Come have a beer âÄî or a soda for people under 21 âÄî and discuss the effects of the recent economic meltdown. The Current and The Citizens League will host a Policy and a Pint to discuss the potential economic repercussions for Minnesota Wednesday night at Varsity Theater. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and the program begins at 6 p.m. The event is open to all ages, and tickets are $5 for students with a valid ID or $10 otherwise. Appetizers from Loring Pasta Bar are included. Steve Seel , a radio host on The Current, will serve as a moderator for the panel, which includes Marketplace Money, a branch of American Public Media, economics editor Chris Farrell and Jonathan T. Guyton , a certified financial planner. âÄúItâÄôs just sort of my area of interest and curiosity,âÄù Seel said. âÄúI just sort of come and ask the dumb questions so that other people donâÄôt have to âĦ the angle that I bring to this is the rock âÄònâÄô roll DJ who is interested in politics and policy.âÄù The event serves as an open forum for audience members to ask questions of the panel members, but Seel said he helps to start things with his own questions. Seel said the economic situation is baffling to people of all ages, and students can attend to hear how it may affect them. Students will be affected by the crisis sooner or later, Farrell said. âÄúThe big impact on students will come when they graduate and they enter the job market,âÄù he said. âÄúWhile youâÄôre in school the impact is on your student loans, maybe your credit cards, but enjoy the shelter from the storm while you can.âÄù WednesdayâÄôs discussion was thrown together in the past few weeks, Citizens League Executive Director Sean Kershaw said, and over 150 people already plan on attending. The Citizens League has nearly 2,000 members statewide who want to make sure people are working to fix public policy issues in Minnesota, Kershaw said. âÄúThey join because they want to learn about public policy issues, and they join because they want to help contribute solutions to the public policy issues,âÄù he said. Members receive the Minnesota Journal , a monthly policy publication, and are able to participate in activities to find solutions to public policy problems within the state. Seel said the events generally have an extremely diverse turnout, including a sizable amount of college students. Former University of Minnesota student Rachel Huss is a member of the Citizens League and a caterer at Loring and the Varsity. She will be working at the event, but said she expects to be able to listen in on the discussion. âÄúIâÄôve done my research on the [potential] recession, but itâÄôs always good to hear different points of view,âÄù she said. âÄúThe economy is such a huge issue going on right now, and itâÄôs going to help me make decisions on what I want to do in my future.âÄù Huss said she is considering moving to Central America or South America, and the economic crisis is a factor in her decision. The Policy and a Pint event is one way the Citizens League helps educate the community about public policy, she said. âÄúItâÄôs important to know whatâÄôs going on in our world so that we can better prepare for the future and to better understand our government,âÄù Huss said.
Varsity Theater to host economic panel
![steve seel during his radio show at MPR](https://mndaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/p1discussion-copy.jpg)
Image by Ali Haupt
steve seel during his radio show at MPR
Published October 21, 2008
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