I am writing my final blog post from New York, before heading to Los Angeles, and then finally returning home to Perth. In reflection, working at the Atlas Economic Research Foundation has been an incredible experience and the time went by far too quickly!

My time in Washington, D.C. was capped off with the International Students for Liberty Conference. It was a busy weekend assisting the Atlas staff with various events and the stall. One of the highlights was listening to the insights and experiences of young intellectual entrepreneurs fighting for freedom in their regions of Africa, Europe and Latin America. We also had the opportunity to sit in on a filming of ‘Stossel’, a program highlighting current policy issues with a libertarian perspective. The weekend left me inspired, and I am looking forward to completing the Atlas Challenge, a training course which introduces participants to key insights and lessons from some of the world’s most successful entrepreneurs, and how this can be applied to the advancement of the case for liberty.     

Looking back on the experiences I have had in Washington, I am so thankful to the Mannkal Economic Education Foundation and the Atlas Economic Research Foundation for organising this incredible learning opportunity. In particular, I would like to thank Ron Manners and Andrew Pickford from Mannkal, and Alejandro Chafuen and Kristina Crane from Atlas. The program has allowed me to not only explore and develop my interest in libertarian ideas, but also learn about key policy challenges and process for economic reform. I look forward to applying the lessons I have learnt back home in Australia.

This week kicked off to an amazing start. Nigel Ashford, Senior Program Officer at the Institute for Humane Studies, organised a tour of the Institute for Justice in Arlington, Virginia. There, Dan Alban (Staff Attorney), Steven Anderson (Managing Vice President) and Shira Rawlinson (Assistant Director of Communications) introduced me to the concept of libertarian litigation, something particularly relevant to my current legal studies. Mr Ashford then took me on a tour of the IHS’ offices before chatting to me broadly about libertarian theories and my future work with the movement. The day’s experiences exposed me to a whole other side of libertarianism, one which I found incredibly interesting.

On Wednesday night of this week, the Atlas Network hosted one of its Liberty Cafés. This particular event focussed on the current situation in various Latin American countries. With speakers from America, Bolivia, Mexico and Chile, the perspectives and experiences brought to the discussion really offered the audience an informative insight into Latin American politics and economics. This was especially so for me, as someone who knows very little about Latin American politics.

On my final day in the Atlas office, I bought some Vegemite for the staff to try. Though several attempted a brave face, the reactions were overwhelmingly negative! (But I wasn’t very surprised by that)

I am finishing this blog just before I go to bed, prior to flying out to Perth tomorrow morning. The last five weeks with the Atlas Network have been incredible. I have experienced so much in such a short space of time. I have met both amazing students and professionals. I have also worked with some very enthusiastic and hardworking people. I will miss the people and the city dearly, and I cannot wait until I have the opportunity to return.

Though I wish I could thank everyone at Mannkal and everyone I encountered in my travels, I would like to specifically thank Alejandro Chafuen, Brad Lips and Kristina Crane of Atlas, and Ron Manners of Mannkal, for making the last five weeks possible. It has been an inspirational experience that I will never forget.

For anyone who has enjoyed reading my blog and wishes to keep up-to-date with the movement of the Atlas Network, please signup to their Highlights Newsletter through their website. If anyone wishes to contact me in order to chat further about my experiences, my email is alexander.m.mcvey@gmail.com.

With President’s Day giving the Atlas Network the Monday off this week and work mounting within the office itself, my week was much less adventurous than previously. Having said that, I still had the opportunity to engage in some great work and discussions with office staff.

President’s Day occurs every year on the third Monday of February to commemorate George Washington and all subsequent presidents of the Unites States. I celebrated the day by heading to a local Italian restaurant by myself to read and the food ended up being about double the size that I was expecting (luckily, they have take-away boxes in the States too!).

On Tuesday, work began. After spending the day completing tasks for various members of the Atlas office, I then headed off to the Powerhouse Building in Georgetown (where I’m actually living) to watch a panel of experts speak on the topic of ‘Social Media for Advocacy’ as part of Washington’s Social Media Week events. The speaker were very good at summarising social media successes of 2012 and predicting social media trends for 2013.

On Saturday night, I had an event run by thingtododc.com, which sent three groups of about 10 people on a scavenger hunt around Washington DC. The hunt, themed as a Cold War Spy Race, saw each group given a list of items and a limousine in order to complete the challenges. The event was a really great way to meet some others travelling to DC for the first time.

Today (Sunday), Paolo Angelini (the Office Manager at Atlas) and I went to the Outback Steakhouse in Virginia, which is part of a chain of Australian-themed America restaurants. The food was really nice, but I did notice a distinct lack of sausages or chops on the menu…

With only one week to go, I have a full-plate of office work and events to keep me busy. As much as I miss Perth, I feel that I am going to have real trouble leaving Washington!

Weekend getaways to nearby cities can be surprisingly affordable here in the United States. On Sunday, I headed out of Washington to visit Philadelphia, a city steeped in history of the founding of the United States. Getting to Philadelphia takes roughly 3 hours by bus and can cost well under $20! Must do visits to national historical landmarks such as the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall were made even better with a foodie trip to the Reading Terminal Market for the ‘Best Sandwich in America’ and other delicious tastings.

Visiting Philadelphia

(Clockwise) Beautiful views of the Schuykill River; Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens on South Street; Benjamin Franklin Craftsman Sculpture at the Municipal Services Building

I returned to Washington to an incredibly busy week, with a few highlights discussed in this week’s blog. Early in the week, the Centre for Strategic and International Studies welcomed Costa Rican Trade Minister Anabel Gonzalez, a leading candidate to succeed Pascal Lamy as Director General of the Word Trade Organisation, who delivered an insightful keynote on the future of the WTO. I also visited the American Enterprise Institute for a book launch on the demographic crisis, titled ‘What to Expect When No One’s Expecting’ by Jonathan Last. It was disturbing to learn about the dire economic, political, and cultural implications of population decline. In particular, the author discussed how challenging policy development in this area can be, with many governments implementing ineffective and costly programs which fail to achieve the desired outcomes, and even intensifying population contractions in their economy.

 Alex and I also visited the Cato Institute for a research seminar delivered by Dr Tom Palmer on writing and communication with discussions on selected essays by George Orwell. With the State of the Union address this week, I attended a viewing party hosted by the American Enterprise Institute, and enjoyed some interesting discussions with other guests. This week, I also spent some time at the Georgetown University Law School for a symposium looking at the evolution of economic sanctions.

Lunch in Old Town Alexandria with Gregory Copley and Pamela von Gruber from the International Strategic Studies Association

Later in the week, Alex and I had the privilege of meeting with Gregory Copley and Pamela von Gruber, who lead the International Strategic Studies Association based in Alexandria, Virginia. Visiting their offices was particularly interesting as they have an incredible collection of artefacts from around the world. The week ended with an all-day professional development course at the Leadership Institute in Arlington, Virginia where I had the opportunity to learn about effective communication from a distinguished group of speakers.

Preparations for the International Students for Liberty Conference 2013 with Chelsea Albers at the Atlas offices

Over the week, Alex and I have also been assisting the Atlas staff with some of the event logistics for the International Students for Liberty Conference. I am looking forward to spending the weekend learning about liberty with fellow Mannkal Scholars.

This week was another exciting week in Washington DC. With work in the Atlas office, events throughout the week and the International Students for Liberty Conference on the weekend, I am exhausted!

One of the major topics of discussion amongst the traditional left and right is the legalisation of prohibited drugs. This week, following the recent decriminalisation of marijuana in Washington State and Colorado, the RAND Corporation held an afternoon of discussions on the topic: Developing Pubic Health Regulations for Marijuana: Lessons from Alcohol and Tobacco. The event offered the audience interesting and practical insight into potentially lifting the criminal bans across in other states across America. 

Kim and I were lucky enough to attend a class run by Dr Tom Palmer, of the Atlas Network and the Cato Institute, about the use of English in argument. This knowledge really clarified some of the previous tips I have been taught, and introduced me to some rules and examples that will definitely affect the way that I write argumentatively in future.

During the week, I also attended two events loosely based on International Aid. The first was a presentation by Pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback Church. Though a controversial figure, Mr Warren made some interesting arguments about freedom of religion, especially in the case of aid in Africa and around the world. The second event was a short lecture from Dayna Brown of USAid who spoke about listening to those receiving aid from the US and other first world countries to see if our methods are actually benefitting those in need.

Friday night, Saturday and Sunday morning saw Kim and I joined by Angus Duncan and Genevieve Mitchell, fellow Mannkal Scholars, for the International Students for Liberty Conference at the Grand Hyatt in DC. We each attended several presentations throughout the Conference, with topics ranging from Sound Money and the Welfare State to Social Media Advocacy and Gay Rights. We also sat in on a filming of ‘Stossel’, a libertarian programme host for Fox. The show consisted of interviews from people sitting all over the political scale and was incredibly entertaining to watch. Keep an eye out for it on Youtube!

Like Australians, Americans are obsessed with their football. Over here, it is the National Football League. The day of the Grand Final is known as ‘Super Bowl Sunday’, and is arguably one of the most important days of the year for Americans. To put Super Bowl festivities into perspective, it is the second largest day for food consumption in the United States, only second to Thanksgiving! Chelsea from Atlas kindly invited Alex and I to a Super Bowl party out in Virginia. With a Beyonce show at half time, clever commercials during the breaks, and a game changing power blackout, it was definitely the match to watch.

It feels like my weeks at Atlas are getting increasingly busy; with my fourth week spent traveling all over the city attending book launches, public policy conferences and accompanying Atlas President Alejandro Chafuen to a few ‘VIP’ events. 

An incredible view from inside the United States Capitol

Early in the week I attended launches for two new book releases, ‘The Great Convergence: Asia, the West, and the Logic of One World’ by Kishore Mahbubani held at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and ‘Conscious Capitalism: Liberating the Heroic Spirit of Business’ by John Mackey and Rajendra Sisodia at the Cato Institute. I was inspired by the ability for businesses to not only create wealth, but also lift people out of poverty, an idea discussed at both events.

On Tuesday, I had the opportunity to learn about the future of healthcare at a symposium hosted by the Atlantic Council in partnership with PricewaterhouseCoopers. It was particularly interesting to hear about some of the challenges faced by the healthcare system in the United States such as rising medical costs and the complexity of proposed regulation. On the following day, Alex and I attended a research seminar at the Cato Institute on critical thinking, and also visited the Embassy of France for a discussion on peace in the modern world.

Michael Theurer (centre) discussing the European Sovereign Debt Crisis with attendees at the Friedich Naumann Foundation Luncheon

On Thursday, I had the privilege of shadowing Atlas President Alejandro Chafuen which provided an interesting insight into a few of his executive responsibilities in public relations at the Atlas Economic Research Foundation. The Friedrich Naumann Foundation, a German political foundation promoting individual freedom and liberalism, hosted a sumptuous luncheon at the beautifully appointed Willard Intercontinental Hotel. The key note was delivered by Michael Theurer, a Member of the European Parliament for the Free Democratic Party, who provided an insider’s perspective on the European sovereign debt crisis.

Later in the afternoon, we battled the awful traffic to head out of the city to George Mason University located in Fairfax, Virginia. Cosponsored by the Atlas Economic Research Foundation, the event was a Lifetime Achievement Award Ceremony honouring New York University Professor Emeritus Israel M. Kirzner for his pioneering work on the theory of the entrepreneurial market process. Notable academics presented on some of his notable contributions to the field in a panel discussion.      

Professor Emeritus Israel M. Kirzner at the Lifetime Achievement Award Ceremony

The working week was capped off with a conference at the American Enterprise Institute looking at the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reforms that have brought in a wave of new regulatory requirements on all financial institutions in the United States. Hal Scott from the Harvard Law School presented his research which explored key drivers behind the 2008 financial crisis and how the restrictive regulation may not be effectively addressing such issues. Coming from a finance background, I found the event particularly interesting and enjoyed the panel discussion which broadened the discussion on policy solutions to prevent another financial crisis. 

My fourth week in Washington definitely did not disappoint. With two weeks to go, I am looking forward to further exposure to a range of interesting policy issues.

The time has flown by, and I can hardly believe that my third week at the Atlas Economic Research Foundation has wrapped up. As I get to know my colleagues at Atlas, I have been able to discern between the Australian and American cultures. For one, the coffee culture is markedly different to that of Australia, with many people in the District drinking it throughout the day as a hot beverage and it is usually weaker than what we’re used to back home…

This week I had the opportunity to complete a professional development course in communications at the Leadership Institute in Arlington, Virginia. Over three evenings, we were taught by leading public relations and communications experts on how to think with a “media mindset”. One of the highlights was learning how to craft engaging and effective messages.

Early in the week, fellow Mannkal Scholar, Alexander McVey and I headed to Capitol Hill for a Cato Institute briefing on ‘The Libertarian State of the Union’ following the status quo election. While we were there, we had some time to explore the Library of Congress, the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. The architecture is absolutely incredible!

 Visiting the Library of Congress after a Cato Institute Event at Capitol Hill

The week continued in a similar fashion with Alex and I travelling all over the District to attend a range of interesting events. I particularly enjoyed our visit to the Brookings Institution, recognised as one of the most influential think tanks in the world. The event was a panel discussion titled, ‘Reimagining a Corporation’s Purpose in the Great Recession Era and Meeting Threats to Free Enterprise’. A distinguished panel explored how the corporate world’s current focus appears to have shifted heavily toward maximising shareholder profits at the expense of long-term corporate growth. Later in the week, Alex and I enjoyed a lunch with Brad Lips, the CEO of the Atlas Economic Research Foundation.  

Intern lunch at a local bar with Atlas Economic Research Foundation CEO Brad Lips

I also had the chance to visit Georgetown University to learn about the women’s international human rights movement from a US perspective, and George Washington University for the Latin American and Hemispheric Studies Program Film Festival screening of ‘City of God’, a movie about the favelas, or slums, of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. I have been able to fit in some sight seeing with a visit to a few of the memorials at the National Mall.

The Lincoln Memorial at the National Mall

It has finally snowed here in the District! Somewhat sporadically though. The novelty of living in a real life snow globe has yet to wear off and the sight of snow fall is still worth running to the nearest window for…

The week began with a public holiday commemorating the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., and of course, the second Presidential Inauguration of Barrack Obama. To escape the hustle and bustle of the city, Chelsea from Atlas kindly offered to take me sightseeing in Old Town Alexandria, a quaint historic area in Virginia. It was great to cap off the weekend with good company shopping along the charming cobble stoned streets and enjoying tranquil views of the Potomac River.

Visiting Old Town Alexandria (Clockwise) Harbour views of the Potomac River; Shopping for antique jewellery along King Street; Fancied up home cooking at the Majestic; Charming boutique shop front with flowering cabbage

With the interesting array of events held at the Cato Institute, my visits to the Cato offices have increased this week. At one of the seminars, the Executive Vice President from the Cato Institute, David Boaz, shared his insights into the role of think tanks and their influence on American public policy. One of the key challenges in delivering effective public policy, which he explored, was the limited opportunity to assess policies once they have been implemented. This is where think tanks come in – evaluating existing policies and recommending alternative solutions to address the issues. However influencing public policy takes time and it can take decades before ineffective policies are abandoned and better ones are implemented to take its place.

During the week, I also had the opportunity to learn about some of the key public policy issues in the United States. On Tuesday, I visited the American Enterprise Institute for an interesting panel discussion on US-China international relations with a heated debate regarding the difficult policy choices which China faces. Another organisation which I visited the following day was the Americans for Tax Reform Foundation, which educates taxpayers on not only what is seen, the direct costs of taxation, but also what is not seen, the regulatory burden and expensive government programs. These visits have been particularly insightful in understanding how different think tanks operate, and their distinct public policy direction.

On Thursday evening, I visited the Embassy of Austria as part of a musical diplomacy program which celebrated the birthdays of two world renowned Austrian composers, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Franz Peter Schubert. It was fun to do something different whilst in Washington. The 4 day working week was eventful and went by very quickly, with the weekend spent shopping in Georgetown and visiting the United States Capitol Building at the National Mall.  

Week two of my internship with Atlas was even more exciting than the first! With the Superbowl on Sunday night (Go Ravens!), great events during the week, and some sightseeing thrown in as well, I am really falling for the American culture and Washington DC.

On Monday of this week, I returned to the Goethe Institute for the next instalment in their film series about democracy. The two films shown at the event covered the current economic and social situations in Greece, which raised some important questions about the actual boundaries of democratic concepts.

The Embassy of France hosted an event on Wednesday night where J. Robert Dubois, the author of the book ‘Powerful Peace: A Navy SEAL’s Lessons on Peace from a Lifetime of War’, spoke about role of the military and state-sanctioned violence between peace-driven societies, and how these lesson may be adopted in the microcosm of everyday life.

After spending the day at the 2013 Broadband Summit, hosted by the Federal Communications Commission, Kim and I spent the night at a store called ‘Ah Love Oil & Vinegar’ in Virginia, where the owner of the store had created many dishes using chocolate as a main ingredient, (both sweet and savoury!) I did love the chocolate and olive oil mouse, but the chocolate and onion dip was surprisingly my favourite.

I also attended two seminars hosted by the Cato Institute this week, one about the basics of logic and argument and the other about climate change science. The first lecture built on concepts that I have experience through participating in law student competitions, and explained the theory behind those concepts in further detail. The second lecture covered the science surrounding global warming and the different ways it can and has been interpreted. Both Jason Kuznicki and Patrick Michaels, respectively, were very knowledgeable and engaging speakers.

The week ended with Kim and I paying a visit to the International Spy Museum, which was a truly awesome experience. As a massive James Bond fan, I was particularly excited by the museum’s current James Bond Villain exhibition.

In reflection, things is DC are going very well so far and I am getting very excited for the International Students for Liberty Conference next weekend!

The Atlas Economic Research Foundation, based in Washington DC, is a non profit organisation connecting a global network of more than 400 free-market organisations in over 80 countries to the ideas and resources meeded to advance the cause of liberty.

Each year, Mannkal will select 2 students who will have the opportunity to gain practical experience by assisting Atlas in developing its Initiatives Program, which will involve compiling and distributing information to affiliated think-tanks across the Atlas Network. The student intern will also have the opportunity to assist and participate in Atlas events run over the course of their internship.

In 2013, Mannkal has sent two scholars; Kim Phan and Alex McVey.  To read more about their experiences, please see below.