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Meyerside Chats: Government, Policy & Civility

Meyerside Chats: Government, Policy & Civility

著者： Evan Meyer
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Meyerside Chats seeks to eliminate the “us and them” narrative and toxic polarization by praising those who lead by example, virtuous community leadership, and authentic conversation. The intent is to showcase the humanity in those that take on the often thankless jobs of public service through civil discourse, and honoring differing points of view.

Cities are an essential part of our identity. Depending on where we live, we develop different attitudes, personalities, perspectives, and ways of living. But is the average citizen aware of how their cities actually operate? Likely not. Conflicts between landlords and tenants are common. Many people lack knowledge of the ordinances their leaders enact. For those residents and communities that lack communication, the gap will worsen if left unaddressed.


There are deep-seated issues in many cities that prevent them from progressing. People tend to look at national-level issues rather than concentrating on issues in their own localities, and they are not aware of these severe problems. It is only as they become immersed in the country's biggest issues (which are outside of their control) that they realize what they want. But a knee-jerk response of fury or blame is useless without productive action.

What can be done to correct issues like poor compost, unfair ordinances, or substandard infrastructure? The key is to shift the focus to the local level, get involved, and become part of the solution. Identifying what you can do to contribute begins with listening and trying new ideas. We must establish deeper relationships with each other to achieve more practical solutions.

To find out how, host Evan leads eye-opening conversations about civic and community leadership that highlight how to stand up and make cities better. Addressing the "Us and Them" mentality, he brings people together to see eye to eye and provide their unique viewpoints.

This show aims to humanize politics, break the toxic bureaucracy, and reconnect residents with their city leaders. Evan explores the muddied relationships with politicians. With their grand buildings and great powers, these individuals usually appear distant and untouchable. But they are not infallible. It is possible to start authentic conversations that eventually lead to sustainable and inclusive communities.

Long-time community leader Evan Meyer invites you to focus on this alarming state of living through his podcast, Meyerside Chats. On this show, you'll hear real talks about rebuilding trust between people, leaders, and our government.

Evan brings vast experience to the podcast as a civic guru and community leader. For many years, he has been heavily involved in the development of Santa Monica using highly innovative approaches. He created the city's Civic Love program, a group focused on volunteerism and making change through the process of "doing good." He also served his neighborhood association for a decade, eventually as president.

In addition to outstanding community involvement, Evan founded several start-up businesses. He actively works to transform neglected communities globally through murals, art education, and social responsibility. The efforts of Evan are a perfect example of what citizens can do to make their city a better place to live, work and thrive.

© 2025 Meyerside Chats: Government, Policy & Civility 哲学 政治・政府 政治学 社会科学
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  • Politics Vs Parenting: Why Control Breaks Trust, Relationships, & Democracy w/ Lura Forcum

    Politics Vs Parenting: Why Control Breaks Trust, Relationships, & Democracy w/ Lura Forcum
    2025/12/12

    What if modern politics is failing for the same reason bad parenting fails?

    In this episode of Meyerside Chats, Evan Meyer sits down with political psychologist Lura Forcum, President of the Independence Center, to explore a powerful and uncomfortable truth: you can have control, or you can have a relationship—but not both.

    Using insights from psychology, public policy, and real-world governance, this conversation breaks down much of the deeper issues behind our polarization.

    You’ll learn:
    - Why reactance explains voter backlash and polarization
    - How political control mirrors ineffective parenting
    - Why trust matters more than power in a healthy democracy
    - How identity politics shuts down problem-solving
    - Why independent voters and “politically homeless” Americans are ignored
    - How unfixed problems become politically valuable

    If you’re tired of outrage politics and want a deeper, more psychologically grounded way to understand what’s breaking democracy—and how to fix it—this episode is for you.

    🎙 Guest: Lura Forcum
    President, Independence Center
    Political Psychology • Civic Trust • Independent Voters
    🌐 https://www.independencecenter.org

    🎧 Meyerside Chats features long-form conversations with thinkers, builders, and leaders working to make politics and institutions function better.

    ⏱ Timestamps / Chapters

    00:00 – Why this conversation matters
    01:15 – Four years of Meyerside Chats & polarization
    03:10 – Why good intentions create bad policy
    05:40 – Reactance: why forcing people backfires
    08:10 – COVID, control, and behavioral resistance
    11:05 – Politics like parenting explained
    14:20 – Control vs relationship in democracy
    17:30 – Why trust matters more than authority
    20:45 – Identity vs belief in politics
    24:00 – Why nuance disappeared
    27:15 – The myth of party alignment
    30:10 – Urban vs rural political blind spots
    33:00 – Tribal instincts and dehumanization
    36:15 – When conflict replaces competition
    39:10 – Why parties avoid solving problems
    41:50 – The politically homeless voter
    45:30 – How independents threaten power
    48:15 – Local government as the fix
    51:00 – What a healthier democracy looks like
    54:00 – Final thoughts & where to find Lura

    Support the show

    About Evan Meyer

    Tech entrepreneur and civic leader - he founded mygovtools.org, a platform to drive government efficiency, constituent representation, and civic engagement; BeautifyEarth.com, a platform accelerating urban beautification through art; and its sister nonprofit, transforming schools in underserved areas. He also co-founded RideAmigos.com, a platform that optimizes commuter travel globally. Previously, he served as District Director for the California State Senate and led many civic initiatives in Santa Monica. Through seminars and his podcast Meyerside Chats, Evan inspires civic engagement, innovation, and cultural growth.
    He loves the outdoors, is a master of creative projects, is an avid muralist and musician, and finds the world fascinating in every regard.
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    48 分
  • The Political Industrial Complex: How Consultants Shape Democracy w/ Eva Posner

    The Political Industrial Complex: How Consultants Shape Democracy w/ Eva Posner
    2025/12/08

    Ever wonder who actually shapes our elections — the candidates, the parties, or the consultants behind the scenes?

    In this episode of Meyerside Chats, Evan Meyer sits down with Eva Posner, founder of Evinco Strategies, a full-service Democratic consulting firm helping first-time and underrepresented candidates run and win all over the country. From county assessor races to million-dollar campaigns, Eva has seen how the political industrial complex really works — and where it’s quietly warping our democracy.

    We dive into negative campaigning, ballot guide language, why California can be “performatively progressive,” and how local politics (the stuff that actually touches your life) gets overshadowed by presidential horse races.

    🎧 What we cover:

    – How Sandy Hook pushed Eva from journalism into campaigns and political consulting
    – Why Sandy Hook pushed her to work on the “fixing” side of politics
    – What the political industrial complex looks like from the inside
    – Why California can be “performatively progressive”
    – Why she only works with Democratic & left-leaning causes — and still battles the cognitive dissonance of performing her work in this industry
    –How consultants, vendors, and “percentage deals” shape strategy and messaging
    –The surprising power (and manipulation) inside voter information pamphlets
    – Why local offices matter more to your daily life than the president ever will
    – How negative campaigning works and where she draws ethical lines
    – Why local offices matter far more to your daily life than the presidential race
    – The surprising ways voters are misinformed (or underinformed)
    – How to run for office without losing your integrity
    ---

    📌 Chapters

    00:00 – Intro – Who is Eva Posner and why this conversation matters
    02:00 – From political journalism to campaigns – Sandy Hook, motherhood, and changing careers
    06:25 – Starting Evinco Strategies – Why she went out on her own & what “full-service” really means
    08:10 – Living red & blue – Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, California, Virginia and what they actually have in common
    12:00 – Shared values vs different approaches – Safety, climate, and why voters who disagree aren’t stupid
    13:10 – Defining the Political Industrial Complex – How profit, vendors, and kickbacks steer campaigns
    18:50 – Cognitive dissonance & doing this work – “Am I part of the problem?”
    21:00 – Writing the voter pamphlet to win – What’s really going into those ballots you get in the mail
    25:00 – Where’s the line on negative campaigning? – What’s fair game and what’s off-limits
    30:30 – Nonpartisan races, labels, and missing information – Why she thinks every candidate’s party should be on the ballot
    35:40 – Propaganda, algorithms & broken civic education – Why we can’t even agree on the color of the sky

    Support the show

    About Evan Meyer

    Tech entrepreneur and civic leader - he founded mygovtools.org, a platform to drive government efficiency, constituent representation, and civic engagement; BeautifyEarth.com, a platform accelerating urban beautification through art; and its sister nonprofit, transforming schools in underserved areas. He also co-founded RideAmigos.com, a platform that optimizes commuter travel globally. Previously, he served as District Director for the California State Senate and led many civic initiatives in Santa Monica. Through seminars and his podcast Meyerside Chats, Evan inspires civic engagement, innovation, and cultural growth.
    He loves the outdoors, is a master of creative projects, is an avid muralist and musician, and finds the world fascinating in every regard.
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    53 分
  • How to Actually Fix U.S. Healthcare: HSAs, Price Transparency & Real Market Signals w/ Crom Carmichael

    How to Actually Fix U.S. Healthcare: HSAs, Price Transparency & Real Market Signals w/ Crom Carmichael
    2025/11/12

    Guest: Crom Carmichael – investor in 60+ startups, host of From Our Generation, and creator of Giants of Political Thought

    In this episode, Evan Meyer and Crom dig into why healthcare in America costs what it does — and what could truly fix it. They unpack how price transparency, Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), and market-driven competition could bring down costs by up to 70%, and why innovation is inherently destructive to old, inefficient systems.

    Along the way, Crom explains the absurd incentives in today’s insurance system (like getting billed $6,600 for a $1,200 colonoscopy), shares a skin cancer story that reveals why doctors are paid per visit rather than per solution, and walks through how WWII-era policies still shape healthcare pricing today.

    They also explore:

    Why innovation needs intellectual property protection

    The economics of creative destruction

    What Uber, taxi medallions, and Waymo teach us about breaking regulatory capture

    The beauty of nuance in civic debate and political philosophy

    ⏱️ Chapters

    00:00 – Intro & Crom’s background (60+ startups; political philosophy roots)
    02:30 – Nobel Prize & innovation: why IP protection matters
    04:50 – The government shutdown analogy & innovation’s “destruction”
    13:54 – The $1,200 vs $6,600 colonoscopy and broken incentives
    15:35 – HSAs + price transparency could drop outpatient costs 70%
    19:00 – WWII wage controls created employer-based insurance
    29:50 – Taxi medallions → Uber → Waymo: breaking captured markets
    39:00 – Political philosophy: from Plato to today’s “nuance gap”
    42:00 – MDsave & paying cash for procedures: mdsave.com

    45:00 – Crom’s personal health routine & Soltea

    47:30 – Wrap-up: Giants of Political Thought, Rousseau to Locke

    🔗 Links Mentioned

    🎙️ Meyerside Chats podcast: https://meyersidechats.buzzsprout.com

    📚 Giants of Political Thought: https://giantsofpoliticalthought.com

    💸 Cash-price care examples: https://www.mdsave.com

    🧃 Soltea (green tea supplement): https://soltea.com

    🧠 Evan Meyer: https://evanmeyer.io
    | LinkedIn

    💬 About Crom Carmichael

    Crom is an entrepreneur, investor, and lifelong student of political philosophy. Through Giants of Political Thought, he curates the works of history’s most influential thinkers—from Locke and Adam Smith to Marx and Wollstonecraft—making them accessible through audio and streaming.

    📬 About Meyerside Chats

    Meyerside Chats features civic innovators, leaders, and thinkers exploring how we fix broken systems with transparency, innovation, and empathy.

    🔔 Subscribe for conversations that cut through partisanship to find practical, human solutions.

    Support the show

    About Evan Meyer

    Tech entrepreneur and civic leader - he founded mygovtools.org, a platform to drive government efficiency, constituent representation, and civic engagement; BeautifyEarth.com, a platform accelerating urban beautification through art; and its sister nonprofit, transforming schools in underserved areas. He also co-founded RideAmigos.com, a platform that optimizes commuter travel globally. Previously, he served as District Director for the California State Senate and led many civic initiatives in Santa Monica. Through seminars and his podcast Meyerside Chats, Evan inspires civic engagement, innovation, and cultural growth.
    He loves the outdoors, is a master of creative projects, is an avid muralist and musician, and finds the world fascinating in every regard.
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    51 分
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