Designed as an "old time restaurant", the Indian Queen Room at Historic Strawberry Mansion contains a number of original pieces from Philadelphia's historic Indian Queen Tavern, which housed five delegates to the 1787 Constitutional Convention! Learn more: historicstrawberrymansion.org

Unpopular opinion but true. Current transparency rules mainly create friction to good government while doing little to prevent actual graft or corruption.

This is 100% true. You would be shocked by how much FOIA is a practical barrier to getting things done within state and federal government agencies. There is such a thing as too much transparency, and in many ways America is well over that line.

Congress is as weak as you think it is.

The House GOP passed a bill this week to update the CHIPS Act, bucking Trump’s call for repeal. And a clean energy initiative, the type he’s has called a “green new scam.” And one boosting education research, which he’s tried to slash. “Secret Congress” not looking very Trumpy

t o r i 🩷 Congress can repeal the IEEPA and assorted other trade acts tomorrow, which would take away Trump's authority.

Giving presidents the power to raise tariffs on a whim was madness. CONGRESS: "But we didn't! The 1977 law only allows it if there's a national emergency and an extraordinary foreign threat to the US!" Who decides if it's a national emergency? CONGRESS: "The president." 🤷‍♂️

Sarah Binder Sarah Binder does not study secrecy. She focuses on gridlock. And the difference is crucial. Here she uses (often flimsy) gridlock data to attack the notion of a "secret Congress," relying entirely on numbers originally generated to measure gridlock. This thread of hers

Fareed Zakaria Wow, Robert Kagan has come a long way. In 2003, Kagan wrote what might have been the longest book review on record: "The Ungreat Washed: Why democracy must remain America's Goal abroad" It was a scathing - yet beautifully written, 10,000 word take down of Fareed Zakaria's

Fareed Zakaria The cover of The New Republic (July 7th & 14th 2003) boasts a different title, but still featuring Kagan's unfettered embrace of democracy - despite the populistic tendencies. "Idealism without apologies" - "Why There's No Such Thing as Too Much Democracy." Contrast this

I want to do a good faith version of Stoller’s tweet. Abundance folks should follow Darling’s lead and really lean into fighting Medicaid work requirements. It fits nicely into the frame of fetishization of proceduralism over outcomes.

BREAKING: DENMARK REPEALS 1985 BAN ON NUCLEAR ENERGY The vote came and went in a matter of moments, with a murmer of astonishment across the gathered representatives. 71 for, 34 against Nuclear will now be explored by the Danish state. Incredible to be here for this.

Mexico is about to become the only country to elect every one of its judges by popular vote. This is a terrible idea for justice, democracy and the economy econ.st/437Ttc0

After I did this, they amended the rules so I can’t do it anymore. 😂 👎

James Madison, heralded for no good reason by the pro-transparency crowd, was an advocate and practitioner of legislative secrecy. He and the others at the constitutional convention worked hard to strengthen the secrecy clause of the Connstitution (Article I, Section V)

Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence in the Indian Queen Tavern. The U.S. was born in a bar! Happy #IndependenceDay

The Indian Queen Tavern,Philadelphia where the Constitution was debated and detail written. teachingamericanhistory.org/static/convent…