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# Government and Politics 

At a Glance 

Cato’s government and politics studies are dedicated to bringing the ideals of individual liberty, civil society, and limited government back to the forefront of American political life.

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#### Featured Content 

[![white house](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/content_teaser/public/2026-09/GettyImages-2209734654.jpg?itok=kb_dyRdv)](https://www.cato.org/commentary/white-house-digs-deeper-policy-quicksand) 

Commentary 

## [The White House Digs Deeper into the Policy Quicksand](/commentary/white-house-digs-deeper-policy-quicksand) 

By [Scott Lincicome](https://www.cato.org/people/scott-lincicome) 

When bad ideas fail, they are too often followed by more bad ideas.

[![emergency](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/content_teaser/public/2026-09/emergency%202.jpg?itok=pgTt4JvA)](https://www.cato.org/blog/national-emergencies-act-turns-fifty) 

blog 

### [The National Emergencies Act Turns Fifty](/blog/national-emergencies-act-turns-fifty) 

By [Molly Nixon](https://www.cato.org/people/molly-nixon) 

For the NEA’s golden jubilee, this Congress should take up serious reform to ensure, as the 94th Congress tried to, that Americans born today don’t live their entire lives under a national emergency.

[![elections, american flag](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/content_teaser/public/2026-03/GettyImages-172928168.jpg?itok=IEmO_ra5)](https://www.cato.org/commentary/framers-trusted-states-not-washington-elections) 

Commentary 

### [The Framers Trusted States, Not Washington, With Elections](/commentary/framers-trusted-states-not-washington-elections) 

By [Walter Olson](https://www.cato.org/people/walter-olson) 

That remains the correct position, for reasons of practicality, election integrity and the safeguarding of the nation’s liberty.

[![election](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/content_teaser/public/2025-08/election.jpg?itok=2iQJWJ76)](https://www.cato.org/blog/relax-supreme-courts-election-order-isnt-what-internet-says-it) 

blog 

### [Relax. The Supreme Court’s Election Order Isn’t What the Internet Says It Is.](/blog/relax-supreme-courts-election-order-isnt-what-internet-says-it) 

By [Stephen Richer](https://www.cato.org/people/stephen-richer) 

The president does not have the authority to unilaterally change election law.

[![DSA](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/content_teaser/public/2026-08/democrat%20socialism%20.jpg?itok=V_di7nYJ)](https://www.cato.org/commentary/democratic-socialists-maga-share-dangerous-flaw) 

Commentary 

### [Democratic Socialists and MAGA Share a Dangerous Flaw](/commentary/democratic-socialists-maga-share-dangerous-flaw) 

By [Ilya Somin](https://www.cato.org/people/ilya-somin) 

Democratic socialists and MAGA nationalists both want sweeping government control of the economy. History shows where that road leads, and how it undermines prosperity and democracy itself.

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##### [Emily Ekins](/people/emily-ekins)

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##### [Molly Nixon](/people/molly-nixon)

Senior Fellow in Executive Power

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##### [John Samples](/people/john-samples)

Senior Fellow

[![Statue of Liberty and NYC Skyline](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/promo_block/public/2021-01/GettyImages-527058642.jpg?itok=BFb_MKXB)](https://www.cato.org/center-representative-government?) 

##### Featured Center 

### [Center for Representative Government](https://www.cato.org/center-representative-government?)

Taking its inspiration from James Madison and Thomas Jefferson, the Cato Institute’s Center for Representative Government is dedicated to promoting limited, representative government. The center and its scholars are working through books, conferences, forums, op‐​eds, speeches, congressional testimony, and TV and radio appearances to bring the ideals of individual liberty, civil society, limited government, and citizen legislators back to the forefront of American political life.

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