Eric Giannella
@giannella.bsky.social
Associate Research Professor at Georgetown Better Gov Lab & Massive Data Institute: 1) Evidence-based implementation for safety net programs 2) Open source tools for data sharing in public services. Founded and led Data Science team at Code for America.
Reposted by Eric Giannella
Trump eliminated the USDS, replacing it with DOGE. The model of feds helping states upgrade capacity to reduce burdens does not work when the feds *want* to increase burdens.
Vendors will charge states a lot and underperform.
So what should states do?
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/how-a-van-...
Vendors will charge states a lot and underperform.
So what should states do?
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/how-a-van-...
November 10, 2025 at 4:03 PM
Trump eliminated the USDS, replacing it with DOGE. The model of feds helping states upgrade capacity to reduce burdens does not work when the feds *want* to increase burdens.
Vendors will charge states a lot and underperform.
So what should states do?
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/how-a-van-...
Vendors will charge states a lot and underperform.
So what should states do?
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/how-a-van-...
Reposted by Eric Giannella
New at Can We Still Govern? New Medicaid work requirements will see an estimated 5 million lose coverage.
Small investments in in-house tech capacity could allow states to start preparing now to expand automatic renewal of clients. Here is the evidence 🧵
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/how-a-van-...
Small investments in in-house tech capacity could allow states to start preparing now to expand automatic renewal of clients. Here is the evidence 🧵
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/how-a-van-...
Lessons from Pandemic Era Medicaid Automation for Work Requirements
Small tech capacity investments offer big returns
donmoynihan.substack.com
November 10, 2025 at 2:22 PM
New at Can We Still Govern? New Medicaid work requirements will see an estimated 5 million lose coverage.
Small investments in in-house tech capacity could allow states to start preparing now to expand automatic renewal of clients. Here is the evidence 🧵
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/how-a-van-...
Small investments in in-house tech capacity could allow states to start preparing now to expand automatic renewal of clients. Here is the evidence 🧵
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/how-a-van-...
Reposted by Eric Giannella
This is not the first time we've seen federal agents direct chemical agents indiscriminately at members of the public in Chicago. Not at people attacking them or even protestors, just people going on with their day.
bsky.app/profile/roya...
bsky.app/profile/roya...
Here’s video of federal agents doing a drive by pepper spraying that hit a father and his one-year old on Saturday when the Feds were hitting Little Village and Cicero
November 10, 2025 at 4:04 AM
This is not the first time we've seen federal agents direct chemical agents indiscriminately at members of the public in Chicago. Not at people attacking them or even protestors, just people going on with their day.
bsky.app/profile/roya...
bsky.app/profile/roya...
Reposted by Eric Giannella
Rule of law exemplified. Reagan appointed federal Judge who has resigned because President Donald Trump is using the law for partisan purposes, targeting his adversaries while sparing his friends and donors from investigation, prosecution, and possible punishment
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
Why I Am Resigning
A federal judge explains his reasoning for leaving the bench.
www.theatlantic.com
November 10, 2025 at 4:10 AM
Rule of law exemplified. Reagan appointed federal Judge who has resigned because President Donald Trump is using the law for partisan purposes, targeting his adversaries while sparing his friends and donors from investigation, prosecution, and possible punishment
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
Reposted by Eric Giannella
Something deeply fucked up when you can blindly break basic state functions and condemn millions to death and then people make you the richest man in the world instead of a pariah
November 7, 2025 at 12:43 PM
Something deeply fucked up when you can blindly break basic state functions and condemn millions to death and then people make you the richest man in the world instead of a pariah
Reposted by Eric Giannella
The elimination of USAID was an unforgivable moral atrocity that should haunt Trump, Elon Musk and Marco Rubio for the rest of their days and beyond
One analytical model shows that, as of November 5th, the dismantling of U.S.A.I.D. has already caused the deaths of 600,000 people, two-thirds of them children. https://newyorkermag.visitlink.me/jUzNSc
The Shutdown of U.S.A.I.D. Has Already Killed Hundreds of Thousands
The short documentary “Rovina’s Choice” tells the story of what goes when aid goes.
newyorkermag.visitlink.me
November 7, 2025 at 2:36 AM
The elimination of USAID was an unforgivable moral atrocity that should haunt Trump, Elon Musk and Marco Rubio for the rest of their days and beyond
Reposted by Eric Giannella
Cells inside the facility are being operated significantly above capacity, with people so crammed into cells that even extending your legs isn't possible and people have to sleep on the floor crammed in like sardines.
Here's one of many testimonies about the overcrowding.
Here's one of many testimonies about the overcrowding.
November 4, 2025 at 10:35 PM
Cells inside the facility are being operated significantly above capacity, with people so crammed into cells that even extending your legs isn't possible and people have to sleep on the floor crammed in like sardines.
Here's one of many testimonies about the overcrowding.
Here's one of many testimonies about the overcrowding.
Reposted by Eric Giannella
Basically going about as well as progressives/Democrats could possibly hope.
What we know so far, 9:30pm
—Dems flip VA-Gov & VA-LG.
—BIG Dem gains in VA House
—Dems win NJ-Gov
—Mamdani up
—Dems seem to flip 2 statewide offices in GA
—JD Vance's half-brother loses in Cincy.
—Dems sweep Orlando council
—PA: Dem justices up big
—Maine anti-mail vote measure down
—Krasner wins
—Dems flip VA-Gov & VA-LG.
—BIG Dem gains in VA House
—Dems win NJ-Gov
—Mamdani up
—Dems seem to flip 2 statewide offices in GA
—JD Vance's half-brother loses in Cincy.
—Dems sweep Orlando council
—PA: Dem justices up big
—Maine anti-mail vote measure down
—Krasner wins
November 5, 2025 at 2:42 AM
Basically going about as well as progressives/Democrats could possibly hope.
Reposted by Eric Giannella
Cool new study from @pamherd.bsky.social, @giannella.bsky.social, @jbarofsky.bsky.social, @lukef.bsky.social, & @donmoyn.bsky.social finds technical assistance & capacity improvements from USDS significantly improved Medicaid renewal outcomes during unwinding
www.healthaffairs.org/doi/10.1377/...
www.healthaffairs.org/doi/10.1377/...
November 4, 2025 at 1:48 PM
Cool new study from @pamherd.bsky.social, @giannella.bsky.social, @jbarofsky.bsky.social, @lukef.bsky.social, & @donmoyn.bsky.social finds technical assistance & capacity improvements from USDS significantly improved Medicaid renewal outcomes during unwinding
www.healthaffairs.org/doi/10.1377/...
www.healthaffairs.org/doi/10.1377/...
Reposted by Eric Giannella
Reposted by Eric Giannella
Here is our Exxon study in Science, with @naomioreskes.bsky.social and @geoffreysupran.bsky.social !
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Assessing ExxonMobil’s global warming projections
ExxonMobil’s own climate models showed that fossil fuel use would cause climate warming.
www.science.org
November 3, 2025 at 3:34 PM
Here is our Exxon study in Science, with @naomioreskes.bsky.social and @geoffreysupran.bsky.social !
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by Eric Giannella
I sincerely believe that you cannot square representative governance with current techno-authoritarian infrastructure. If a politician isn’t sufficiently afraid of *that*, then they are the enemy. Simple litmus test. Build people power around state campaign finance reform & regulate tech ASAP.
If there's a way to tie this to getting people off the Internet (I know where we are right now) for a little bit and having a genuine community experience, I think it should be tried. I genuinely think we have to find a way to fix social media interaction.
November 3, 2025 at 3:03 AM
I sincerely believe that you cannot square representative governance with current techno-authoritarian infrastructure. If a politician isn’t sufficiently afraid of *that*, then they are the enemy. Simple litmus test. Build people power around state campaign finance reform & regulate tech ASAP.
Reposted by Eric Giannella
Trump is holding a Great Gatsby/Roaring 20s-themed party at his private club in Palm Beach tonight as he tries to withhold SNAP and health care subsidies from millions of Americans. (via Kellie Meyer)
November 1, 2025 at 2:50 AM
Trump is holding a Great Gatsby/Roaring 20s-themed party at his private club in Palm Beach tonight as he tries to withhold SNAP and health care subsidies from millions of Americans. (via Kellie Meyer)
Reposted by Eric Giannella
Video taken by Jay Shefsky at 12:20 p.m. after the crash happened, Oakton Street/Asbury Avenue in Evanston, IL
October 31, 2025 at 6:45 PM
Video taken by Jay Shefsky at 12:20 p.m. after the crash happened, Oakton Street/Asbury Avenue in Evanston, IL
Reposted by Eric Giannella
Don't talk about it much on here, but I co-direct a research lab, and here is an update of what we are up to.
cc @sebjilke.bsky.social @pamherd.bsky.social @giannella.bsky.social @jbarofsky.bsky.social @jaeyeonkim.bsky.social
bettergovernmentlab.org/so/c6PeDbgsR...
cc @sebjilke.bsky.social @pamherd.bsky.social @giannella.bsky.social @jbarofsky.bsky.social @jaeyeonkim.bsky.social
bettergovernmentlab.org/so/c6PeDbgsR...
October Newsletter
The Better Government Lab (BGL) monthly newsletter keeps you up-to-date with the latest research, conversations, and news from the world of civic tech, state capacity, and public policy. Comments or q...
bettergovernmentlab.org
October 31, 2025 at 7:48 PM
Don't talk about it much on here, but I co-direct a research lab, and here is an update of what we are up to.
cc @sebjilke.bsky.social @pamherd.bsky.social @giannella.bsky.social @jbarofsky.bsky.social @jaeyeonkim.bsky.social
bettergovernmentlab.org/so/c6PeDbgsR...
cc @sebjilke.bsky.social @pamherd.bsky.social @giannella.bsky.social @jbarofsky.bsky.social @jaeyeonkim.bsky.social
bettergovernmentlab.org/so/c6PeDbgsR...
Reposted by Eric Giannella
More than 1800 detainees are missing after the closure of Alligator Alcatraz. Their families and lawyers can’t find them and they’ve vanished from the ICE database. Feels like this should be a much bigger story www.miamiherald.com/news/local/i...
Hundreds of Alligator Alcatraz detainees drop off the grid after leaving site
As of the end of August, the whereabouts of two-thirds of more than 1,800 men detained at Alligator Alcatraz during the month of July could not be determined by the Miami Herald.
www.miamiherald.com
September 23, 2025 at 5:39 PM
More than 1800 detainees are missing after the closure of Alligator Alcatraz. Their families and lawyers can’t find them and they’ve vanished from the ICE database. Feels like this should be a much bigger story www.miamiherald.com/news/local/i...
Reposted by Eric Giannella
In Durango, Colorado, ICE officers engaged in tear gas, pepper spray, and physical assault against protestors after abducting and allegedly disappearing a father and two children from a local school.
October 29, 2025 at 4:54 PM
In Durango, Colorado, ICE officers engaged in tear gas, pepper spray, and physical assault against protestors after abducting and allegedly disappearing a father and two children from a local school.
Reposted by Eric Giannella
In Durango, Colorado, ICE GOONS violently assaulted an elderly woman during a peaceful protest. They stole her phone, grabbed her by the hair, and threw her down a hill.
October 29, 2025 at 7:24 PM
In Durango, Colorado, ICE GOONS violently assaulted an elderly woman during a peaceful protest. They stole her phone, grabbed her by the hair, and threw her down a hill.
Reposted by Eric Giannella
WOW! The Washington Post obtained the rest of the body cam footage showing that the drunk-driving ICE agent promised to check if the arresting officer's partner was Haitian. "I’m going to run some checks when I get back." He added that he would have him deported if "not legit."
October 29, 2025 at 8:55 PM
WOW! The Washington Post obtained the rest of the body cam footage showing that the drunk-driving ICE agent promised to check if the arresting officer's partner was Haitian. "I’m going to run some checks when I get back." He added that he would have him deported if "not legit."
Reposted by Eric Giannella
A warning from an anonymous DOD employee about how China could seize on the dangerous precedents Trump is creating www.defensenews.com/opinion/2025...
October 29, 2025 at 2:04 AM
A warning from an anonymous DOD employee about how China could seize on the dangerous precedents Trump is creating www.defensenews.com/opinion/2025...
Reposted by Eric Giannella
The University of Michigan has turned out odious right-wing bozos like Ben Carson, Tom Price, and Jeremy Peters but I don't remember any New York Times articles wondering if the school is indoctrinating students because the NYT only pretends that's a thing when it suits their agenda.
October 29, 2025 at 1:02 AM
The University of Michigan has turned out odious right-wing bozos like Ben Carson, Tom Price, and Jeremy Peters but I don't remember any New York Times articles wondering if the school is indoctrinating students because the NYT only pretends that's a thing when it suits their agenda.
Reposted by Eric Giannella
Thank you Will Bunch
The Founders knew Congress - especially the House - was the backbone of U.S. democracy. It should be a huge story that Mike Johnson, serving Trump, has all but shut it down
From the Reichstag Fire to Putin's toothless Duma, this is what dictators do. My new column www.inquirer.com/columnists/a...
From the Reichstag Fire to Putin's toothless Duma, this is what dictators do. My new column www.inquirer.com/columnists/a...
It didn’t take a Reichstag Fire to burn down Congress | Will Bunch Newsletter
Plus, what’s troubling about Maine’s Nazi tattoo flap.
www.inquirer.com
October 28, 2025 at 11:53 PM
Thank you Will Bunch
Reposted by Eric Giannella
FOOD BANK DIRECTOR: “For every meal a food bank provides, the SNAP program provides 9. There’s no way we can meet that gap. We were not built to do this.”
(@TNDemocrats are imploring @GovBillLee to fund SNAP with the billions in reserves as other states are, but he refuses)
(@TNDemocrats are imploring @GovBillLee to fund SNAP with the billions in reserves as other states are, but he refuses)
October 29, 2025 at 2:29 AM
FOOD BANK DIRECTOR: “For every meal a food bank provides, the SNAP program provides 9. There’s no way we can meet that gap. We were not built to do this.”
(@TNDemocrats are imploring @GovBillLee to fund SNAP with the billions in reserves as other states are, but he refuses)
(@TNDemocrats are imploring @GovBillLee to fund SNAP with the billions in reserves as other states are, but he refuses)
Reposted by Eric Giannella
You cannot crowdsource 8 billion dollars to make up for the loss of SNAP in November.
Or you could, through your taxes, if the law were being followed.
It is unlawful for the Trump Administration to leave the SNAP contingency fund untapped.
Or you could, through your taxes, if the law were being followed.
It is unlawful for the Trump Administration to leave the SNAP contingency fund untapped.
October 26, 2025 at 6:14 PM
You cannot crowdsource 8 billion dollars to make up for the loss of SNAP in November.
Or you could, through your taxes, if the law were being followed.
It is unlawful for the Trump Administration to leave the SNAP contingency fund untapped.
Or you could, through your taxes, if the law were being followed.
It is unlawful for the Trump Administration to leave the SNAP contingency fund untapped.
Reposted by Eric Giannella
The Trump Action Tracker has an update!
Main change is to break down the five authoritarian domains into ten - this allows for easier understanding of why actions have been logged and more tools for searching / filtering the now 1621 actions.
www.trumpactiontracker.info?
1/2
Main change is to break down the five authoritarian domains into ten - this allows for easier understanding of why actions have been logged and more tools for searching / filtering the now 1621 actions.
www.trumpactiontracker.info?
1/2
October 26, 2025 at 10:55 AM
The Trump Action Tracker has an update!
Main change is to break down the five authoritarian domains into ten - this allows for easier understanding of why actions have been logged and more tools for searching / filtering the now 1621 actions.
www.trumpactiontracker.info?
1/2
Main change is to break down the five authoritarian domains into ten - this allows for easier understanding of why actions have been logged and more tools for searching / filtering the now 1621 actions.
www.trumpactiontracker.info?
1/2