Michael Steele talks with Miranda

Hi everyone,

Thanks for being loyal and interested subscribers. I am away for two weeks with my husband, our two wonderful daughters and their families. This is the second week of my time away, so I am leaving you with something you can listen to while at the gym, walking in your neighborhood or during your commute to or from work.

I knew Michael Steele when he was the Republican Lieutenant Governor of Maryland (2003 to 2007) and then when he became head of the Republican National Committee (2009 to 2011). I was reporting at the time for The Washington Post. He was, as politicians go, a pretty straight shooter, and as a reporter, I could usually count on him to at the very least take my calls.

Now, as you undoubtedly know, he is a well-known commentator on MSNow, and he also has his own podcast. He and I spoke last year just after my book Backroom Deals in Our Backyards was issued by The New Press. I was particularly interested in his positive take on the book, since it reveals a lot of flaws in state and local governments, including information blockades that are often illegal.

Take a listen and let me know what you think! Here’s the link - start at about 2 minutes.

https://audioboom.com/posts/8717231-uncovering-government-secrets-is-not-for-the-weak-with-miranda-spivack

I’ll be back to write more about govenment secrecy next week. Have a good Fourth of July! Hopefully, the 251th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 2027 will mark the beginning of better times and the return of governments that are more responsive to the people who pay their salaries.