Media

Earlier this week, the New York Times reported that just 158 families have provided nearly half of the early money in the 2016 Presidential election. These wealthy donors, who are “overwhelmingly white, rich, older and male, in a nation that is being remade by the young, by women, and by black and brown voters” are able to spend unlimited amounts on elections because of a slew of misguided decisions by our Supreme Court.

Policy solutions to undo the suppression of workers' voice and labor standards.

We have an exciting update about what has happened since we reached our comprehensive settlement in Oklahoma to improve voter registration services for citizens across the state.

Yesterday, Sec. Hillary Clinton announced a financial reform plan to, among other things, introduce a tax on a tactic used by high-frequency trading firms and strengthen the Volcker Rule. Demos President Heather McGhee released the following statement:

Robert Hiltonsmith, senior policy analyst at Demos, a progressive think tank, expects the positive trends to continue -- even if Tuesday’s survey suggests employers overall aren’t relenting on tough and irregular scheduling demands. “I think it’s a slow burn, but the pressure’s mounting,” he says.

Either way, the drawdown is a worry in the huge US retirement industry, which managed total assets of $24.8 trillion as of June 30. Massive withdrawals will crimp the lucrative fee income for administrators. And another concern is market performance, with fewer US buyers and sellers available to potentially prop up assets.

Demos is proud to announce the hire of Tori O’Neal McElrath as the Vice President of External Affairs and Lenore Palladino’s new role as a Demos economic fellow.

McElrath is Demos’ first Vice President of External Affairs and will oversee the communications and development teams. In this new role, McElrath will focus on expanding Demos’ reach and impact through strategic communications and donor cultivation.

“Tori is a phenomenal leader who has devoted her career to strengthening and shaping the progressive movement.”

The demonized banking industry must make the case it is morally noble. That may jar some ears, but surely enabling retirees to earn a return on their savings and funding business expansion creating jobs and wealth, improving Americans’ quality of and opportunities in life is morally noble. — Eric Glover, the Washington Times, September 24, 2015

The hyperactivity of the presidential election has raised the level of discussion of financial regulation, at least in terms of noise if not enlightenment. Mr.

 Adam Lioz, Demos Counsel and Senior Advisor, Policy & Outreach, issued the following statement in response to Governor O'Malley's plan to address the role of big money in politics:

"...a complete plan must go further, especially by acknowledging that our problems go well beyond Citizens United..."