Media

With only the wealthy funding and communicating with the campaigns of elected officials, politicians are incentivized to make policy decisions that align with their donors’ interests, not those of their broader constituency. But the elite donor class holds views that don’t align with the general public’s, as a 2016 Demos study detailed.

McGhee is the President of Dēmos, a public policy group based in New York City, focused on climate change, inequality, and democracy reform.

Improve Relationship with Immigrant Community

FAIRFAX, VIRGINIA -- Fairfax County Coalition, a group of local civil rights and immigrant rights organizations, will demand that Fairfax County end its collaboration with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and protect hard-working immigrants and their families during a press conference Tuesday.

Algernon Austin is an economist at the think tank Demos and the author of the book America Is Not Post-Racial.

"I think what sometimes people miss is, what are the comparisons?"

He points out that college-educated and high-earning black folks are in many ways more likely to be better off than black people who earn less.

But Austin, who did not work on NPR's poll, adds there is overwhelming data showing that when comparing educated and high-earning blacks to their white counterparts, the gap is substantial.

Latino homeowners’ median net worth increased from 2013 to 2016, but the net worth of Latino renters* declined 22 percent. The median net worth of Latino renters fell from $5,200 to $4,000 (Figure A). Non-Latino renters also had a decline in their median net worth, but only of 9 percent, from $5,800 to $5,300. 

The wealth slide is ending for black families

Hurricane Maria struck Puerto Rico 2 weeks ago, creating devastating damage and a humanitarian crisis for 3.5 million U.S. citizens.

After an eventful summer in Silicon Valley, there is blood in the water. At stake is democracy itself.

The Republican tax plans are fundamentally about making the super-wealthy wealthier.