Why is politics so broken — and why do we keep blaming our presidents for everything?

Is dark money the real problem… or is it the incentive structure behind the system?

In this episode of Meyerside Chats, I sit down with Neil Thanedar — Executive Director of the Michigan Campaign Finance Network, author of Positive Politics, and a founder who went through Y Combinator — to explore campaign finance reform, political incentives, direct democracy, and how everyday citizens can move from outrage to action.

Neil draws a powerful parallel between startups and politics — asking: what if there were a “Y Combinator for politics”? A structured accelerator that helps ambitious optimists launch campaigns, pass ballot initiatives, and build real civic momentum the same way founders build companies.

As the son of U.S. Congressman Shri Thanedar — and someone who helped guide and advise his father’s congressional campaigns — Neil brings firsthand insight into how incentives, messaging, fundraising pressure, and party structures shape political decisions long before legislation is ever passed.

We unpack:

• Why presidents get too much credit — and too much blame

• How money and party incentives drive political behavior

• Whether you must pick a political party to succeed

• Direct democracy and ballot initiatives as reform tools

• The “Y Combinator for Politics” concept

• Applying startup discipline to civic reform

• The human reality of serving in Congress

• Why action beats social media outrage

If you care about political reform, startup thinking, civic engagement, or breaking the red vs blue blame cycle — this conversation is for you.

Check it out, and please subscribe to support our mission: https://youtu.be/zkpyJUEYWJ8

⏱ CHAPTERS

00:00 Intro

02:30 Changing Political Incentives

06:45 The Startup Mindset in Politics

09:30 What If There Were a Y Combinator for Politics?

14:00 Why Most Candidates Quit After One Loss

18:40 Complaining vs Civic Action

22:00 The Presidential Blame Cycle

27:30 Direct Democracy & Ballot Reform

32:00 Do You Have to Pick a Party?

38:00 Fighting Corruption Without Becoming Toxic

46:00 Inside Congress: The Human Reality

52:00 Roosevelt’s “Man in the Arena”

55:00 Final Takeaways

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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.

Are we truly as divided as we’re told — or are we being conditioned to believe we are?

In this episode of Meyerside Chats, Evan sits down with Adam Mizel — longtime CEO, investor, and co-founder of US United — to explore how media incentives, cognitive bias, and social algorithms amplify division while drowning out unity.

At the heart of this conversation is a powerful idea: we can change the algorithm.

Adam argues that polarization isn’t just political — it’s cultural and psychological. Social media rewards outrage. News cycles reward conflict. Labels replace people. But what if millions of Americans deliberately posted stories of cooperation, compassion, and bridge-building once a week? What if we overwhelmed the system with unity instead of anger?

They explore:

• What a “fact” really is — and why definitions matter
• How media and incentives distort perception
• Why politics has become identity
• The psychology behind tribalism and confirmation bias
• The wealth and power dynamics that fuel division
• The “Unity Seats” concept at sporting events
• How storytelling and lived experience shift minds
• Why self-work is the starting point for cultural change

If division is profitable, unity must be intentional.

This episode challenges you to rethink how you consume information — and how you contribute to the algorithm shaping our culture.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction
02:00 US United & The Mission of Unity
07:45 What Is a “Fact”?
12:00 Media Manipulation & Algorithmic Incentives
18:30 Politics as Identity
24:00 Abortion & Moral Complexity
35:00 Wealth, Power & Democracy
47:00 Self-Work & Psychological Awareness
55:00 Changing the Algorithm
59:30 Unity Seats & Cultural Solutions

If this conversation resonates, share it — especially with someone who sees the world differently than you.

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.

In this episode of Meyerside Chats, I sit down with Mark Pinsley, the elected Controller of Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, for a wide-ranging conversation on transparency, public trust, and how government financial systems really work when you look under the hood.

Mark explains why his office uncovered unpaid rent tied to ICE’s use of county buildings, how a simple breakdown in contracts and oversight led to years of missed payments, and why fiscal accountability must remain separate from political pressure—even when the headlines get loud.

We also dive deep into:

• Why 70% of county spending goes to law and order
• How jail phone commissions and healthcare middlemen distort incentives
• The hidden role of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and how Lehigh County saved millions by auditing them
• What government efficiency efforts get right—and wrong—when compared to initiatives like DOGE
• Why transparency changes behavior before laws ever do
• How political labels collide with the reality of independent oversight
• The rising personal risks faced by local officials—and how we lower the temperature

This conversation isn’t about left vs. right. It’s about systems vs. incentives, people vs. power, and what it actually takes to earn public trust in government again.

Video here: https://youtu.be/1Crt-mysGG8

00:00 Intro – What a County Controller Actually Does
01:10 Evicting ICE: How the County Discovered Unpaid Rent
02:25 Contracts, Oversight Failures, and Government Blind Spots
04:05 Separating Fiscal Oversight from Political Polarization
05:40 ICE, Community Trust, and Reporting Crime Without Fear
08:50 Citizens vs Residents: How County Spending Really Works
10:40 Where County Money Actually Goes (71% to Law & Order)
13:30 Balancing Objectivity and Personal Convictions as Controller
15:30 Public Defenders vs Prosecutors: A Budget Fairness Problem
16:45 Why Mark Identifies as a Democrat (and What That Really Means)
18:10 Populism, Corporate Power, and Anti-Trust Failures
20:40 Why Independents Can’t Win (Yet) + Ranked Choice Voting
22:10 Modernizing Government Systems: Process Before Software
23:30 Tools of Oversight: Excel, Python, and Catching Errors
24:45 Legacy Systems, Data Access, and Why IT Bottlenecks Matter
26:00 DOGE: Good Idea, Flawed Execution
28:10 Can Government Really Cut $2 Trillion?
29:40 Who Should Pay More Taxes—and Why
32:10 Wealth, Assets, and Buying Influence
34:00 Money in Politics and the Limits of Reform
36:30 Why Transparency Is the Real First Step
39:15 Civics Education and Who People Blame (Wrongly)
41:50 Where Mark Gets His News—and Why He Trusts None of It
43:40 Pharmacy Benefit Managers and Hidden Healthcare Grift
46:30 How Lehigh Co

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.

Cincinnati City Councilmember Mark Jeffreys joins Meyerside Chats for a grounded, wide-ranging conversation on how cities actually govern during moments of national tension.

Drawing on his background as a Procter & Gamble executive, entrepreneur, and public servant, Jeffreys explains how local governments balance housing shortages, public safety, federal immigration enforcement, media narratives, and community trust — all while operating within real political and legal limits.

This episode covers housing supply, federal-local power dynamics, data-driven governance, political narratives, AI in government, and how cities can remain pragmatic in an increasingly polarized environment.

🎧 Available on YouTube and all major podcast platforms.

⏱️ Chapters / Timestamps

00:00 – Intro: Local leadership in national moments
01:05 – What’s top of mind for Cincinnati residents right now
03:30 – Minneapolis, ICE, and local government anxiety
06:00 – Separating public safety facts from political narratives
09:00 – Data vs headlines: how cities assess risk
11:30 – Procter & Gamble, brands, and political narratives
14:45 – KPIs, bureaucracy, and governing by metrics
18:20 – Housing supply, zoning, and neighborhood resistance
22:00 – Why housing has become so polarized
26:10 – Comparing Cincinnati and California housing policy
30:00 – Why developers won’t build at 3% returns
33:30 – AI, automation, and the future of city government
37:30 – One-party cities, red states, and balance of power
41:45 – How to restore healthy debate without culture wars
46:00 – What real federal-local collaboration should look like
48:00 – Closing thoughts on trust, safety, and governance

🎧 Also available on YouTube: https://youtu.be/GR_TnZGjZ28

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.

What really changed after the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision—and why do most Americans believe it broke democracy?

In this episode of Meyerside Chats, Evan Meyer sits down with Tiffany Muller, President and Executive Director of End Citizens United, for a deep, practical conversation about money in politics, dark money, corporate influence, and what can actually be done to fix it.

Tiffany brings rare, end-to-end experience to this conversation—having served as an elected City Council Member on the Topeka City Council, Deputy Political Director at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, and Chief of Staff to a Member of Congress. Together, we explore how incentives—not just ideology—shape political behavior, why reform remains bipartisan among voters but partisan in Washington, and whether democracy can be “unrigged” without changing human nature itself.

🎧 You can also find the audio version on your favorite podcast players.

⏱️ Chapters

00:00 – Introduction & Tiffany Muller’s background
01:50 – What Citizens United actually decided
03:40 – How money creates gridlock & public distrust
06:30 – Super PACs, dark money & billionaire influence
09:10 – Campaign donations vs lobbying explained
12:40 – The revolving door: Congress → lobbying
16:00 – Is corruption just human nature?
20:40 – Why voters support reform but Congress resists
24:30 – Supreme Court ethics & reform ideas
29:50 – A realistic roadmap to reform
35:00 – Why reform has become partisan
38:20 – Local politics, civic engagement & hope
42:00 – Final reflections & how to get involved

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.

What do paid protests actually represent in modern society?

In this episode of Meyerside Chats, Evan Meyer sits down with Adam Swart, founder of Crowds on Demand, for a wide-ranging and thoughtful conversation about how public demonstrations are organized, funded, perceived, and often misunderstood.

Rather than debating headlines, this discussion explores the mechanics, tradeoffs, and philosophical questions behind modern protest movements — including authenticity, transparency, media incentives, and how crowds differ from true measures of public opinion.

This episode is about understanding how influence, visibility, and civic participation actually work today.

⏱️ Chapters

00:00 – Introduction
Adam Swart’s background and why modern protests deserve deeper examination

01:45 – How Crowds on Demand Works
From first inquiry to campaign strategy and execution

04:50 – Lessons from Political Campaigning
What Adam learned working in electoral politics and how it applies today

06:30 – Why Context Matters More Than Crowd Size
Media attention, symbolism, and strategic visibility

09:05 – Paid Participation vs. Authentic Engagement
How authenticity is defined, sourced, and maintained

11:45 – Who Gets Left Out of “Grassroots” Activism
Time, money, opportunity cost, and civic access

14:00 – Protest, Pressure, and Power Structures
Unions, staffers, institutions, and informal coercion

16:40 – Criticism, Class, and Bad-Faith Arguments
Who gets paid to speak — and why that matters

18:45 – Transparency in Political Protest
The proposed Transparency & Political Protest Act

22:30 – Manufactured Support vs. Public Awareness
Why protests are not polls — and never were

26:40 – Social Media, Protests, and Misread Signals
Why visibility ≠ public consensus

30:00 – Statistics, Data, and False Inference
Why crowds and metrics are often misunderstood

35:30 – Measuring ROI in Advocacy Campaigns
When outcomes are tangible — and when they aren’t

38:45 – Notable Campaigns & Real-World Impact
From prescription drugs to tech accountability

41:45 – Choosing Clients & Drawing Ethical Lines
Merit, free speech, and where Adam says no

44:30 – Causes Adam Wants to Champion
Social media reform, food systems, and better cities

48:15 – Cities, Governance, and Practical Outcomes
Why results matter more than rhetoric

52:30 – Social Media Incentives & Platform Failure
Crime, virality, spam, and moderation tradeoffs

56:30 – Closing Reflections
Understanding nuance beyond headlines

🎧 Why This Episode Matters

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.

In this episode of Meyerside Chats, Evan Meyer sits down with Dr. Nelva Lee, healthcare executive, former gubernatorial appointee, and candidate for Georgia Superintendent of Schools, to unpack why the system is failing — and what practical reforms could actually work.

Dr. Lee shares firsthand insight from:

Serving on Georgia’s Department of Community Health board
Running a medical & court interpreting agency
Homeschooling and navigating special education systems
Campaigning statewide for education reform

Topics covered:

Why government moves slowly — and when it can move fast
Trade school certification for every high-school graduate
True school choice & funding that follows students
Why 50% of education funding goes to administration
AI in classrooms: tool vs threat
Language barriers, medical errors, and healthcare outcomes
Why values — not party labels — drive policy decisions

This is a policy-grounded, real-world conversation about education, healthcare, and how leadership decisions actually affect families.

📌 Learn more about Dr. Nelva Lee:
👉 https://drnelvalee.com

🎧 Listen on your favorite podcast platform
🔔 Subscribe for more conversations bridging citizens & government


Chapters
Time Chapter
0:00 Introduction: Why Georgia’s Education Rankings Matter
2:10 Why Government Moves So Slowly
5:30 Trade Schools for Every Graduate
8:45 Homeschooling, Special Needs & Montessori
11:40 School Choice & Funding That Follows Students
14:00 Why 50% of Education Spending Is Administrative
16:10 AI in Education: Tool, Not Replacement
19:40 Language Barriers & Medical Errors
23:30 Fixing Prescription & Healthcare System Failures
26:10 Faith, Values & Political Identity
30:40 Black Republicans & Political Stereotypes
34:00 Georgia’s Decline — And What Must Change
36:00 Final Message to Georgia Voters

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.

Most Americans feel unrepresented — trapped between “the lesser of two evils,” media narratives, and party gatekeeping.

In this episode of Meyerside Chats, Evan Meyer sits down with Travis Misurell, founder of FiNC (Future Is Now Coalition), to explore a radically different idea: a citizen-owned digital democracy.

We unpack how money, media concentration, and party infrastructure shape elections long before voters ever see a ballot — and how a “People’s Primary” could give independent, third-party, and grassroots candidates a real chance to compete.

This conversation goes beyond Left vs Right and introduces a new lens: People-first vs Power-first politics — and what citizens can do right now to reclaim representation.

Guest: Travis Misurell (Founder, FiNC)
Host: Evan Meyer

🔗 Learn more & get involved: https://futureis.org
🔗 Digital Politics Hub: https://hub.futureis.org

Chapters
00:00 Introduction & Why the System Feels Rigged
01:30 The Concentration of Power, Money, and Media
04:00 Why “Lesser of Two Evils” Keeps Winning
07:00 A Citizen-Owned Alternative to Party Infrastructure
10:30 What It Means for Citizens to “Buy In”
13:00 Independent Journalists & Media Accountability
18:30 Beyond Left vs Right: People vs Power
23:00 How the Digital Politics Hub Works
27:30 The People’s Primary Explained
32:00 Are Third-Party Votes Really “Wasted”?
36:00 What Citizens Can Do Right Now
41:00 Final Thoughts on Rebuilding Democracy

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.