Vanessa Williamson
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vanessawilliamson.bsky.social
Vanessa Williamson
@vanessawilliamson.bsky.social
3K followers 980 following 250 posts
Author of "The Price of Democracy: The Revolutionary Power of Taxation in American History." Senior Fellow, Brookings Institution & Tax Policy Center.
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vanessawilliamson.bsky.social
Hey Chicago! I have a book event coming up at Seminary Co-Op bookstore on December 6th! I am thrilled to be joined by legal scholar Aziz Huq. Come say hello!

"The Price of Democracy"
Seminary Co-op
5751 S. Woodlawn Ave
Saturday, December 6th at 3pm

www.semcoop.com/event/vaness...
Picture of "The Price of Democracy." From the framing of the Constitution to the decades-long backlash to the civil rights movement, the battles most pivotal in defining our democracy have hinged on one issue: taxes. "Taxes are not just the lifeblood of government. They are the wellspring of democracy. That is the revelatory message of Vanessa Williamson's propulsive, panoramic history." --- Jacob Hacker. "I love this book... The Price of Democracy makes a convincing case that we must take back the power of taxation to restore our democracy." -- Heather Cox Richardson
November 24, 2025 at 6:19 PM
vanessawilliamson.bsky.social
🚨 BIG WIN in Center for Taxpayer Rights v. IRS!! 🚨 Court just issued a stay on IRS data sharing cooperation with ICE.
November 21, 2025 at 9:21 PM
vanessawilliamson.bsky.social
📣IN DC this MONDAY!📣Come here me speak about my new book, "The Price of Democracy" with the brilliant @dorianwarren.bsky.social !!

Politics and Prose
@politicsprose.bsky.social

5015 Connecticut Ave NW
Monday, November 17th
7pm
Politics and Prose Presents Vanessa S. Williamson with Dorian Warren. The Price of Democracy: The Revolutionary Power of Taxation in American History. Monday November 17th. Connecticut Ave.
November 15, 2025 at 3:16 PM
vanessawilliamson.bsky.social
The full speech is in the Texas newspaper archives! I have a plan to get a full text, annotated version online soon.

Meanwhile, here's the relevant section from the book. I'm really glad it sparked a good conversation.
Page from The Price of Democracy Description of Matthew Gaines's speech Picture of Matthew Gaines
November 14, 2025 at 12:53 PM
vanessawilliamson.bsky.social
Look, Cyclone Davis was a fascinating figure in Populist politics and the reason I was photocopying the picture of his cat in his memoir is... Ok maybe you have a point, but here's the cat and I think that speaks for itself
Page of Cyclone Davis memoir with cat picture captioned "This is a cat" Cover of Cyclone Davis memoir
November 11, 2025 at 9:33 PM
vanessawilliamson.bsky.social
Ok but GUYS MY BOOK IS ACTUALLY OUT TODAY

YOU CAN GO AND GET A COPY AND READ IT AND EVERYTHING

www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/vanes...
Picture of "The Price of Democracy" From the framing of the constitution to the decades-long backlash to the Civil Rights movement, the battles most pivotal in defining our democracy have hinged on one issue: taxes. "Taxes are not just the lifeblood of government. They are the wellspring of democracy. That is the revelatory message of Vanessa Williamson's propulsive, panoramic history." -- Jacob S. Hacker "I love this book... The Price of Democracy makes a convincing case that we must take back the power of taxation to restore our democracy." -- Heather Cox Richardson
November 11, 2025 at 7:58 PM
vanessawilliamson.bsky.social
New from me today! An article at @lpeblog.bsky.social, about Trump's tariffs, Magna Carta, and why opponents of democracy always try to undermine the tax system.

lpeproject.org/blog/the-lon...

Also, I got to write this one sentence:
Selection from article on taxation and democracy with the highlighted phrase, "Penguins aside, the implications of this agenda could hardly be more serious."
November 10, 2025 at 3:53 PM
vanessawilliamson.bsky.social
Here's the relevant backstory (from my new book, out Monday!).

Buy a copy and you, too, can make extremely niche tax jokes!

www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/vanes...
November 5, 2025 at 10:52 PM
vanessawilliamson.bsky.social
DC FRIENDS: I'll be at Politics and Prose on Nov. 17th to talk about my new book, The Price of Democracy! Thrilled to be joined by @dorianwarren.bsky.social for the conversation.

5015 Conn Ave
Monday, Nov 17th
7pm
politics-prose.com/vanessa-will...

Come talk 😍taxation and democracy😍!
Image reading "Politics and Prose presents The Price of Democracy. Vanessa Williamson with Dorian Warren. Monday November 17. Connecticut Ave.
October 28, 2025 at 1:43 PM
vanessawilliamson.bsky.social
This is the tradition that Americans drew upon in our fight for independence and against monarchy. Here’s a cartoon by Paul Revere. The American colonies are fighting to save Magna Carta from the dragon Tyrant.
Detail from a cartoon by Paul Revere showing the American colonies fighting to rescue Magna Carta from the Dragon Tyrant.
October 25, 2025 at 9:57 PM
vanessawilliamson.bsky.social
DC today #nokings
October 18, 2025 at 8:22 PM
vanessawilliamson.bsky.social
Today is my birthday and look what came in the mail... my first-ever copies of my new book!

Thank you to @hcrichardson.bsky.social Theda Skocpol @jacobhacker.bsky.social @gabrielzucman.bsky.social and Robin Einhorn for their kind words!
October 16, 2025 at 4:35 PM
vanessawilliamson.bsky.social
Are you a recent IRS civil servant? I would like to interview you!

Details below, including my contact info -- or reach out via Bsky!
Vanessa Williamson, Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution and at the Tax Policy Center, is leading a research project conducting confidential interviews with recent IRS civil servants. The purpose is to create a historical record of first-hand accounts of changes occurring at the Internal Revenue Service in 2025-2026, to gather insights into what impacts to expect from these changes in the next tax season and in years to come, and to preserve the institutional memory that will support federal tax administration in the future. Recent IRS civil servants at all levels and in all areas of work are encouraged to participate. If you are interested in participating in an interview or would like to learn more about the project, please contact Vanessa Williamson. (Email: vwilliamson@brookings.edu; Signal: VanessaWilliamson.50)
September 19, 2025 at 1:54 PM
vanessawilliamson.bsky.social
"The goal of the federal surge seems to be not to make the capital safe but to let its residents know they should be afraid."
"The goal of the federal surge seems to be not to make the capital safe but to let its residents know they should be afraid."
September 15, 2025 at 9:08 PM
vanessawilliamson.bsky.social
Even in DC, many people may not be seeing this because the activity is so localized.

Here is a map via the (absolutely essential) @51st.news : 51st.news/dc-police-wo...
Map of Washington DC marking verified videos of federal agent encounters.
September 11, 2025 at 1:18 PM
vanessawilliamson.bsky.social
I am thinking about this thanks to this great new article from Elizabeth Clemens, "Cold War Governance":

www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
Selection from "Cold War Governance"
September 5, 2025 at 2:40 PM
vanessawilliamson.bsky.social
I knew about these signs but this was my first time seeing one.

To be so afraid of the past that you demand a fairy tale is pathetic. For the state to do so is grim.
August 30, 2025 at 9:35 PM
vanessawilliamson.bsky.social
Hilarious: if you say you prefer the public option, you get a push poll follow up:
Survey question: If you had the option of choosing a free online tax preparation program that has all the features you need, which one of the following would be most likely to use? Option selected: A program paid for and operated by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) While a program operated by the IRS is free to you, setting up and running the program is expected to have an initial cost to the federal government of at least $10-20 per return processed. Knowing this information, which of the following statements applies to you?
August 22, 2025 at 2:18 PM
vanessawilliamson.bsky.social
Visited NMAAHC today. Here is how Boston's black community answered the Fugitive Slave Act:

"...believing that resistance to tyrants is obedience to God, we are now resolved, to organize a League of Freedom, composed of all who are ready to resist this law, rescue and protect the slave..."
Declaration of Sentiments of the Colored Citizens of Boston on the Fugitive Slave Bill Partial text of declaration of sentiments
August 17, 2025 at 8:32 PM
vanessawilliamson.bsky.social
Mount Pleasant has a new sign. Actually, a lot of new signs.
Sign reading "No Deportations in Mt Pleasant. No a la migra." Sign reading "What is this serving? Who are you protecting? Refuse to oppress your neighbors. Quit your job." Sign reading "You have the right to refuse to remain silent. Put your privilege to work." Sign reading, "Surveil them back."
August 16, 2025 at 3:30 PM
vanessawilliamson.bsky.social
Several key positions have seen repeated turnover. Most prominent, of course, is the IRS Commissioner, a five-year position that has been held by seven people in seven months. (That is, somewhat obviously, totally unprecedented.)
Number of IRS commissioners per year, 1861 to 2025. Prior to 2025, the maximum was 4, in 1883. No other year has seen more than three.
August 12, 2025 at 9:48 PM
vanessawilliamson.bsky.social
New from me at @brookings.edu:

Unprecedented, dangerous turnover at IRS: Of 31 top positions, 15 have turned over since January, 2 have been placed on leave, 2 are vacant and 3 are slated for elimination.

www.brookings.edu/articles/the...
Organizational chart of the IRS noting turnover, vacancies, staff placed on leave and positions eliminated.
August 12, 2025 at 9:44 PM
vanessawilliamson.bsky.social
“The Existing Conflict Between Republican Government and Southern Oligarchy” details the crimes of the Ku Klux Klan and concludes with a demand for a renewed federal defense of equal rights and free elections:
If freedom for the negro is not right, then nothing is right. If giving him the equal protection of the laws is not just, then the scales of justice are broken and thrown aside. If giving him the ballot was wrong, then the boasted principle that governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed is a myth and a dream. If the United States Government possesses no power to correct these evils, or if, possessing the power, it refuses to exercise it, then is our system of free government for the protection of the rights of these people a failure. There can be no backward step by the American people upon this issue. They have advanced to the position of putting into the laws, Freedom, Equal Rights, and the Ballot for all men, irrespective of color. And they will yet move forward to that more lofty and sublime position of requiring the observance and enforcement of those laws. "To this complexion must we come at last," that from Ocean to Ocean, from the Lakes to the Gulf, every citizen shall be protected --- by the States if they will, by the Nation if it must --- in the rights of free assemblage, free speech, free press, free ballot, and an honest count, and that minorities shall peacefully submit to the result of elections.
August 11, 2025 at 6:30 PM
vanessawilliamson.bsky.social
What are the chances I spend this spring explaining why it's a problem that Americans are receiving tax refunds that are just the word "bluebberry"
AI boom will make up for IRS workforce cuts, Treasury secretary says AI generated image of presidents "Goorge Bush" and "Baruck Obama"
August 9, 2025 at 11:46 AM
vanessawilliamson.bsky.social
Here's a preview:
August 8, 2025 at 7:16 PM