The Big Ideas Project

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Merged Idea

Dismantle the for-profit prison industry. Prisoners of the state should be kept by the state, not by profit-driven concerns with a vested interest in keeping their facilities full and profitable.

Submitted by Justin Hoeger from CA in Civil Rights Dec. 10, 2014, 10:09 p.m.

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#15

5926 votes

Merged Idea

Reinstate the sections of the Voting Rights Act, nullified by the Supreme Court, by removing the qualification that those sections applied only to districts which had a historical record of segregation, prior to 1967. Instead, anyone with a grievance on being denied to vote should be granted standing to file a class action suit on behalf of their community; all district voting procedures and district maps should be subject to strict court scrutiny.

Submitted by Ben in Civil Rights Dec. 19, 2014, 12:19 a.m.

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#16

5703 votes

Voting is an absolute right and it is obvious that too many states are doing everything in their power to keep certain people from voting. This right needs to be protected at the national level under federal law. If voter ID should be required, it should be based on having a Social Security number only.

Submitted by Stuart in Civil Rights Jan. 4, 2015, 12:18 p.m. 1

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#30

4360 votes

Merged Idea

The previous administration lied about torture and lied to get us into a war in Iraq. Those in the highest positions are responsible for torture and deaths of innocent iraqis and bringing us into a needless war because of false information and they should be brought to justice for their crimes.

Submitted by Jack D. from WA in Civil Rights Dec. 17, 2014, 5:30 p.m.

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#53

3175 votes

Background checks for all gun buyers and stricter gun laws. If you are afraid of a background check, you probably shouldn't have access to a gun.

Submitted by Phyllis M. from CT in Civil Rights Nov. 11, 2014, 4:09 p.m.

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#63

2944 votes

Anyone who has served a full sentence for a felony or a reduced sentence plus a probation of a year or more should be eligible to vote, nationwide.

Submitted by Timothy Salt in Civil Rights Dec. 16, 2014, 3:53 p.m. 1

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#72

2762 votes

Merged Idea

Electronic hacking of computerized vote tabulation is an immanent threat to Democracy. We need to revert to manual voting where the actual vote can be verified. Karl Rove has already mastered the art of electronic voter fraud even though no one in the media wants to admit it.

Submitted by Chris C. from TN in Civil Rights Dec. 17, 2014, 12:44 p.m. 1

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#79

2659 votes

Pass the Equal Rights Amendment, which would cover a number of problems for women--equal pay, the right to determine what happens with their bodies (rape. which would become battery and abortion, which would simply be a right). It passed in the '70's and now would be a bellwether to show who in Congress supports women and simply who does not.

Submitted by Mary T. from WA in Civil Rights Dec. 29, 2014, 2:15 p.m.

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#113

1975 votes

No law should be passed by states which make it illegal for people in their state to record or take pictures of police and government officials The law in ILL is taking Democracy and Freedom of speech away which is against the Constitution. The local police since 9/11 has become very militant . "no accountability" we are at their mercy of public officials . . A militant country has been born. Prison population should be lowered. No private prisons allowed in US No prisoner for profit.

Submitted by Joanne do not have professional experience in the field in Civil Rights Dec. 10, 2014, 6:02 p.m.

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#122

1843 votes

No Justice, No Money Act. This bill responds to the public outcry over the failure to indict police officers that kill citizens. It provides incentives to end the secret grand jury process that has proven to be biased towards police officers and it encourages the use of special prosecutors in these cases.

Submitted by Rep. Hank Johnson (GA-4) in Civil Rights Dec. 10, 2014, 2:23 a.m. 1

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#128

1783 votes

Raise the Min Wage to $15/hr

Submitted by Roger M. from NY in Civil Rights Dec. 30, 2014, 3:07 p.m.

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#129

1777 votes

Ban torture. Period. No weasel-wording to allow some forms of torture.

Submitted by jdmorris in Civil Rights Jan. 5, 2015, 9:19 a.m.

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#132

1736 votes

End Prison Recidivism rate by not only offering drug rehab, job training and paid apprentice ship programs to help them acclimate back into society but also offer prison rehab that aids in helping them to adjust mentally and emotionally of how society operates outside of prison.

Submitted by Roger M. from NY in Civil Rights Dec. 30, 2014, 4:16 p.m.

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#138

1656 votes

2ND Amendment buffs often overlook the 2nd and 3rd word of the 2nd Amendment. Lets remind them of it and pose Universal Background Checks, limited capacity clips, Pass Assault Weapons Ban and possibly extend tax cuts for Smart Gun manufacturers http://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/the-gun-the-nra-doesnt-want-sold-244605507892

Submitted by Roger M. from NY in Civil Rights Dec. 30, 2014, 3:40 p.m.

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#153

1501 votes

Reclassify all white collar crimes as violent crimes. For example, crimes like securities fraud and large scale tax evasion usually take months, sometimes even years of meticulous planning. They are by nature premeditated. On the flip side, reduce penalties for minor nonviolent crimes such as minor drug possession and shoplifting. In short, no more 5 years for stealing a candy bar while the Wall St. exec who steals millions walks!

Submitted by Michael L. from OH in Civil Rights Nov. 21, 2014, 5:41 a.m.

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#164

1406 votes

Restore to women the right to control their own bodies, wombs, eggs.

Submitted by CLANDBERGB in Civil Rights Dec. 19, 2014, 1:31 a.m.

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#167

1387 votes

all police shall wear cameras that are always recording - and uploading video to a cloud - so no one police officer may delete, start or stop recordings

Submitted by lexout in Civil Rights Dec. 10, 2014, 2:27 p.m.

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#188

1296 votes

Constitutional Amendment to explicitly define and mandate the Separation of Church and State, based in part upon clear declarations that this country was not founded upon or for the support or benefit of any religion, Christian or otherwise, and that all people have the right to either freedom of religion as well as freedom from religion. Religious arguments shall neither be made nor accepted in the conduct of public business.

Submitted by Timothy Salt in Civil Rights Dec. 31, 2014, 11:34 a.m.

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#196

1234 votes

Pass the ERA. Stop penalizing women for our biology

Submitted by Sheila S. from CA in Civil Rights Dec. 10, 2014, 2:24 p.m.

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#204

1183 votes

Those responsible for tanking the economy must go to jail before we the people can trust our elected officials.

Submitted by sharon tate in Civil Rights Nov. 17, 2014, 8:24 p.m.

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#205

1176 votes

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