The Big Ideas Project

Re-pay the millions of dollars "borrowed" from the Social Security Trust Funds, the last being the $678 million "borrowed" in 2008 to balance the national budget. Like all American citizens I was required i.e. forced, to invest some of my hard earned monies in the SSTF. It's MY/OUR money. We had little choice as to how or when it was drawn down on. These funds are our money, used for non-retirement uses. Thus the actions by Congress constitute a "loan". It's our money. We want it back, NOW!

Submitted by RevRich in Taxes & Budget Dec. 10, 2014, 1:32 p.m.

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#175

1361 votes

Churches should have to be held as accountable as any other 'charitable' organization, and file financial reports on where their money comes from and where it goes to

Submitted by chas in Taxes & Budget Jan. 4, 2015, 4:49 p.m.

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#190

1295 votes

Reverse the policy established by Bush of having the IRS focus on small tax return and focus instead on large income tax returns where the money.

Submitted by Timothy Salt in Taxes & Budget Dec. 16, 2014, 12:10 p.m.

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#191

1278 votes

If we taxed corporations and religious organizations some small percentage of their gross incomes, maybe 2-10% think of the billions of dollars we could put to use expanding Social Security and health care benefits for our elders, our children, our poor, our veterans...with plenty left over for other things, like repairing and expanding our crumbling bridges and highways, improving our schools, and on and on. We could be so much better than we are at this point in time.

Submitted by eddie123 in Taxes & Budget Jan. 7, 2015, 11:35 a.m.

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#192

1252 votes

Fully fund the Social Security Administration. Specifically, the unit that investigates fraud. Adjust the yearly COLA increase according to the ACTUAL rate of inflation. Re-pay the millions of dollars "borrowed" from the Social Security Trust Funds, the last being the $678 million "borrowed" in 2008 to balance the budget. Permanently forbid the "privitization" of Social Security. If it would have been privitized in 2008......

Submitted by Stacy Croan from IL in Taxes & Budget Dec. 10, 2014, 6:03 p.m.

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#214

1144 votes

No more off-shore tax havens. No more corporate tax dodging. No more outsourcing to India and making a fortune off of poor people while not paying any taxes. How is it that G.E. and other companies like them paid less taxes than I did last year, and I only made $40K.

Submitted by Sabine Jordan from CA in Taxes & Budget Dec. 10, 2014, 8:23 p.m.

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#241

988 votes

When companies outsource to countries that don't have the same pollution standards as we have then charge that product with a pollution tax.

Submitted by Donald M. from NJ in Taxes & Budget Nov. 18, 2014, 5:57 p.m.

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#269

862 votes

Fine all companies whose employees have to use welfare programs. The fine should be for the full cost of the welfare received proportional to the number of hours worked per month. This would prevent the company from cutting hours to avoid the fine.

Submitted by HES in Taxes & Budget Dec. 10, 2014, 5:08 p.m.

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#273

846 votes

Make the payroll tax affect taxypayers ABOVE a certain line, rather than below. So payroll tax would START being assessed on income above $50K or $100K or whatever number is needed to make this proposal revenue neutral, but in any case should have NO ceiling. This is an automatic benefit to the first bit of money EVERYONE makes but assures that social security is paid by those with economic surplus, not those who are struggling to get by.

Submitted by Kent Pitman in Taxes & Budget Dec. 26, 2014, 2:36 p.m.

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#275

825 votes

Restore the progressive structure to the tax system. Add more brackets and raise the top rates. Ensure that higher wage earners pay a higher rate than lower wage earners. Make sure Corporations that pay dividends also pay taxes on at least that amount.

Submitted by Jennifer H in Taxes & Budget Dec. 10, 2014, 3:44 p.m.

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#288

782 votes

Raise taxes on the wealthiest 2% of the US population until the National Deficit is eliminated.

Submitted by Christopher S. from HI in Taxes & Budget Jan. 4, 2015, 5:11 p.m.

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#294

773 votes

Raise the cap on income subject to social security

Submitted by Joyce p. from NY in Taxes & Budget Dec. 18, 2014, 8:34 p.m.

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#314

720 votes

If someone believes a corporation is a person then hold that person accountable for personal income tax. Get rid of Corporate Welfare and tax breaks. If a corporation cannot survive without taxpayer funding, they simply are not managed properly. Helping small business is great, but once they reach a level of profit they should then be declared “self-sufficient” and the taxpayer funded Corporate Welfare checks should stop

Submitted by Rick E. from WA in Taxes & Budget Jan. 14, 2015, 11:07 a.m.

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#357

634 votes

As proposed by Thomas Piketty, net tax capital ownership not income. Inequality of wealth ownership undermines the functioning of democratic societies. Making the concentration of the majority of the world's capital in fewer and fewer hands more expense for those accumulating it will reduce world inequality of both income and wealth.

Submitted by Luis Michigan in Taxes & Budget Dec. 10, 2014, 1:27 p.m.

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#361

630 votes

Stop the outright gambling on Wall Street. Tax it! A 50% tax on profits made by short term speculation on currencies, and other flimsy instruments. This is not productive investment. The current Capitol Gains rate should be reserved for those that invest in the long term stocks of companies that actually create jobs here in the USA.

Submitted by Walworth in Taxes & Budget Jan. 8, 2015, 9:07 p.m.

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#366

613 votes

Expand Social Security by removing the income cap and advertise the voluntary contributions allowed under the law as an alternative to 401k plans and attenuate the annuity to the amount you invested. The republicans are always touting freedom, so give us a right to be free to invest in our own retirement with the government and not have your account squandered or "charged and fee'd to death" in the private sector.

Submitted by captmike in Taxes & Budget Jan. 7, 2015, 10:53 p.m.

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#397

571 votes

Any "charity" requesting tax-free status MUST do ONLY charitable work - that means NO POLITICAL ACTIVITY AT ALL!!! Have the IRS follow the law, as Congress wrote & passed it! Just because a Republican director changed it long ago doesn't make it right!!! I strongly object to MY taxes supporting political activity of any "charity" that isn't even a charity!!!

Submitted by Wisconsin Logic in Taxes & Budget Dec. 13, 2014, 2:28 p.m.

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#400

569 votes

Federal grazing fees on public lands remain largely unchanged for a half-century. They cost 1/6th of the cost to manage the land. They are 1/20th to 1/100th of private (and even some state) grazing fees. Over the course of ten years, increase federal grazing fees 10-fold to cover the cost of and improve land management and regulatory enforcement.

Submitted by Timothy Salt in Taxes & Budget Dec. 31, 2014, 12:41 p.m.

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#411

544 votes

Create a flat progressive tax on Wealth. No deductions, no loopholes, no hiding taxable amount by not having 'income'. Create the same structures on corporations so even if they try to store their wealth in offshore accounts, tax their gross amount. No exemptions for "expenses"

Submitted by Grrreeggggg in Taxes & Budget Dec. 11, 2014, 3:51 p.m.

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#426

514 votes

Return to 80 % taxation on the very wealthy. There is no conceivable justification for billlionaires in our society. in fact, they use excessive money to shape policy to their benefit. Did the Walton children ever do work to merit their billions? It isn't possible.

Submitted by Hujsaked in Taxes & Budget Dec. 10, 2014, 1:35 p.m.

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#436

499 votes

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