Americans have always fought over the meaning of freedom and equality. What is not commonly recognized is that the battles most pivotal in defining our democracy, from the framing of the Constitution to the decades-long backlash to the civil rights movement, hinged on one issue: taxes. In her new book, “The Price of Democracy: The Revolutionary Power of Taxation in American History,” Brookings Senior Fellow Vanessa S. Williamson challenges the myth that Americans are instinctively anti-tax, revealing that fights over taxes have always been proxies for deeper conflicts over who is included in “We the People.”
On November 20, join Governance Studies at Brookings for a discussion with Vanessa Williamson and former IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel about the book and the future of taxation and democracy in America. This event will be open to attend in person or watch online. Online viewers can submit questions via e-mail to [email protected] or via Twitter/X using #PriceofDemocracy.
Agenda
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November 20
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Introduction
William G. Gale The Arjay and Frances Fearing Miller Chair in Federal Economic Policy, Senior Fellow - Economic Studies, Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center -
Discussion
Danny Werfel Executive in Residence - Johns Hopkins School of Government and Policy Distinguished Fellow - Sanford School of Public Policy, Duke University
Vanessa Williamson Senior Fellow - Governance Studies, Senior Fellow - Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center @vanessawilliamson.bsky.social
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