The Economic Justice team at Dēmos brings diverse expertise areas and perspectives to our critical mission of ensuring that people have power over the economic forces that shape their lives. Get to know each member and learn about what motivates them to do this work.
New York, NY — American families are using credit cards to bridge the gaps created by stagnant wages and higher costs of living and balances have grown dramatically since 1989, according to a new report published today by Demos. Borrowing to Make Ends Meet: the Rapid Growth of Credit Card Debt in America documents the disturbing trends in sky-rocketing credit card debt, and also provides detailed data based on age, race and income demographics.
Through strategic communication and organizing, a coalition of community organizers, housing advocates, and elected officials secured $125 million in ARPA funds for low-income Pennsylvania residents for home repair and weatherization.
The Whole Home Repairs Campaign illustrates the power of organizing and community-involved decision-making in addressing the state’s ongoing housing crisis
Dēmos releases the Power Scorecard, a groundbreaking state-by-state snapshot of economic, civic, and political conditions that are conducive to building economic and political power for people.
Dēmos and New Economy Project explore how public banking can expand opportunities for communities of color to build shared generational and community wealth.
Discover how state and local policies can effectively protect workers' rights to organize and bargain collectively. This brief examines approaches to worker protection through federal funding opportunities and provides real-world examples of successful policy implementation by workers and communities.
Leaders must reject false choices rooted in the idea that social and economic advancement is a zero-sum game or that working-class people must spar over scraps while all the spoils go to the elite few.
A response to the Trump Administration's closing of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), an essential way to safeguard consumers against financial injustice.
Washington, DC — Today in the United States, the credit card market is measured on a scale of billions. The amount of debt owed on credit cards in 2005 was $800 billion; $30 billion is how much lenders profit each year. Under the guise of "democratization" the federal government has deregulated the industry over the past 30 years, eliminating caps on interest rates and penalties. Those who can least afford it are paying the price.
How stark racial disparities have long pervaded our financial services system, fueling and entrenching inequality, and why public banks are a transformative, equitable alternative.
Behind the GOP's populist facade lies a tax plan that would benefit corporations and wealthy households while cutting programs like Medicaid and SNAP. Read more to learn how their tax plan could actually impact working people.
Federal agencies spend nearly $760 billion annually on contractors, paid for by our tax dollars. The scale of their spending has the potential to reshape entire industries across our economy—to either create dignified jobs with living wages or reinforce poverty and exploitation.
New York, NY — Everyday, millions of Americans struggle to find affordable medical care for themselves and their families, often leading to long-delayed treatment of illness and financial ruin. In SICK: The Untold Story of America's Health Care Crisis, and the People Who Pay the Price (HarperCollins; April 10, 2007), journalist and Demos Senior Fellow Jonathan Cohn offers a fascinating, first-hand account of America's failing health care system.
