Latest Work from Demos

Why We Need An Independent Consumer Financial Protection Agency Now: With financial regulatory reform pending, Congress has the opportunity to rebuild the structures that will prevent another crisis and ensure broad-based economic growth.

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 15:28:00 EST

The time has come for the creation of a Consumer Financial Protection Agency. For thirty years, Washington has been captive to a governing philosophy that eschewed regulation in almost any form, arguing that the hand of government was best kept behind its back. But the era of deregulated finance has shown that without public structures to ensure accountability and fairness, the system can not sustain itself. The result of this failed experiment in deregulation has been a crisis costing Americans $11 trillion in family wealth, $14 trillion in taxpayer bailouts and over 8 million jobs.

Same Day Voter Registration in Maryland: Under the system proposed in Maryland, overall turnout could go up by 4.3%.

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 11:40:00 EST

Authors R. Michael Alvarez (California Institute of Technology) and Jonathan Nagler (New York University) have analyzed the likely impact on voter turnout should Maryland adopt Same Day Registration (SDR). Under the system proposed in Maryland, eligible voters who miss the current 21-day deadline for registering may be able to register to vote during the state's 7-day early voting period, or on Election Day. Consistent with existing research on the impact of SDR in the other states that use this process, the authors find that SDR would likely lead to substantial increases in voter turnout.

National Voter Registration Act: Expanding Voter Registration of Low-Income Citizens Under the National Voter Registration Act of 1993

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 16:35:00 EST

While the United States has come a long way in expanding the franchise over the past 220 years, barriers to participation still exist and these barriers disproportionately impact low-income citizens. In 2008, over 11 million low-income adult citizens remained unregistered to vote and the registration between low-income and high-income citizens was over 19 percentage points.

Research by Demos and its partners demonstrates that the compliance gaps found in states such as Missouri, North Carolina and Virginia reflect a nationwide problem.

A Dilution of Democracy: Prison-Based Gerrymandering: Ending prison-based gerrymandering will benefit urban and rural communities alike and help realize the ideal of one person, one vote that is core to American democracy.

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 17:10:00 EST

Every ten years, we conduct a national census that endeavors to make an accurate count of every single resident of the country. But in a distortion of this process, under current practice the Census Bureau counts incarcerated persons not in the community of their legal residence, but where they are imprisoned. Because census data are used to allocate congressional seats and seats in state and local legislatures, jurisdictions with large prisons and prison populations become eligible for greater representation in government on the backs of people who have no voting rights in the prison community and are not considered legal residents of the prison district for any other purpose.

Creative Community Organizing: A Guide for Rabble-Rousers, Activists, and Quiet Lovers of Justice

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 15:39:00 EST

Why can't there be enough food, shelter, jobs, health care, homes, schools, education, safety and security for everyone? How can people work together to challenge the way things are, to help redistribute wealth and power, to create a more just and humane society?

The answer is Creative Community Organizing

Public Assistance Databases and Automatic Voter Registration: Much of the information necessary for a voter to become registered, contained within databases maintained by public assistance agencies, provides a solid foundation for implementing an automatic voter registration system.

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 12:57:00 EST

In response to calls for voter registration modernization, proposals have been advanced to use client and applicant lists from government agencies to automatically register eligible citizens to vote. A central goal of any automatic voter registration proposal should be a representative electorate in which all eligible citizens, including those from historically underrepresented communities, are effectively registered and able to cast a ballot on Election Day. State databases of individuals receiving public assistance benefits--including SNAP (formerly Food Stamps), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and Medicaid--can be an important source for registering low-income citizens--one of the most under-registered segments of the population.

To better understand the nature of public assistance agencies' computerized eligibility databases and their ability to facilitate automatic voter registration, Demos conducted telephone interviews with public assistance agencies in 41 out of 51 states (including the District of Columbia).

Graduated Success: Sustainable Economic Opportunity Through One- and Two-Year Credentials

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 10:42:00 EST

Advocates, educators and students often make the assumption that more education is always better, that a bachelors or graduate degree is always superior in terms of providing additional economic opportunity. As the following report show, this is not always the case.

Voters Win with Same Day Registration: States with SDR have historically boasted turnout rates 10 to 12 percentage points higher than states that do not offer Same Day Registration.

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 11:31:00 EST

"Same Day Registration" (SDR) allows eligible voters to register and cast a ballot after the close of the official voter registration, in the run-up to each election. "Election Day Registration" (EDR) is a variety of Same Day Registration that allows for registration and voting on Election Day itself.

U.N. Beijing + 15 Conference and the 30% Solution: The United States has greeted the 30% solution with silence and inaction. It ranks 74th in the world.

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 13:45:00 EST

Immediately after the Beijing Conference, the Inter-Parliamentary Union, an organization of national elected officials like our members of Congress, adopted the one-third marker as the goal for national legislatures.

The U.S. government under President Bush promoted change by adopting hard targets for women in office--but only outside U.S. borders. The government required the new constitutions of Afghanistan and Iraq to have quotas for women in their national parliaments. Afghanistan is now 28th in the world in women's legislative representation, Iraq is 35th.

In stark contrast, the United States has greeted the 30% solution with silence and inaction. It is barely halfway home to reach the one-third mark for women in Congress, and ranks 74th in the world.

Bigger Banks, Riskier Banks: After trillions of dollars in taxpayer funds, cheap loans and other forms of support, the biggest banks are bigger and more complex than ever.

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 14:44:00 EST

The crisis was widely blamed on the eager promotion by the nation's biggest banks of overcomplicated, deceptively advertised loans and securities. Experts and political leaders of both parties deplored the ability of profit-seeking insiders at a handful of "Too Big to Fail" institutions to bring the financial system to the edge of collapse, necessitating a massive bailout and triggering the worst recession since the 1930s.

Nevertheless, after trillions of dollars in taxpayer funds, cheap loans and other forms of direct and indirect support, the biggest banks are bigger and more complex than ever; and for all the talk of newfound caution and tougher regulation, their recent record reveals an undiminished commitment to the kind of risky practices that inflate short-term profits when they go right but hold the potential to decimate the economy when they go wrong.

Election Day Voter Registration in New Mexico: Should New Mexico adopt Same Day Registration, overall turnout could increase by more than four percent.

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 11:38:00 EST

Report authors R. Michael Alvarez and Jonathan Nagler have analyzed the likely impact on voter turnout should New Mexico adopt Same Day Registration (SDR). Under the system proposed in New Mexico, eligible voters who miss the current 28-day deadline for registering by mail may be able to register to vote during the state's early voting period. The availability of Same Day Registration procedures should give voters who have not previously registered the opportunity to vote.

Broken Buffer: How Trade Adjustment Assistance Fails American Workers

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 11:36:00 EST

The following report evaluates the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA)--the primary U.S. policy response to the job dislocations caused by trade. It shows the ways in which TAA has failed to respond adequately to the challenges facing dislocated workers. It highlights the need for a more comprehensive set of policies to help workers and families navigate the economic restructuring that has become an inevitable part of increasing trade and globalization.

Small Change: Why Business Won't Save the World

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 13:40:00 EST

A new movement is afoot that promises to save the world by bringing the magic of the market to philanthropy. Nonprofits should be run like businesses, its adherents say, and businesses can find new sources of revenue by marketing goods and services that benefit society. Dubbed "philanthrocapitalism," its supporters believe that business principles can and should be the primary drivers of social transformation. What could be wrong with that? Almost everything, argues Demos Distinguished Senior Fellow Michael Edwards.

A Prison is Not a Home: The Lesson of People v. Cady: Census practices should reflect nearly 100 years of legal precedent and start counting incarcerated persons as residents of the their home communities.

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 10:39:00 EST

When drawing legislative districts, New York State counts incarcerated persons as "residents" of the community where the prison is located, instead of counting them in the home community to which they will return, on average, within 34 months. This practice ignores more than 100 years of legal precedent holding that incarcerated persons cannot be considered "residents" of a prison for purposes of voting.

God's Economy: Faith-Based Initiatives and the Caring State

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 14:53:00 EST

President Obama has signaled a sharp break from many Bush Administration policies, but he remains committed to federal support for religious social service providers. Like George W. Bush's faith-based initiative, though, Obama's version of the policy has generated loud criticism-from both sides of the aisle-even as the communities that stand to benefit suffer through an ailing economy. God's Economy reveals that virtually all of the critics, as well as many supporters, have long misunderstood both the true implications of faith-based partnerships and their unique potential for advancing social justice.

Medical Debt: How debt from out-of-pocket medical expenses impacts low-and middle income families.

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 11:00:00 EST

Increasing numbers of low- and middle-income families use credit cards for basic living expenses. As health care costs have increased and health insurance coverage has become inadequate, medical expenses have become another basic cost that families increasingly cover through credit cards.

Leveraging the Idea of Public Structures as Foundations of the Economy:

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 16:48:00 EST

"Public structures" has proven to be an effective organizing idea for more constructive conversations about the role of government in American life. The concept was first developed by the principals of the Topos Partnership in research they conducted for Public Works in 2005, and since then, it has been field-tested by Public Works with advocates, elected officials, public sector managers, and public policy organizations around the country.

As part of a new round of research commissioned by Public Works to create more productive public dialog about public policy and economic outcomes, Topos has returned to the field to test the more specific idea that public structures are crucial foundations of the economy.

Paving the Way: Government's Role in Economic Innovation

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 15:24:00 EST

Paving the Way is part of a larger effort undertaken by the Topos Partnership and Public Works to create more constructive public dialog about public policy and economic outcomes. Promoting Broad Prosperity contains the complete findings and recommendations from this body of research.

The Consumer Financial Protection Agency: A primer on key CFPA amendments in the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 10:21:00 EST

For nearly a decade, Demos has conducted research and analysis on the link between high-cost consumer credit, deregulation and widespread economic security among working American families. Demos has endorsed the creation of a strong, non-preemptive Consumer Financial Protection Agency (CFPA) as part of H.R. 4173, Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2009.

The agency would restore balanced regulation and help prevent another financial crisis. The following is a brief primer on key amendments to the CFPA, being considered this week in the House. All amendment texts can be found at the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Rules website.

Reforming the Rating Agencies: A Solution that Fits the Problem

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 12:13:00 EST

The major credit rating agencies, Moody's, Standard & Poors, and Fitch, bear a heavy burden of responsibility for the financial meltdown. It was their seal of approval that enabled Wall Street to develop a multi-trillion-dollar market for bonds resting on a foundation of tricky loans and bubbly housing prices. Institutional investors around the world were seduced into buying these high-risk securities by credit ratings that made them out to be as safe as the most conventional corporate and municipal bonds.

Environmental Competitiveness Sign-On Letter: Sign-on letter from Demos, Environmental Defense Fund, National Wildlife Federation, Natural Resources Defense Council, Sierra Club, Union of Concerned Scientists urging support for comprehensive energy and climate legislation.

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 12:08:00 EST

Subpriming Our Students: Why We Need a Strong Consumer Financial Protection Agency

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 09:28:00 EST

America's students are facing a serious threat from subprime private loans, and the situation could worsen unless Congress votes to close a potential loophole in the proposed Consumer Financial Protection Agency (CFPA), according to a new study published by Demos, the U.S. Public Interest Research Group (US PIRG), and the United States Students Association.

Inside Obama's Brain:

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 11:32:00 EST

From the moment he burst onto the national political scene, Barack Obama has fascinated people more than any politician in decades. Many biographers have already retold his story, but no previous book truly explains how his mind works, what passions drive him, or what makes him such an effective leader.

This concise profile explores the ideas, inspirations, and experiences that have shaped the president. It quotes a wide network of sources, including many who broke long-standing vows of silence to offer their candid and surprising observations.

Award-winning journalist Sasha Abramsky interviewed close to one hundred of Obama's current and former friends, colleagues, classmates, teachers, staff, mentors, basketball buddies, fellow Chicago activists, media consultants, editors, and even his next-door neighbors from Hyde Park. These people each know a part of Obama's life and career, which the author blends the pieces into a uniquely detailed analysis.

Settlement in Lawsuit against State of Ohio for NVRA Noncompliance: Harkless v. Brunner

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 11:17:00 EST

Environmental Standards and the GSP: A Policy Brief

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 12:18:00 EST

The United States has long granted trade preferences to developing countries that meet various criteria. These criteria, which are stipulated by the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), have changed with time--reflecting U.S. economic and foreign policy priorities.

While the criteria include non-support for terrorism, enforcement of intellectual property rights, and respect for internationally recognized worker rights, the GSP does not include an environmental provision.

With the current U.S. GSP program set to expire at the end of December, the following brief lays out a proposal for the ratification and implementation of environmental standards into U.S. trade agreements.

Environmental Standards and the GSP: A Proposal

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:28:00 EST

With the current U.S. GSP program set to expire at the end of December, the following proposal lays out a policy framework for the ratification and implementation of environmental standards into U.S. trade agreements.

A Brief History of the Glass-Steagall Act: A Background Paper

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:31:00 EST

Ten years ago, a Republican-led Congress and a Democratic White House rolled out the red carpet for a new age of global, "full service," too-big-to-fail financial institutions. The move repealed the Glass-Steagall Act of 1933, a set of reforms responsible for the longest crisis-free period in U.S. financial history.

As Washington debates the best way to prevent future crises, it is helpful to understand how public policy helped bring about the current one.

Six Principles for True Systemic Risk Reform: A Policy Brief

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:09:00 EST

Ten years after the capstone of financial industry deregulation--the Financial Modernization, or Gramm-Leach-Bliley, Act--the United States is facing the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. The following policy brief outlines six key principles for comprehensive and meaningful systemic risk reform, which are neccessary to undo many of the ill-advised deregulatory measures of the past 20 years, including the four key changes wrought by the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act.

Demos is working to restore common sense financial regulations that would have pre-vented the current crisis and will pave the way for a more prosperous and stable economy in the long-term.

Promoting Broad Prosperity: A Topos Strategy and Research Brief

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:35:00 EST

Since the Spring of 2007 and continuing into the Summer of 2009, Public Works: The Demos Center for the Public Sector and the Topos Partnership have collaborated on a Ford Foundation-funded effort to create a new public conversation on the role of government in the economy. This effort has included a wide range of qualitative and quantitative research efforts, spanned a period of dramatic change in the national economic landscape, and built on earlier research conducted by Topos principals concerning the public's view of government and public understandings of low wage work. The analysis that follows is a synthesis of the key findings and recommendations from a number of research reports by Topos.

Government, The Economy and We, The People: Creating Public Will to Shape an Economy that Works for All

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:20:00 EST

We are living in a time of unprecedented public interest in the relationship between government and the economy. Americans are attentive--deeply concerned about the impact of the economic downturn and its implications for the future. But they are also wary. While they want government action, they are harshly critical of high profile steps such as bailouts, and nervous about spending and the deficit. Making real progress on a whole host of important economic policies, from reshaping Wall Street regulations to investing in the jobs and economy of the future, will require a more active role for government than the U.S. has seen in decades. Building and sustaining public will to support this engagement by the public sector is an underlying and foundational challenge.

This research summary offers an overview of insights and recommendations for creating a new public conversation about the role of government in the economy.