In the past 72 hours since its introduction, The Budget For All – an innovative, values driven fiscal plan to keep America exceptional in the 21st Century – has inspired support from noted economists, renowned think tanks and cutting-edge advocacy organizations.
Chairman Schumer, Ranking Member Alexander, and Members of the Committee, thank you for the opportunity to submit testimony on behalf of Demos for the record in support of the Democracy is Strengthened by Casting Light on Spending in Elections Act of 2012. DISCLOSE is a straightforward solution to the serious and pressing problem of “dark” money in our elections. Congress has a responsibility to protect voters’ interests and the integrity of our democracy with common sense disclosure and disclaimer legislation. We urge you to move forward to enact these reforms without delay.
On Friday, Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell signed a new law that will give more rural counties the option of avoiding prison-based gerrymandering, helping to ensure fairer representation for incarcerated Virginians. The law, HB13, passed both Houses unanimously. It was sponsored by Delegate Riley Ingram (R-Chesterfield, Henrico, Prince George, City of Hopewell).
A Shell Oil facility in Singapore If President Obama is responsible for the high gas prices here in the States, is he also responsible for the high prices across the globe?
My brother, Andrew Goodman, was murdered by the Neshoba County Ku Klux Klan during Freedom Summer 1964 because he wanted to vote and figured all other Americans wanted that right, too.
The most common critique of Citizens United is that it allows corporations to wield ever greater influence in our democracy -- on top of the considerable power business already had before the Supreme Court decision in 2010. More recently, during the Republican primary, critics of Citizens United have spotlighted how the ruling gives outsized influence to wealthy individuals -- allowing a handful of billionaires like Sheldon Adelson to decide which candidates live or die on the campaign trail.
Three days of oral arguments on President Obama's Affordable Care Act before the Supreme Court got underway this morning -- just a few days after the law's second anniversary. And while the Supreme Court's decision is not expected until June, the fight, not just over the constitutionality of the health-care law but the fundamental role of government, will again take center stage.
State attorneys general are directly elected by voters in nearly every state and if politics made sense, the 26 AGs that have filed suit against Obamacare would be booted out by voters. Why? Because these AGs represent states that stand to disproportionately benefit from the law. Meanwhile, many AGs from states that won't see big benefits -- but will foot much of the bill for the law -- are sitting on the sidelines.
State attorneys general are directly elected by voters in nearly every state and if politics made sense, the 26 AGs that have filed suit against Obamacare would be booted out by voters. Why? Because these AGs represent states that stand to disproportionately benefit from the law. Meanwhile, many AGs from states that won't see big benefits -- but will foot much of the bill for the law -- are sitting on the sidelines.
For going on 14 years, the Florida Republican Party has fiddled and belittled the middle class. It isn't an act of God that's destroying the American Dream; it's petty, self-serving, greedy acts of Man, justified by a perversion of capitalism that's the equivalent of economic rape. Relentlessly, a political, ideological mind-set has been robbing generations of their "pursuit of happiness."
A lesson in how not to reduce gas prices: the White House is backing TransCanada’s bid to build the southern portion of the controversial pipeline Keystone XL pipeline. The section to be built will run from Cushing, Oklahoma to Texas and carry crude oil pumped in the Midwest to refineries in Texas and be completed by late 2013—so it will have virtually no impact on the current high gas prices.
NEW YORK - Yesterday, civil rights legend John Payton passed away suddenly, stunning the civil rights and voting rights community. Demos issued the following statement to honor his historic work and the legacy he leaves behind:
Few trends in human history have been more environmentally destructive than the rise of America's car culture starting in the 20th century. Americans drive their cars more than people in any other country and drive less fuel-efficient cars. There are 808 cars in the United States for every 1000 people, a rate 50 percent higher than most European countries.
The Federal Reserve Board of Dallas released a report from its chief researcher, Harvey Rosenblum, which has caused quite a stir. The report cites Fed statistics showing that the five largest US banks hold a remarkable 52% of all bank assets:
Today is the second anniversary of Obama’s healthcare reform being signed into law, but he’s not commenting on it. He may be afraid of touching this new third rail of politics that the right has created, but there are some reasons young Americans should be celebrating today.
Say you’ve got a booming industry, one that already employs 2 million workers in the U.S. and is poised to add 1.3 million additional jobs by 2020. Imagine that the jobs cannot be off-shored, that the work helps decrease federal deficits, and millions of Americans depend on the industry just to get through their daily lives.
