The Policy Institute | Helena, Montana

12/04/2020

Deregulation did not originate in Helena, nor with Gov. Marc Racicot or the Republican Senate who secured its passage in the eleventh hour of the 1997 legislative session. Utility deregulation started in the 1980s as the pet project of right-wing intellectuals. It's what we call 'margins to the mainstream'.
https://missoulian.com/opinion/columnists/how-a-bad-idea-becomes-law/article_f9760c76-f185-54dd-9f6f-ecea79b239b4.html?fbclid=IwAR1EKk2EtL-6GsUcr1ldMJ7bZgW-PvLcd0DHeaotqHhMvtvkM3B3qk-xww8

Opinion: Deregulation did not originate in Helena, nor with Gov. Marc Racicot, who championed it, or Fred Thomas, the Republican Senate leader who secured its passage in the eleventh hour

09/13/2018

Ouch, it's an uphill battle against decades of conservative investment in dramatically and sytematically changing the culture, policies and structures that make up an equitable and inclusive democracy.

"...funders working for equity and against inequality are getting their butts kicked. Why is that?.. the success of conservative foundations in shaping key public policy debates, especially around economics, regulation and entitlements, as well as the right’s investments in media, legal networks and movement building. Meanwhile, mainstream and liberal funders had neglected these critical arenas, tending to focus instead on community-based efforts to build wealth, create jobs and housing, and improve human services. The metaphor that came to my mind, writing in a 1995 article, was that foundations like Ford and Rockefeller were focused on “nurturing saplings while the forest is being clear-cut.”

In recent years, many foundations have put equity front and center in their work. But economic stratification only seems to be getting worse in America. Here's where funders have gone wrong. 

09/13/2018

'As it turns out, in many cases, voters — both college educated and working class, and of all races — are in favor of an economic agenda that would offer them broader protections whether it comes to work, sickness or retirement."

A new study shows that progressive economic ideals have appeal across race and class lines.

09/12/2018

09/12/2018

Sarcasm warning: The economy is going biggly, the GDP is super up, never mind increased debt for students and seniors.

"For an increasing number of older Americans, their golden years are fraught with economic risks," a new study reads. 

09/12/2018

"These days, we’re told that the American economy is strong. Unemployment is down, the Dow Jones industrial average is north of 25,000 and millions of jobs are going unfilled. But for people like Vanessa, the question is not, Can I land a job? (The answer is almost certainly, Yes, you can.) Instead the question is, What kinds of jobs are available to people without much education? By and large, the answer is: jobs that do not pay enough to live on. In recent decades, the nation’s tremendous economic growth has not led to broad social uplift. Economists call it the “productivity-pay gap” — the fact that over the last 40 years, the economy has expanded and corporate profits have risen, but real wages have remained flat for workers without a college education. Since 1973, American productivity has increased by 77 percent, while hourly pay has grown by only 12 percent. If the federal minimum wage tracked productivity, it would be more than $20 an hour, not today’s poverty wage of $7.25. American workers are being shut out of the profits they are helping to generate."

U.S. unemployment is down and jobs are going unfilled. But for people without much education, the real question is: Do those jobs pay enough to live on?

06/10/2015

Congratulations to Shalon Hastings, a member of our 2015 Leadership Seminar Series class. Shalon was selected by the U.S. Small Business Administration as Montana's Small Business Person of the Year. Thank you for all that you do for the Helena community!!

Congratulations, Shalon! We are so proud of you :)

Shalon Hastings, owner of The Hub and Taco Del Sol in Helena, was selected by the U.S. Small Business Administration as Montana's Small Business Person of the Year!!

06/06/2015

We are excited to spend our morning with three incredible progressive legislators. Thank you to Senators Kaufmann and Moe and Rep. Price for sharing your wisdom with the Leadership Seminar Series!

06/04/2015

Did you know that today marks 96 years since Congress passed the 19th Amendment? We hope all of our female followers are exercising your right to vote! How's that for a ?

in 1919, Congress passed the 19th amendment granting women the right to vote. It would take more than a year for the states to ratify the amendment and for it to become law.

05/18/2015

"We have a unique opportunity to redefine policing in our democracy, to ensure that public safety becomes more than the absence of crime, but it must also include a presence for justice."
http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2015/05/obama-police-military-equipment

"We are, without a doubt, sitting at a defining moment in American policing."

05/11/2015

Farewell to the middle class? Presidential hopefuls are giving this long-loved term the axe on the campaign trail. However, ignoring what Americans are afraid of could be a recipe for economic disaster.

A social strata that once signified a secure, aspirational lifestyle now connotes fears about falling behind, sociologists, economists and political scientists said.

05/08/2015

Happy Friday! It's the perfect day to brush up on the facts behind the "Fight for $15." Investing in low- and mid-wage workers is one of the most effective ways to boost our economy. Let's show our workers some love and respect!