New York – At a time when anti-government ideology is driving policy making in Washington, a refresher course on the concrete benefits and products of a robust public sector is needed. The programs, infrastructure, and services that have make America great are possible due to an often dreaded source: our taxes.
In 2010 and 2011, Maryland and New York took bold steps to correct the problem known as prison gerrymandering, a problem resulting from the United States Census Bureau’s practice of counting incarcerated individuals as residents of their prison cells rather than their home communities.
Washington DC – Today, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), Rep. John Larson (D-CT), and actor Alec Baldwin unveiled the Fair Elections Now Act, a bill that would change for the better the way congressional candidates finance elections. Demos, a non-partisan public policy research and advocacy organization, wrote a letter to the Committee on the Judiciary in support of the legislation.
Demos is a national, non-profit, non-partisan public policy, research and advocacy organization committed to building an America where democracy is robust and inclusive, with high levels of electoral participation and civic engagement. To that end, the Demos works to reduce barriers to voter participation and engagement, with a particular focus on participation by traditionally disfranchised communities.
Dear Commissioners Salas, Agarwal, and Malalis:
Demos appreciates the opportunity to offer testimony on the state of workers’ rights in New York City. We are a non-partisan public policy organization working for an America where we all have an equal say in our democracy and an equal chance in our economy. We are a national organization proud to be based here in New York City. And we recognize that workers’ rights are critical to our mission of reducing economic inequality.
When thinking about campaign finance issues, I always like to step back and think about the following question, which really motivates much of my work: How can we ensure adequate representation in a democracy and, more to the point, how will a particular rule, regulation or decision impact democratic representation?
Testimony of Margrete Strand Ranges, Director of the Sierra Club's Responsible Trade Program
Demos, in collaboration with a variety of environmental groups, including the Sierra Club, helped prepare the following testimony presented at the House Ways and Means Committee hearing on the operation, impact, and future of U.S. trade preference programs, arguing for inclusion of environmental criteria.
April 6, 2011 – Demos and the Prison Policy Initiative, two national pro-democracy groups, expressed serious objections today to a lawsuit filed in state court that seeks to reinstate the discredited policy of miscounting incarcerated New Yorkers when state and local legislative districts are redrawn this year.
Demos strongly urges the Department of Homeland Security to withdraw the proposed rule to radically enlarge the list of criteria that will be used to decide whether an immigrant is likely to become a “public charge.”
Demos Senior Campaign Strategist, Vijay Das, gave the following prepared remarks urging the Supreme Court to rule in favor of protecting the freedom to vote.
Miles Rapoport testifies on March 23, 2007, at the United States House of Representatives Committee on Financial Services' hearing on "The Role of Public Investment in Promoting Economic Growth".
After seven years as a lawyer specializing in public and private securities offerings, I was an investment banker at Goldman Sachs for more than a twelve years and then managed a small advisory firm. I also served as CEO of a firm providing counterparty credit management services in the derivatives markets. For the last two years, I have focused my efforts on financial system reforms, participating in dozens of formal comments and various roundtable discussions at the request of regulatory agencies.
Dramatic new public policy initiatives are needed to accomplish two broad interrelated goals: to ensure that all Americans have a chance to move into the middle class and, second, to ensure greater security for those in the middle class.
Testimony presented by Tamara Draut, Director of Demos' Economic Opportunity Program, before the U.S. House Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit regarding consumer issues in credit card lending.
Demos Vice President of Policy and Programs Tamara Draut testifies before the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs regarding the growth of credit card debt and credit industry practices.