The Roosevelt Institute has a substantial budget devoted to researching and advocating for policies to address social issues. Their research has led them to support all of the Shares in America goals: Limiting money in politics, increasing taxes on the wealthy, and universal basic income. Below is a synopsis of some of their findings and positions on these issues.
UBI
The Roosevelt Institute has conducted significant research on Universal Basic Income (UBI), including modeling that suggests it could grow the economy and alleviate poverty. However, their research indicates they view UBI as part of a broader conversation about cash assistance and strengthening the social safety net, rather than taking an exclusively pro- or anti-UBI stance.
Key details regarding the Roosevelt Institute's stance:
Support for UBI Research:
A 2017 study by the institute found that a UBI of $1,000/month could increase the US GDP by over 12%.
UBI vs. GBI:
While some research highlights the potential for Guaranteed Income (GI) to tackle racial and gender wealth gaps, researchers at the institute have also argued that UBI is preferable to GI for its political viability and universal benefits.
Other Advocacy:
While studying UBI, the Institute also strongly advocates for a Federal Job Guarantee as a necessary tool to address inequality and worker power.
The "UBI +" Approach:
Some researchers affiliated with the Roosevelt Institute have proposed a "universal plus basic income" model designed to target wealth disparities, rather than just income, through a racial and gender justice lens.
In short, the Roosevelt Institute does not exclusively advocate for one form of cash transfer over the other but has done extensive, positive analysis on UBI's economic impact and argued for its superiority over targeted Guaranteed Income (GI) in some contexts, while also analyzing the benefits of "UBI+" approaches.
Limiting Money in Politics
the Roosevelt Institute strongly advocates for limiting the influence of money in politics, viewing it as a crucial component of reforming the American economy and strengthening democracy. They argue that excessive political spending by wealthy donors and corporations—accelerated by the Citizens United Supreme Court decision—distorts policy, fuels economic inequality, and reduces political equality.
Core Advocacy Positions and Reforms
The Roosevelt Institute proposes several structural changes to reduce the influence of big money, including:
Overturning Citizens United: Supporting a constitutional amendment or Supreme Court ruling to reverse the decision and restore the ability to limit election spending.
Publicly Financing Elections: Implementing robust public funding (such as grants, matching funds, or vouchers) to reduce candidates' reliance on high-dollar donors.
Tackling "Dark Money": Increasing transparency and reducing the influence of super PACs and 501(c)(4) organizations.
Anti-Oligarchy Policies: Linking political reforms with economic ones, such as advocating for a wealth tax to diminish the influence of top donors.
Focus on Structural Power
The Institute’s work emphasizes that the current political system is "rigged" by concentrated wealth and corporate power. As part of their "Great Democracy Initiative," they argue for policies that "rebalance power toward ordinary citizens" and treat political spending as a barrier to a fair, equitable, and sustainable economy.
Taxing the Rich
The Institute argues for increasing taxes, particularly targeting corporations, high-income earners, and accumulated wealth, as part of its efforts to reduce economic inequality and promote public investment. The think tank argues that the US tax code should be restructured to encourage productive economic activity rather than speculative "rent-seeking" behavior.
Key areas of tax advocacy by the Roosevelt Institute include:
Increasing Corporate Tax Rates: The Institute advocates for higher corporate taxes and closing loopholes that allow firms to shift profits offshore.
Raising Top Marginal Income Tax Rates: A core proposal is to increase taxes on the highest earners to reduce inequality and raise revenue.
Implementing a Wealth Tax: The Institute has proposed a wealth tax designed to tax assets at fair market value.
Reforming Estate/Inheritance Taxes: Proposals include strengthening these taxes to curb the generational transfer of massive wealth.
Repealing the 2017 Tax Cuts: The Institute has been a vocal critic of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017, arguing it exacerbated inequality, and supports repealing its provisions that benefit large corporations.
Taxing Excess Profits: Recent work focuses on taxing "excess profits" of large corporations to foster competition.
The Roosevelt Institute positions these tax increases not just for deficit reduction, but as essential tools for funding public investments (e.g., education, infrastructure) and curbing the political and economic power of large corporations.
