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Progressive Activists, Lawyers, Policy Specialists at Your Service
The Drum Major Insitute for Public Policy has a wide array of experts available for direct quotes, background information, and speaking engagements...
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DMI 2009 Annual Gala: Honoring Melody Barnes, Rafael E. Cestero & Ana L. Oliveira
December 10th, 2009


Join the Drum Major Institute for Public Policy on the evening of THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2009 to celebrate our 2More»

FoodNYC
The Brian Lehrer Show | March 10, 2010. Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer and Brooklyn community organizer and food justice advocate Mark Winston Griffith discuss the crisis of “food deserts” – local communities where it’s hard to get fresh, healthy food – and what’s being done to improve the way New Yorkers eat.
City Budget Gaps Set the Stage for Deep Cuts
By Conor Dougherty | The Wall Street Journal | March 2, 2010. Cities will face budget deficits between $12 billion and $19 billion next year, a number that could rise by up to an additional $10 billion if state’s withhold money to cure their own woes, according to a report from the Drum Major Institute. The report notes that cities will get $2.8 billion in aid from the 2011 federal budget, hardly enough to fill the gaps and setting the stage for deeper budget cuts in the coming years.
Principles for an Immigration Policy to Strengthen and Expand the American Middle Class: 2009 Edition
Policy debates are often won or lost based on how the issues at stake are framed. So, with Congress expected to reconsider immigration reform later this fall, we offer a new report that reframes immigration reform in terms of the shared economic interests of immigrants and the middle class.
We show how bolstering workplace rights and the economic contributions of undocumented immigrants will benefit the middle class. But that's not all: we also present a powerful middle-class litmus test for judging future federal immigration policy.  More»
• Date on which Tom DeLay first appeared to do the Cha Cha on “Dancing with the Stars”: 9/21/2009
• Date on which DeLay described himself as “insane or stupid” and withdrew himself from the show due to a medical injury: 10/6/2009
• Date on which then House Majority Leader Tom DeLay brought legislation to the floor which would make it harder for insolvent households to declare bankruptcy: 4/14/2005
• Proportion of personal bankruptcies in the U.S. that can be traced to medical causes: 3 in 5
• Number of uninsured Americans in 2008, the most recent year for which data are available: 46.3 million
• Number of Americans who lost employer-sponsored health coverage between 2007 and 2008, but remained insured due to public programs: 3 million
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DMI Press Release:Report: DREAM Act Would Strengthen and Expand Middle Class 

Immigration Bill Commands Bipartisan Support and Can be Passed

Media Contact: Dan Morris. dmorris@drummajorinstitute.org. 646.274.5713 (office).

New York, NY (March 2, 2010)—Political realities may prevent passage of comprehensive immigration reform, but according to a new report out from the Drum Major Institute for Public Policy, Congress can still enact one of the least controversial and most bipartisan immigration bills: The Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act (DREAM Act), which would not only help immigrant students but also strengthen and expand the American middle class.

The DREAM Act has garnered bipartisan support since it was first introduced in 2001. It passed the Senate Judiciary Committee twice and in 2006 it was added as an amendment to immigration reform by a voice vote without dissent. In 2007, it came close to passing the Senate, in a 52-44 vote. Trent Lott, Larry Craig, Kay Hutchinson, Sam Brownback, and several other Republicans voted for it. Reintroduced in March 2009, the bill continues to attract support from both parties, and is backed by the House and Senate leadership and the President. The report reveals that Congress is in a position to pass the DREAM Act and allow immigrant students to contribute more to the American workforce and economy and advance the interests of the middle class.
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DMI Press Releases

Report: DREAM Act Would Strengthen and Expand Middle Class (03/02/10)

New Report: Obama’s 2011 Budget Undermines Economic Recovery (02/25/10)

Report: Without New Revenue, MTA Will Increase Fares by 15 Percent (02/16/10)

Andrea Batista Schlesinger to Leave Drum Major Institute After 8-Year Tenure, Appointed to Senior Policy Position at City Hall (01/08/10)

New Report Reveals National List of Best and Worst Public Policies, StimCity: A Mayors’ Eye View of Economic Recovery, and More (12/15/09)

Book to Shape New York City’s Post-Recession Economic Agenda (12/07/09)

Legalizing Undocumented Immigrants Would Help the Middle Class (09/01/09)

City Council Must Pass Earned Paid Sick Time Bill (08/20/09)

New Report Links Economic Recovery to Undocumented Immigrants  (07/23/09)

Report: NYC Lags Behind Other Cities on Solving Pressing Problems (07/15/09)

Federal Neglect of Cities Endangers National Economic Recovery (06/18/09)

Statement on MTA Rescue (05/06/09)

Solving the MTA Budget Crisis: A New Capital Investment Strategy  (04/09/09)

Fewer Partisan Congressional Votes on Middle Class Issues in 2008 (03/31/09)

Carrion as Head of Urban Policy Presents Opportunity for Smart Investment in Cities (02/18/09)

STATEMENT FROM THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE DRUM MAJOR INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC POLICY (02/04/09)

New Guide for Obama, Congress on Public Policy Highs, Lows of 2008 (12/11/08)

Drum Major Institute Poll: Candidates’ Prior Voting Records On Middle-Class Policies May Play Pivotal Role In 2008 Election.  (08/19/08)

With Council Set To Act On Congestion Pricing, America’s Leading Middle Class Think Tank Emphasizes Vote Is “As Much About Helping Middle Class New Yorkers As Reducing Traffic” (03/21/08)

Nation’s Only Middle-Class Congressional Scorecard Released (03/12/08)

The More Americans Demand Change, The More The State Of The Union Address Stays The Same (01/29/08)

As Presidential Candidates Spar Over Alleged Failings of Legal System, Drum Major Institute Releases Ideas on How to Fix It (01/10/08)

Nation’s Mayors Join Forces, Urge Presidential Candidates to Focus on Urban Issues That Affect Millions of Voters (12/17/07)

Drum Major Institute: Congestion Pricing Good For Middle Class New Yorkers (06/07/07)

U.S. Senate’s Proposed “Grand Bargain” for Immigration Reform Receives Poor Review From Drum Major Institute For Public Policy  (05/24/07)

London Deputy Mayor Nicky Gavron To Provide “Real World” Commentary On Her City’s Successful Implementation of Congestion Pricing Plan  (05/15/07)

101 New York City Leaders Speak on the Present and Future Condition of the City's Middle Class  (04/02/07)

Drum Major Institute for Public Policy urges Congress to pass the Employee Free Choice Act (02/28/07)

Cyrus Dugger speaks out on the government’s continuing failure to protect the health of Ground Zero rescuers and workers (01/31/07)

Drum Major Institute For Public Policy Releases “Instantaneous Analysis” Of State Of The Union Address (01/24/07)

Ezekiel Edwards weighs in on Governor Spitzer's dramatic reduction of excessive telephone charges paid by the families of prisoners (01/09/07)

Drum Major Institute for Public Policy Seeks 2007 Senior Fellow in Civil Justice (01/02/07)

Welfare expert makes suggestions to Mayor Bloomberg on how to improve anti-poverty plans (12/20/06)

Think Tank Focused on Middle Class Issues Calls Recent Immigration Raids “Devastating to local economies” and “Failing to address the need for comprehensive reform that benefits Americans” (12/20/06)

The Other War That Changed America In 2006  (12/12/06)

Drum Major Institute Launches Nationwide Program to Identify and Cultivate Tomorrow’s Great Progressive Idea Leaders (11/14/06)

The American Middle Class Is The True Winner of The 2006 Midterm Elections (11/08/06)

Announcing a think tank first-- DMI's Netroots Advisory Council (11/03/06)

Warning: Republicans Acting To Suppress Latino Vote In 2006 Elections (10/30/06)

Two Champions of Universal, Full-Day Pre-Kindergarten, Oklahoma State Senator Penny Williams and New York City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn, To Appear Jointly at DMI’s Marketplace of Ideas. (10/27/06)

DMI Fellow Maureen Lane issues statement on Department of Health and Human Services' new definition of "work" as related to welfare benefits. (06/28/06)

DMI Fellow Andrew Friedman Speaks Out on Efforts to Dismantle the Voting Rights Acts  (06/28/06)

2005 Scorecard: Congress Failed Middle Class Again  (06/20/06)

U.S. Senate’s Proposed “Compromise” Immigration Bill Receives Tepid Review From Drum Major Institute For Public Policy (05/25/06)

Randi Weingarten, President of United Federation of Teachers, joins the Drum Major Institute’s Board of Directors (05/10/06)

Morris Pearl joins the Drum Major Institute’s Board of Directors (05/10/06)

DMI Fellow available to speak on 9/11 and civil justice system. (05/09/06)

Scorecard Grades New York State Legislators on Middle-Class Voting Records (03/14/06)

Middle-Class Watchdog Warns McCain Immigration Bill Fails To Adequately Address Immigrant Rights In The Workplace  (02/24/06)

Middle Class Watchdog to Conduct Rapid Analysis of State of the Union (01/31/06)

Bringing Grassroots Voices to a National Audience:  (01/30/06)

The Drum Major Institute For Public Policy Releases Report  (12/07/05)

Drum Major Institute Hosts Forum on Solutions to Insurance Price Gouging (10/19/05)

Drum Major Institute Report Finds Schools Targeted By Impact Schools Safety Initiative Are Among The Most Overcrowded And Under-Funded In The City (06/09/05)

New York City Congressional Delegation Should Learn From Its Mistakes And Oppose Devastating Bankruptcy Bill (04/04/05)

Drum Major Institute Announces Fellows Program (02/10/05)

Drum Major Institute Calls On Presidential Candidates To Address America's Squeezed Middle Class In Next Debate (10/06/04)

2004 U.S. Senate Elections Have High Stakes For America's Middle Class (09/01/04)

Annual Scorecard Shows Who Passes--And Fails--America's Middle Class Families (05/21/04)

Drum Major Institute Report Analyzes New York City Press Coverage Of Budget Crisis After 9/11 (04/07/04)

Drum Major Institute Report Shows Presidential Candidate Positions On Issues Important To America's Middle Class (01/25/04)

DMI releases 'Where do you stand?' PSA Campaign in New York City (01/14/04)

Andrew Friedman to serve as Senior Fellow of the Drum Major Institute for Public Policy (10/13/03)

Jonathan Rosen To Serve As Senior Fellow Of The Drum Major Institute For Public Policy (05/22/03)

New Report Explores Impact of Vast Demographic Changes on New York City's Future (05/15/03)