Menu
Image of a hand lowering a voter registration sheet into an orange box with stacks of voter registration papers on both sides

Threats to Ballot Access: New Report Examines Risks of Wrongful Voter Removals Across the Country

Dēmos examines ballot access issues, voter suppression in AZ, GA, OH, CA, IN, WI, MI, NC, TX, LA 

Press release/statement
August 10, 2023

We are changing the conversation around our democracy and economy by telling influential new stories about our country and its people. Get our latest blog and media updates here. For more in-depth explorations and analyses, visit our Resources page.

Featured
Ground level view of the Wall Street Stock Exchange

Unfinished Business: Revisiting Dodd-Frank and the Path to Economic Progress

On the anniversary of the Dodd-Frank Act, we reflect on recent banking failures and the inequities inherent in our current financial system. 

Blog
Daniella Zessoules
Black mother and daughter looking at the city river

A Supreme Court Power Grab: Attacking Federal Agencies to Advance an Extremist Agenda

Why the Court's decision to limit the EPA's power to regulate water access is yet another case of eroding the power of the other branches of government at the expense of Black and brown people.

Blog
Ashley Tjhung
supreme court

Supreme Court's Rejection of Affirmative Action Widens the Divide: Dēmos Calls for Renewed Efforts to Combat Systemic Racism

“The 14th Amendment is supposed to be a shield against racism, and now it’s being used as a sword.” 

Press release/statement
Taifa Smith Butler

More Bad News About 401(k) Fees

Question: How much money are you paying in 401(k) fees? Answer: Have you thought about buying a home lately?
In the media
Helaine Olen

The Conservative Approach to Environmental Protection Doesn't Work

In a series of posts at The Atlantic, Jonathan Adler has looked at how to advance environmental protection and action on climate change while still adhering to conservative principles like limited government and market-based solutions. Adler’s posts are interesting and thoughtful.
Blog
J. Mijin Cha

Couples Spend $155,000 on 401(k) Fees Over Lifetime

Yikes! The advocacy group Demos reports that a two-income couple — earning a median income over their careers — spends an average of $154,794 during their working lives on 401(k) fees. Fees, Demos says, eats up nearly one-third of their investment returns. A higher income couple pays even more in
In the media
Eileen Ambrose

Another Reason to Distrust Wall Street: 401(k) Fees

As wary as the public may be of Wall Street, it is not wary enough because the financial industry rips people off even more than most of us realize -- specifically, in 401(k) fees.
Blog
David Callahan

Stopping Renewable Energy from Being "Dirty" Energy

One of the main benefits of renewable energy is that we can meet our energy demands in a way that is more environmentally sustainable and through a medium that has a seemingly infinite supply. In contrast, fossil fuels are extracted through environmentally destructive means and will eventually run
Blog
J. Mijin Cha

Costly 401(k) Fees A Puzzle To Workers & Employees

If you think your employer knows more about your 401(k) plan's fees than you do, think again. Sponsors of some 401(k) plans don't understand the fees they're paying toward plan administration, says a new report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office. The GAO reported on one case, in fact
In the media
Tobie Stanger

NEW REPORT: Hidden, Excessive 401(k) Fees Cost Retirees $155,000

A median-income, two-earner household will pay nearly $155,000 over the course of their lifetime in 401(k) fees, according to a new analysis by national public policy center Demos.
Press release/statement

Voting Rights Groups Ensure Low-Income Georgians are (Finally) Provided Voter Registration Services

On April 19th, a coalition of national voting rights groups working on behalf of Georgia residents and advocacy groups secured a landmark settlement to ensure that voter registration opportunities are offered to all public assistance applicants, as is required by the National Voter Registration Act.
Blog
Adam Lioz

Fees Skim Big Bucks From 401(k)s

Mutual fund fees in 401(k) plans can look tiny—a median of 1 percent of assets per year, says financial-data provider Morningstar. But over a lifetime of saving, they can really scramble your nest egg. A recent study by Demos, a research and advocacy group, found that an American household of two
In the media

Are Fees Eating Away at Your 401(k) Nest Egg?

Your retirement account statement likely does not tell you this, but fees are adding up on your IRA or 401(k) over time – and they can be substantial, as much $155,000 for a median income, two-earner family over a lifetime. That was not a misprint. In many areas, that amount will buy you a nice home
In the media