New York, NY — Today, the Building Movement Project, a national initiative to promote nonprofit organizations to work towards social change, announces the release of Up Next: Generation Change and the Leadership of Nonprofit Organizations. The report, produced in conjunction with the Annie E. Casey Foundation, with support from the Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund, finds that young leaders in nonprofits face critical challenges that threaten organizational sustainability and must be addressed before their Boomer counterparts retire.
New York, NY — As the National Governor's Association convenes today in Des Moines, Iowa, the Right to Vote Campaign applauds Governors Vilsack, Warner, Guinn, Riley, and others who took action to restore voting rights for thousands of people with felony convictions.
New York, NY — As the National Association of Secretaries of State convenes today in St. Paul, Minnesota, the Right to Vote Campaign applauds Secretaries Pedro A. Cortes of Pennsylvania, Rebecca Vigil-Giron of New Mexico, and Cathy Cox of Georgia in their efforts to streamline the process for restoring voting rights to thousands of people with felony convictions by making registration information more easily accessible.
New York, NY — In the shadow of the U.S. Federal Courthouse in Foley Square, standing before the African Burial Ground Memorial Sculpture, New Yorkers representing persons with felony convictions will stand in silent protest on June 22, 2005 at 2:30 p.m. to demand the full restoration of voting rights to the formerly incarcerated.
New York, NY — Today, Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack, joined by a bipartisan group of legislators, issued an executive order that restores voter eligibility to thousands of disfranchised Iowans. Previously, Iowa was among only a handful of states that permanently denies the right to vote to people with felony convictions. Felon disfranchisement has been criticized across the country for unfairly excluding citizens from the electoral process and for its discriminatory impact on minority communities, who are disproportionately represented in the U.S. prison population.
New York, N.Y. — Today, a coalition of New York State voting rights and civics organizations announced a press conference for Thursday, June 2, to urge a legislative conference committee in Albany to reject dangerous measures that would restrict voter access to the polls. All mayoral candidates have been invited to speak in support of New York City voters. Thus far, Gifford Miller has confirmed his attendance.
Associate Director of the Democracy Program Ludovic Blain testifies before the Vermont House Government Operations Committee regarding Election Day Registration.
New York, NY — African-American and Hispanic households are at greater financial risk and more likely to be in credit card debt than their white counterparts, according to a new report, Costly Credit: African Americans and Latinos in Debt, released today by the Economic Opportunity Program at Demos, a leading national, non-partisan public policy and advocacy group. The report analyzed and compared credit card debt and the forces driving credit card reliance in three ethnic/racial groups: African Americans, Hispanics and whites.
While real income gains were realized during the economic boom over the latter half of the 1990s, the average American's credit card debt rose faster than ever before. While balances grew faster for white families than for African-American and Hispanic families, all groups experienced a significant rise in debt between 1992 and 2001. African-American and Hispanic families were more likely, overall, to carry a credit card balance than whites.
New York, N.Y. — In an effort to reduce widespread barriers faced by New York City's voters, the New York City Council Committee on Governmental Operations, Chaired by Councilmember Bill Perkins, will hold a hearing on Monday, May 2, 2005, to consider legislation that would reform the city's administration of elections.
New York, N.Y. — New York, NY- Concerned about widespread misinformation about voter eligibility and proper voter registration and balloting procedures in New York State, Unlock The Block: Release the Vote, a New York voting rights restoration coalition that is housed at Demos and includes the Legal Action Center and the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU, will testify at a public hearing in Westchester County on Monday April 18th.
New York, NY / Washington, DC — Today, Demos: A Network for Ideas & Action, a national economic policy research organization, urges Congress to recognize the fragility of our debt-driven consumer economy when considering the bankruptcy "reform" bill (S. 256/H.R. 685) that has been passed by the Senate and is now under consideration in the House of Representatives. Short of opposing this dangerous legislation, the House should at least include amendments that will protect our nation's families from the most deleterious provisions.
In April 2005 Demos urged Congress to recognize the fragility of our debt driven consumer economy when considering the bankruptcy "reform" bill (S. 256/H.R. 685) that had been passed by the Senate and was under consideration in the House of Representatives. American families are not suffering from "irresponsible consumerism," as Senate sponsor Chuck Grassley claims, but from the effects of a stagnant economy and fraying social supports.
After a careful review of dozens of surveys and thousands of survey questions, most conducted within the past five years, the author categorized several images of government that emerge from existing surveys. These images are somewhat subjective and are simply intended to illuminate patterns in opinion that can lead to strategic insights for communicators. The analysis is constrained by the limits of existing opinion data, meaning that other images of government undoubtedly exist but were not apparent in existing surveys.
NEW YORK — A new report released today, Home Insecurity: How Widespread Appraisal Fraud Puts Homeowners At Risk, reveals troubling evidence that many American homeowners and buyers are at financial risk from mortgage appraisal fraud. As a consequence, countless homeowners have borrowed more money than their homes are really worth. The report was conducted by Demos, a leading non-partisan, public policy group headquartered in New York City.
Albany, NY — Members of the Joint Legislative Conference Committee on HAVA Implementation have made substantial progress. However, key issues remain unresolved.
At a news conference today representatives of good government, voting rights, and civil rights organizations voiced concern that legislation proposed by the Senate leadership would undermine HAVA's most important purpose - making sure that every eligible voter gets to vote.
Many Americans have reduced the equity in their home to pay off credit card debts and cover day-to-day expenses. More troubling still is evidence that many appraisers fraudulently inflate property values during the buying or refinancing of homes. This paper explores the implications of appraisal fraud.
New York, NY and Washington, DC — Today, Demos: A Network for Ideas & Action, a national economic policy research organization, urges Congress to halt movement on the bankruptcy "reform" bill (S. 256 and H.R. 685) that will be introduced in the Senate on Monday, February 28, 2005. Congress must recognize of the fragility of our debt-driven consumer economy, and address the economic conditions that have brought about a household debt crisis in America.
Passage of the bankruptcy bill would make it harder for families struck by financial misfortune to get back on track. It would benefit the very profitable ($30 billion in 2004) credit card industry at the expense of the modest-income families who represent the great majority of those who declare bankruptcy.
New York, NY/Los Angeles, CA — A new report, Drawing Lines: A Public Interest Guide to Real Redistricting Reform, released today by Demos and the Center for Governmental Studies, shows that current legislation and proposed initiatives on redistricting all fail to sufficiently address the needs of the public, and suggests clear guidelines for much fairer redistricting.