Merici
@merici.bsky.social
there’s no rule that says you can’t rewrite all the rules Currently: Fellow. Ex: US Digital Service, CFPB, Ideo. co-founder Ada’s List DC via London, Boulder, and the Sandhills of Nebraska Direct File fan account
We hacked ourselves into government. We never fixed the machine. New piece out today on what civic tech got right, wrong, and what comes next with @donmoyn.bsky.social donmoynihan.substack.com/p/what-did-civic-tech-learn-over-the
What Did Civic Tech Learn in the Last Decade?
Some Insights About How to Use Tech in Government – and What Comes Next
donmoynihan.substack.com
Ambitious change is possible. We have brilliant ideas, a passionate movement, and the energy needed to pull digital services forward into a more impactful, more confident future. Now’s the time to get started. @merici.bsky.social ✍️ @donmoyn.bsky.social donmoynihan.substack.com/p/what-did-c...
What Did Civic Tech Learn in the Last Decade?
Some Insights About How to Use Tech in Government – and What Comes Next
donmoynihan.substack.com
We spoke to over one hundred digital government practitioners across the country. What we learned is when you get knocked down (or have your best products dismantled, RIP Direct File), you have to get up again, and get up stronger, with a theory of change, and the right team.
What Did Civic Tech Learn in the Last Decade?
Some Insights About How to Use Tech in Government – and What Comes Next
donmoynihan.substack.com
What a great evening on ‘Money and taxes’ at @digitalservice.bund.de last night. Our 3 speakers, @merici.bsky.social, Manuel Großmann from Taxfix, and Sonja Wilczek from @digitalservice.bund.de co-delivered a broader view on how governments can deliver better tax services that work for users.
A reminder 🔔 Tomorrow, 2 June, we are running our 13th public sector innovation meetup on ‘Money + taxes’. 💶 We’ll hear from 3 great speakers: @merici.bsky.social, formerly with the USDS, Manuel Großmann from Taxfix, and Sonja Wilczek from @digitalservice.bund.de Join us from 6pm:
Meetup #13 — Money + taxes, Tue, Jun 2, 2026, 6:00 PM | Meetup
The state deals with a lot of money. People and organisations need to declare, file, and pay taxes or receive returns if they overpaid the state. Tax contributions amount t
meetup.com
I put @rthonwesstreeting.bsky.social’s resignation speech in to an AI checker and here are the results
It’s tax day! In addition to the loss of truly free tax filing with Direct File, many taxpayers are facing additional fees when filing. Forced upgrades to save your data. Upsells for state filing. Processing fees to actually pay your bill. I paid a $29.30 fee just to file in Nebraska.
The problem with sacred cows isn't that they existed – it's that they have taken on new life as facts, even as the world changes around them. @merici.bsky.social takes on the sacred cows of digital government delivery, and what we can win if we put them out to pasture. fas.org/publication/...
What Did We Stop Questioning in Digital Government Delivery?
Let’s see what rules we can rewrite and beliefs we can reset: a few digital service sacred cows are long overdue to be put out to pasture.
fas.org
Polls released in the wake of the US President and Vice President showing their support for Viktor Orban tell quite the story...
Hungary Election: Orban falls FURTHER behind in polls after Trump, Vance endorsements
Polls released in the wake of the US President and Vice President showing their support for Viktor Orban tell quite the story...
thelondoneconomic.com
‼️ NEW Trump tells MS NOW he didn’t know anything about Melania’s statement beforehand
Julianne McShane@juliannemcshane.bsky.social · 4mo agoMelania Trump denies all but ‘casual’ ties to Epstein and Maxwell in comments that one White House official told @ms.now caught many WH staffers off guard:
It’s tax season and Direct File is dead. I went on the Killswitch podcast with @dexdigi.bsky.social to talk about what we built, who killed it, and why I’m certain it’ll make a comeback.
Merici Vinton led the team who created Direct File: a free, easy-to-use service that let you file your taxes without being upsold or having your data sent to Facebook. So who wanted it gone? full episode in the profile.
“This tax season, as you wade through the absurdly expensive and complicated process of filing income taxes, remember to thank the Trump administration” for killing the Direct File program, Binyamin Appelbaum writes.
Opinion | Why This Tax Day Is Even Harder and More Annoying Than Usual
Tax preparation companies and Republicans are pursuing their shared interest in torturing taxpayers
nyti.ms
"Filing taxes should be really easy and completely free. It is in most other developed countries. In 2024, the Biden administration debuted a program called Direct File to make tax filing easy and free for most American taxpayers, too. President Trump killed it." www.nytimes.com/2026/04/04/o...
Opinion | Trump Killed the One Thing That Made Filing Taxes Easier
nytimes.com
"Filing taxes should be really easy and completely free. It is in most other developed countries. And in 2024, the Biden administration debuted a pilot program called Direct File that could have made tax filing easy and free for most American taxpayers, too. President Trump killed it."
Merici@merici.bsky.social · 4mo agoTrump Killed the One Thing That Made Filing Taxes Easier www.nytimes.com/2026/04/04/o...
Trump Killed the One Thing That Made Filing Taxes Easier www.nytimes.com/2026/04/04/o...
Opinion | Trump Killed the One Thing That Made Filing Taxes Easier
nytimes.com
Very notable that the pincers have been closing in on Bondi’s subpoena to testify behind closed doors, a real deposition on the Epstein files. Deadline in two weeks. Her role in stalling and covering up ran out of runway and he had to just pull the plug. Seems to me she can still testify though. 👀
Kyle Griffin@kylegriffin1.bsky.social · 4mo agoNew reporting on MS NOW: Trump has told Pam Bondi she will soon be removed from her position.
Of course Trump thinks Americans benefit from high gas prices, his administration is filled with them! Our Julian Scoffield reveals who Trump is referring to in his claim that “when oil prices go up, we make a lot of money."
"Top Trump officials acknowledged to lawmakers during recent classified briefings that they did not plan for the possibility of Iran closing the strait in response to strikes, according to three sources familiar with the closed-door session." How is this real life? AYFKM
Trump administration underestimated Iran war’s impact on Strait of Hormuz | CNN Politics
The Pentagon and National Security Council significantly underestimated Iran’s willingness to close the Strait of Hormuz in response to US military strikes while planning the ongoing operation, accord...
cnn.com
You can kill the product but not the idea - today, 160 Congressional co-sponsors introduced a bill to bring back the IRS’ much beloved free tax filing product, Direct File. www.theverge.com/policy/88522...
Democrats to introduce bill aimed at resurrecting IRS Direct File
Democrats want to bring back Direct File.
theverge.com
In competitive authoritarianism (US right now) there's often a "loyal opposition" that's essential to the regime. They are so wedded to "decorum," they go along with rites & rituals that help regime prop up veneer of normalcy, undermining clear view of regimes actions & aims.
At Yosemite, Rangers Are Scarce and Visitors Have Gone Wild www.nytimes.com/2026/01/19/u...
At Yosemite, Rangers Are Scarce and Visitors Have Gone Wild
nytimes.com
Government can build efficiently. Take the IRS free file tool for example. The problem isn't a lack of can-do by the government. It's wealthy companies who have stepped in to block the development of government capacity, and who killed the free file tool when Democrats finally made it a reality.
“Minnesota, New York, California, Illinois and Colorado will be cut off from around $7 billion in funding for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, which provides cash assistance to households with children, according to two people familiar with the matter.” Monstrously cruel.
Health Dept. to Freeze $10 Billion in Funding to 5 Democratic States
nytimes.com
WH sources say Venezuela's opposition leader committed the "ultimate sin": She accepted the Nobel Peace prize. “If she had turned it down and said, ‘I can’t accept it because it’s Donald Trump’s,’ she’d be the president of Venezuela today,” one said. www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
this is your mission. our pedophile president needs you to jump out of a helicopter to kidnap a head of state and his wife so some oil ceos can make a lot of money. we’ll be watching from a resort in florida that still serves wedge salad and checking how many retweets we get. good luck soldier
With Help of Lina Khan, Mamdani Looks to Quickly Cut Costs for New Yorkers www.nytimes.com/2025/12/26/n...
With Help of Lina Khan, Mamdani Looks to Quickly Cut Costs for New Yorkers
nytimes.com
