We are partisans for democracy
What does it mean to be a partisan for democracy? We don’t take sides on the political spectrum, but we do defend the rights everyone has as a democratic citizen — from voting to protesting to consuming information from a free press that serves as a check on political leaders.
The McCourtney Institute for Democracy draws from the humanities and social sciences to examine democracy from multiple angles. This cross-discipline collaboration is evident in our research, education, and outreach efforts.
We educate the next generation of democratic citizens through our Nevins Fellows program, monitor attitudes toward democracy with the Mood of the Nation poll, and host speakers and events that bring people from diverse backgrounds and points of view together to discuss the role of democracy in our society.
We make all of this happen in partnership with our centers of excellence, the Center for American Political Responsiveness and the Center for Democratic Deliberation, and many other organizations throughout the College of the Liberal Arts and the broader Penn State community.
Stay Informed:
Democracy Works Podcast
Our guest this week argues that you can’t talk about the history of democracy in America without talking about the history of taxation in America. After listening to this interview, we agree and we think you will, too.
Vanessa Williamson is a senior fellow in Governance Studies at Brookings, and a senior fellow at the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center. She studies taxation and democracy in America. Her most recent book,The Price of Democracy, reveals the revolutionary power of taxation in American history. She is also the author of Read My Lips: Why Americans Are Proud to Pay Taxes, and with Harvard professor Theda Skocpol, “The Tea Party and the Remaking of Republican Conservatism.
We discuss the origins of the anti-tax movement in America and why the story commonly told about the Boston Tea Party is wrong. Williamson also shares some of her work interviewing current and former IRS employees and how the agency can be revitalized to ensure that Americans can pay their taxes easily and fairly.
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