Meyerside Chats: Government, Policy & Civility
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.
Meyerside Chats: Government, Policy & Civility
How to Actually Fix U.S. Healthcare: HSAs, Price Transparency & Real Market Signals w/ Crom Carmichael
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.
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.