Publications
Demos staff, fellows and affiliated partners publish research and thought-provoking arguments on critical issues of our times. We use multiple formats to project these ideas into the public debate, and develop them so they have maximum utility for online engagement. The publications that are featured in this section include reports, briefing papers, fact sheets, legislative testimony, litigation documents, speeches, event transcripts and books--most produced under the umbrella of the Demos Books Project.
Elsewhere in this site--such as the Ideas & Action Blog and Press Room, you will find commentary as well as press releases and statements.
To order hard copies of the publications that are listed here, please contact publications@demos.org.
Books
- November 19, 2008
- Unjust Deserts
- How the Rich are Taking our Common Inheritance and Why We Should Take it Back
- By Lew Daly
- & Gar Alperovitz
- http://www.unjustdeserts.com/
The 2008 presidential campaign ended with a sharp moral debate about the distribution of wealth in the United States. In a timely and provocative work of empirically-grounded social criticism, Gar Alperovitz and Lew Daly provide powerful new ammunition in that debate.
- Tags: Business & Industry/Corporate Governance | Distribution of Wealth & Income
- September 23, 2008
- The Samaritan's Dilemma
- Should Government Help Your Neighbor?
- By Deborah Stone
- http://www.samaritansdilemma.com
"The Samaritan's Dilemma" documents Americans' everyday altruism in all its rich variety and emotional force, and shows why taking altruism seriously is the first step to reviving American democracy. In doing so, writes Stone, we can restore our faith in the quest for social justice, freedom and equality through government and remind ourselves of
- Tags: The Role of Government and the Public Sector | Values & Politics
- September 15, 2008
- Obama's Challenge
- American's Economic Crisis and the Power of a Transformative Presidency
- By Robert Kuttner
- http://www.obamaschallenge.com
In this urgent and important book, Demos Distinguished Senior Fellow Robert Kuttner, co-founder of The American Prospect, explains what a President Obama must do to solve America's economic crisis--the gravest since the Great Depression--and, in the process, become a truly transformative leader.
- August 15, 2008
- America Votes!
- A Guide to Modern Election Law and Voting Rights
- By Steven Carbo Brenda Wright
- Download the PDF
The Democracy Program's Brenda Wright and Steven Carbo have contributed a chapter on the promise and Election Day Registration, that covers the history and benefits of EDR, as well as a rebuttal of voter fraud arguments and the results of surveys of election administrators, in this important new book on election law, published by the American Bar Association.
- Tags: Election Day Registration | Voter Registration
Reports
- November 19, 2008
- From Middle to Shaky Ground
- The Economic Decline of America's Middle Class, 2000-2006
- By Tamara Draut Jennifer Wheary
- & Thomas M. Shapiro, Tatjana Meschede
- Download the PDF
A middle-class standard of living requires that families have adequate financial security to meet current obligations, invest in the future, and access opportunities. The most recent findings from the Middle Class Security Index show that between 2000 and 2006--even before the most recent economic downturn--the economic well-being of middle-class families slipped noticeably.
- Tags: The Middle Class
- November 13, 2008
- The New Squeeze
- How a Perfect Storm of Bad Mortgages and Credit Card Debt Could Paralyze the Recovery
- By Jose Garcia
- Download the PDF
TK
- Tags: Debt | Credit Card Debt | Predatory Mortgage Lending | Student Loans and Student Loan Debt | Home Equity and Refinance | Lending Industry | The Housing Market
- October 29, 2008
- Toward an Equal Electorate
- Five States' Gains Under the National Voter Registration Act
- By Scott Novakowski
- Download the PDF
The 2008 presidential election is historic, with election officials anticipating record turnout. While voter registration and turnout in U.S. elections historically has been skewed toward those with higher incomes, there are indications this may be changing.
Thanks to reforms implemented by officials in several states at the urging of Demos and its partners, this report documents the dramatic successes experienced by five states--North Carolina, Michigan, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Missouri.- Tags: The National Voter Registration Act | Voter Registration
- October 20, 2008
- Expanding Voter Registration for Low-Income Virginians
- The Impact of the National Voter Registration Act
- By Scott Novakowski Allegra Chapman
- Download the PDF
As in many states, voter registration among Virginia's low-income citizens lags far behind that of other citizens. One key to overcoming this disparity is state compliance with the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA), which Congress enacted 15 years ago to ensure more widespread access to registration. Research and investigations conducted by Demos and its partners have shown that many states, including Virginia, have been failing to follow the NVRA's requirement to provide voter registration services through state agencies, particularly public assistance offices. This report outlines how, once informed of its inadequate performance, the state of Virginia immediately implemented a plan to bring its Department of Social Services offices into compliance with the law.
- Tags: The National Voter Registration Act | Voter Registration
Briefing Papers
- October 24, 2008
- Provisional Ballots
- Where to Watch in 2008
- By Scott Novakowski
- Download the PDF
With predictions of record turnout, including millions of first-time voters, as this briefing paper shows, provisional ballots may play a significant role in the 2008 election describing some of the common problems experienced with provisional ballots, emerging issues, and states to watch in 2008.
- Tags: Provisional Balloting
- June 7, 2007
- Fusion Voting
- An Analysis
- By Benjamin Healey, Myriah Pahl
- Download the PDF
Fusion is a simple reform that gives candidates for elected office the freedom to run with the endorsement of more than one political party. This briefing paper outlines the advantages, technical considerations and financial costs of implementing fusion voting in states across the nation.
- Tags: Other Election Issues
- June 7, 2007
- The Freedom Framework
- How a Renewed Vision of Freedom Can Serve as The Moral Compass for America
- By John Schwarz
- Download the PDF
This briefing paper from Demos Distinguished Senior Fellow John Schwarz suggests that those committed to a more caring, equitable, and democratic America must reclaim the value of freedom and reassert its inextricable link to fairness and the common good. It shows how a vision of freedom that emphasizes our obligations towards one another can inspire Americans to reconnect to a history in which freedom has represented the highest hopes for our nation, from the revolution to the womens and civil rights movements. Returning to such a vision of freedom will allow us to reach across political divides and transcend the individualism, selfishness, and enmity that so dominate our society and political arena.
- Tags: Values & Politics
- November 27, 2006
- Young Adult Economic Series, Part 1
- Higher and Higher Education
- By EOP Staff
- Download the PNG
In today's knowledge-based economy, a college degree is a necessary qualification for entry to the middle class. Over the last 30 years, as real wages for workers with only a high school diploma have fallen, the life outcomes for those with college degrees have diverged from those with only high school degrees. In 1977, for example, there was only a 6 percentage-point difference in home ownership rates between those with college educations and those without. Today, there is a 20 percentage-point difference.
- Tags: Millennial Generation/Young Adults
Fact Sheets
- November 19, 2008
- Middle Class Economic Security Fact Sheet
- By Tamara Draut Jennifer Wheary
- & Thomas M. Shapiro, Tatjana Meschede
- Download the PDF
Three out of four middle-class families are poorly positioned to weather the current economic downturn. This fact sheet provides a snapshot of the key household indicators and where today's middle class stands in each area, as explored in the report.
- Tags: The Middle Class
- October 29, 2008
- 2008 Election Primer
- Election Administration, Voting Rights & Legal Challenges
- By Democracy Program Staff
- Download the PDF
The 2008 Election Primer: Election Administration, Voting Rights & Legal Challenges, provides a comprehensive account of the latest research and litigation on key election issues--including voter registration challenges, voter access, fraud allegations, federal voting requirements, as well as voting rights for low-income citizens, veterans, and citizens with felony convictions.
- Tags: Election Day Registration | The National Voter Registration Act | Voter Fraud, Voter ID and Election Integrity | Provisional Balloting | Felon Disfranchisement | Voter Registration | Election Administration | Voting Technology | Help America Vote Act (HAVA)
Toolkits
- November 19, 2008
- Household Financial Security Scorecard
- Download the PDF
The Middle Class Security Index, co-developed by Demos and IASP/Brandeis, uses government data and measures the financial security of the middle class by rating household stability across five core economic factors: assets, education achievement, housing costs, budget and healthcare.
This scorecard allows the average family to measure where they fall on Index.
- Tags: The Middle Class
- May 22, 2008
- 20 Ways to Fight for the Future
- Young Activists Handbook
- By Caleb Gibson
- & Heather McGhee
- Download the PDF
- http://www.abetterdealconference.org
What's at stake in the fight for the future? For generations, the American Dream has meant not only success for yourself, but a better life for your children. But for the first time in American history, experts are predicting that this generation of young people will be worse off than their parents. The American Dream of progress may end--with us. We are the first generation to come of age in a New Economy that's marked by lower wages for average workers, fewer benefits and less job security. Yet our public policies have yet to respond and have often made matters worse. That's because the last 30 years have seen not just an economic shift but a political shift as well, away from government investments in the financial security of its citizens.
Fortunately for us, this economic decline is not inevitable. There are plenty of policy ideas that would give hard-working young people and their families the security they need to succeed and innovate in the New Economy. Frankly, many of the proposals in this handbook are basic ideas, like paid sick days for all workers--and perhaps the most remarkable part about them is that we don't already have them. But as basic as they might be, each and every one of the 20 Ways to Fight for the Future will make a real difference in the daily lives of millions of Americans--including, most likely, you.
It's time for our generation to send a wake-up call to our city councils, state houses, Capitol Hill and the White House. The promise of our democracy is a government responsive to the needs of its citizens; when 14 million young adults are uninsured, when child care costs more than college tuition and college tuition costs triple what it did for our parents, our leaders are clearly falling down on the job. Of course, it's our job to demand change. It's important for young people to vote, and we applaud the doubling and even tripling of youth turnout so far in 2008. But when we vote, we're primarily voting for candidates. For our ideas to win, we've got to build a movement. Hopefully, this handbook will help you do just that.
- Tags: Millennial Generation/Young Adults
- September 1, 2006
- Tools for Democracy: Election Day Registration
- The Benefits of EDR
- By Democracy Program Staff
- Download the PDF
A four-page toolkit of facts, analysis and persuasive reasons that all states should adopt Election Day Registration.
- Tags: Election Day Registration | Voter Registration
- September 1, 2006
- Tools for Democracy: Felon Re-enfranchisement
- Restoring Voting Rights to Citizens with Felony Convictions
- By Democracy Program Staff
- Download the PDF
Toolkit explaining the benefits of restoring voting rights to citizens with felony convictions.
- Tags: Felon Disfranchisement | Incarceration
Litigation
- December 19, 2008
- Illinois' Settlement with Department of Justice
- Download the PDF
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and Illinois Department of Human Services (DHS), the state's public assistance agency, entered into an agreement to ensure the state's compliance with Section 7 of the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) of 1993.
- Tags: The National Voter Registration Act | Voter Registration
- November 26, 2008
- 6th Circuit Court Decision in Ohio Election Administration Lawsuit
- League of Women Voters of Ohio v. Brunner
- Download the PDF
TK
- Tags: Election Administration
- October 28, 2008
- Circuit Court Decision in Ohio NVRA Case
- Harkless v. Brunner
- Download the PDF
The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals reverses the lower court's August 2007 dismissal of the case, holding that both Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner and Director Helen E. Jones-Kelley of the Department of Job and Family Services (DJFS) have responsibility to ensure that the local offices where low-income citizens apply for and receive food stamps, cash assistance, and Medicaid are providing the opportunity to register to vote, assistance in registering, and that they are submitting completed forms to the Secretary of State's office.
- Tags: The National Voter Registration Act | Voter Registration
- October 7, 2008
- Amicus Brief in GOP Voter Roll Lawsuit
- Ohio Republican Party, et al. v. Brunner
- Download the PDF
Demos and other voting rights advocates filed a "friend-of-the court" brief in the Southern District Court of Ohio, pointing out that wholesale purging of state voter rolls based on discrepancies between different government databases would violate the very statute on which the Ohio GOP's lawsuit is based.
- Tags: Voter Registration | Election Administration | Help America Vote Act (HAVA) | Other Election Issues | A Healthy Democracy
Legislative Testimonies
- September 15, 2008
- Voter Registration for Wounded Warriors
- Testimony of Lisa Danetz
- By Lisa J. Danetz
- Download the PDF
Demos Senior Counsel Lisa J. Danetz testifies before the Senate Rules and Administration Committee on the need for voter registration at the offices of Veterans Affairs.
- Tags: The National Voter Registration Act | Voter Registration
- April 1, 2008
- Challenges Facing Public Assistance Agencies
- Testimony of Lisa J. Danetz
- By Lisa J. Danetz
- Download the PDF
Testimony delivered by Democracy Program Counsel Lisa J. Danetz before the Committee on House Administration, Subcommittee on Elections United States House of Representatives on April 1, 2008.
- Tags: The National Voter Registration Act
- February 26, 2008
- Voter Suppression
- Testimony of Lorraine C. Minnite
- By Lorraine C. Minnite
- Download the PDF
Testimony of Senior Fellow Lori Minnite before the House Judiciary Committee's Oversight Hearing on Voter Suppression.
Minnite outlines suppressive effects of the Department of Justice initiative to prosecute fraud, in light of evidence of very little fraud in US elections.
- Tags: Voter Fraud, Voter ID and Election Integrity
- February 5, 2008
- Restoring Contribution Limits
- Testimony of Brenda Wright
- By Brenda Wright
- Download the PDF
Testimony of Demos' Democracy Program Legal Director on restoring contribution limits in Vermont, delivered before the Vermont House Government Operations Committee on February 5, 2008.
- Tags: Campaign Finance
Letters
- December 11, 2008
- Letter to House Urging Investment in College Affordability
- Download the PDF
Demos, in partnership with the Project on Student Debt, and 11 other national higher education organizations representing students, colleges, consumers, college administrators, and others sent this letter Congressional leaders calling for a major investment in college affordability. The groups put forward specific proposals for short-term, targeted assistance to students and parents to boost college access, create jobs, reduce student borrowing, and strengthen the American workforce and economy.
- Tags: Student Loans and Student Loan Debt | Millennial Generation/Young Adults
- December 11, 2008
- Letter to Senate Urging Investment in College Affordability
- Download the PDF
Demos, in partnership with the Project on Student Debt, and 11 other national higher education organizations representing students, colleges, consumers, college administrators, and others sent this letter Congressional leaders calling for a major investment in college affordability. The groups put forward specific proposals for short-term, targeted assistance to students and parents to boost college access, create jobs, reduce student borrowing, and strengthen the American workforce and economy.
- Tags: Student Loans and Student Loan Debt | Millennial Generation/Young Adults
- October 13, 2008
- Letter to Greene County, OH Officials
- By Brenda Wright
- Download the PDF
Letter sent to Greene County, Ohio Sheriff and District Attorney warning of federal voting rights violations.
- Tags: Voter Registration | Other Election Issues
- September 22, 2008
- Letter to the House of Rep. in Support of the "Credit Cardholders Bill of Rights"
- By Tamara Draut
- Download the PDF
In response to a floor vote in the House of Representatives, Vice-President Tamara Draut highlights the importance of legislation that would "level the playing field between borrower and lender," in a letter of support for, "Credit Cardholders Bill of Rights Act."
- Tags: Debt | Credit Card Debt
Demos
220 Fifth Ave., 5th Flr. New York, NY 10001 | 212.633.1405 | info@demos.org
Home | About | Contact | Newsroom | Privacy Policy | Reprint Permission
This site is best viewed using Mozilla Firefox.