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The three post–Civil War constitutional amendments offered the United States a second, more democratic founding. Preserving this framework is essential.

To build the democracy we never had, activating people power—animated by an inclusive vision for our economy, especially through labor unions—is essential.

While the government shutdown left us without recent economic data, the rising Black unemployment rate reveals essential truths about the state of our economy.

At a time of racial justice backlash, a call for a full-throated multiracial democracy may seem audacious—it’s also a necessary movement to preserve US democracy at all.

For too long, the wealthy and powerful have used the cycle of economic and political power to enrich themselves and entrench their control. In this piece, Dēmos president Taifa Smith Butler envisions a more virtuous cycle of power.

Dēmos and Dēmos United announce that they have reached a voluntary recognition agreement effective November 4, 2025.

While the longest shutdown in U.S. history leaves millions of Americans with missed paychecks and mounting bills, this piece explores why we must build wealth for all, especially for communities that have been historically kept from economic opportunity.

Amid ongoing attacks on worker protections and enforcement, worker-driven social responsibility programs offer alternative, scalable pathways to building collective power for workers across industries.

Structural imbalances—not immigrants—are what keeps working people from seeing their fair share of economic gains.

With this decision, the Court has further eroded our norms and beliefs regarding democracy, our rights under the Constitution, and the courts’ role in upholding those rights. 

For decades, labor market data has shown a difficult truth: Our economy has never worked for everyone—especially Black women.