Before I had even arrived in Washington, I had scoured the Internet for events that I knew would be fun, worth attending, and preferably free. As a self-described wonk and politics fanboy, my definition of fun tends to stray from the mainstream notion of the concept. This point was illustrated by how I spent my Tuesday evening; discussing the politics of monetary policy with a blogger from Slate and an MSNBC host.
It probably comes as no surprise to anyone that knows me and my politics, but I am a regular viewer of MSNBC. Beyond the well-known and poorly-concealed political leaning of the station's programming (which I happen to agree with), I find the discussions on MSNBC are typically more nuanced than other daytime news channels. Chris Hayes's eponymous "Up" program epitomizes this quality. When I saw on his website that he would be speaking in Washington to promote his new book Twilight of the Elites: America after Meritocracy, I knew I had to trek over to Dupont Circle for the chance to meet him.
Over the weekend, my plans were further solidified when I saw on Twitter that one of my favorite political/economic bloggers, Matt Yglesias, would be attending. The chance to meet two of my favorite politicos at once? Yes please.
The New America Foundation, where Chris used to be a Fellow, hosted the event at the Arizona State University Washington Center just north of Dupont Circle. As soon as I walked into the building, I literally walked into Chris Hayes talking to Matt.Thirty seconds into his talk, Chris was addressing the key point of my forthcoming honors thesis (the politics and public role of the Federal Reserve). Throughout the speech, Matt and I munched on complimentary cheese slices and fruit. My giddiness about being so close to my idol approached schoolboy levels.
I approached Matt afterward, and he was as nice as could be. He appreciated my readership, and listened intently as I shared my views on his writings regarding NGDP targeting (read as: fun stuff). I told him that I was working at Center for American Progress, where he worked for three years as a writer, and he encouraged me to keep pushing my bosses to do more on the monetary policy front. Chris Hayes also shared my frustrations with the lack of a left wing voice on central banking, which I admittedly ranted about to him for a solid two minutes. I left the ASU Center with an unrivaled sense of elation at having been validated by two of my favorite contemporary thinkers.
The meaning of this post's title refers to the opportunities, such as this event today, that exist throughout this great city. No matter your political, religious, or philosophical persuasion, there are organizations in DC holding events that will interest you. Often these events are free and open to the public, and they provide an almost surreal level of access to influential thinkers in domestic and international politics. I encourage you to go out and listen to speakers, meet with important people, and don't be afraid to share your opinion. There's no telling what putting your neck out there will lead to. It can only be positive in a city like this.
- Cameron DeHart
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