About Us

Our Fiscal Security is a collaborative effort of Demos, the Economic Policy Institute, and The Century Foundation. Our institutions are dedicated to promoting an economic path that achieves fiscal responsibility without undermining our national strength. Today, the foundation of that strength—a secure and growing middle class—is being tested by falling incomes, lost wealth, high unemployment and record foreclosures. Yet instead of rebuilding the public structures that could fortify our economy, our elected leaders are facing misguided pressure to reduce the federal budget deficit.

We believe the first priority for our nation is to secure the fundamentals of the economy:

Strong growth and good jobs.

We also believe:

In order to reduce our long-term national debt we must refuel the engine of our economy: the middle class.

Finally,

We strongly oppose the idea that America’s fiscal challenges should be solved by cutting longstanding social insurance programs that have brought security and prosperity to millions of Americans.

Putting our nation on a path of broad prosperity will require generating new jobs, investing in key areas, modernizing and restoring our revenue base and lowering the costs of our health care system. Achieving these goals, however, will require an informed and engaged public to help set our national priorities.

We hope you’ll join us.

About the Partners

Demos is a non-partisan public policy research and advocacy organization founded in 2000. Headquartered in New York City, Demos works with advocates and policymakers around the country in pursuit of four overarching goals:

a more equitable economy with widely shared prosperity and opportunity;

a vibrant and inclusive democracy with high levels of voting and civic engagement;

an empowered public sector that works for the common good; and

responsible U.S. engagement in an interdependent world.

The Economic Policy Institute is a nonprofit, Washington D.C. think tank dedicated to broadening the discussion about economic policy to include the interests of low- and middle-income workers. The institute conducts original research according to strict standards of objectivity, and couples its findings with outreach and popular education.

Its work spans a wide range of economic issues, such as trends in wages, incomes, and prices; health care; education; retirement security; federal budget policy; state-level economic development strategies; trade and global finance; comparative international economic performance; the health of manufacturing and other key sectors; global competitiveness and energy development.

From its findings, EPI publishes books, studies, issue briefs, popular education materials, and other publications; sponsors conferences and seminars; briefs policy makers at all levels of government; provides technical support to national, state, and local activists and community organizations; testifies before national, state, and local legislatures; and provides information and background to the print and electronic media.

The Century Foundation is a nonprofit public policy research institution committed to the belief that a mix of effective government, open democracy, and competitive markets is the most effective solution to the major challenges facing the United States. Our staff, fellows, and contract authors produce publications and participate in events that:

(1) explain and analyze public issues in plain language,

(2) provide facts and opinions about the strengths and weaknesses of different policy strategies, and

(3) develop and call attention to distinctive ideas that can work.

Our efforts cut across many areas of policy, but focus particularly on four basic challenges facing the United States: persistent economic inequality combined with the shift to American households of financial risks previously borne by employers and government; the aging of the population; preventing and responding to terrorism while preserving civil liberties; and restoring America’s international credibility as an effective and cooperative leader in responding to global security and economic dangers.