foundation Note that Pew, Noble, and Gates are not conservative. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-cato-institute-all-about-and-their-position-on-global-warming/491311.md?page=1)