The Big Ideas Project

Make it illegal for companies to pay employees with prepaid cards. These cards charge a fee every time you use it and also if you do not use it. The card companies have made deals with employers to save employers money on paying wages and again screwing over the people that can least afford it. All wages should be paid in cash, check, or direct deposit.

Submitted by Keith M. from CA in Society & Community Dec. 10, 2014, 3:19 p.m.

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#181

1337 votes

Make voting day a holiday from work!

Submitted by Galen D. from WA in Government & Elections Nov. 21, 2014, 3:04 p.m.

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#182

1325 votes

Reinstate Feingold Mcain Finance Reform Act that got repealed in the $1.1T Spending bill to fund the gov’t through 2015.

Submitted by Roger M. from NY in Government & Elections Dec. 30, 2014, 4:22 p.m.

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#183

1321 votes

While we are discussing breaking up big banks, we should be discussing breaking up big media as well. Having public discourse controlled in the hands of a few corporate behemoths is dangerous for democracy. Repeal the communications act of 1996 part of the Contact on America.

Submitted by Jeff M. from GA in Society & Community Dec. 27, 2014, 10:08 a.m.

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#184

1320 votes

Stop the Republican attack on Social Security Disability. If they succeed in this attack they will do the same to the Retirees.

Submitted by Lee Anne R. from NY in Society & Community Jan. 14, 2015, 11:08 a.m. 1

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#185

1319 votes

Minimum wage automatically increases with inflation to offset inflation. Everyone starting at minimum gets mandatory raises after working a specific amount of months or years, and these are also adjusted for inflation. Big corporations are using performance to deny pay even when the workers performance is satisfactory; most hourly workers will not keep their jobs unless their performance is much better than "ok".

Submitted by Daniel S. from CA in Economy & Jobs Jan. 12, 2015, 3:24 p.m.

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#186

1311 votes

Pay back all the funds borrowed from social security. It is a progressive program that is hugely popular with the demographic that shows up at the polls. Conservatives want fiscal reform? How about paying back the money borrowed from our retirement funds that every American paid into? Pay back the American people first!

Submitted by PW in Uncategorized Jan. 4, 2015, 11:06 a.m.

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#187

1308 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

Public education is a matter of national self interest. It should be supported from general revenue and be available to anyone at any age subject only to reasonable academic standards. Unemployed can seek new skills; employed prepare for advancement; the curious can satisfy their thirst for knowledge broadening their view of the world. Private schools should not be subsidized but remain available to any student. I believe such a program would force private institutions to compete.

Submitted by Richard Yarnell in Education Nov. 6, 2014, 1:06 a.m.

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#188

1296 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

Require all Republican public officials, local, state and federal, who have signed the Norquist Pledge to renounce the Pledge and retake their Oaths of Office. The Constitution gives Congress the power to 'lay & collect taxes, duties, imports & excises." When the Republicans take their Oaths of Office after signing the Norquist Pledge to not raise tax rates, they do so WITH mental reservations AND purpose of evasion. Thus, invalidating their Oaths of Office.

Submitted by Nancy R. in Government & Elections Jan. 5, 2015, 6:04 p.m.

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#193

1241 votes

"NAFTA-style" trade deals have sent jobs out of the country, cut wages and increased our trade deficit, which drains our economy. We should renegotiate these trade deals. Make it a trade violation to threaten to move a job out of the country. Require a minimum wage with trading partners. Require some level of balance in trade with our partners so they buy from us as much as we buy from them.

Submitted by Dave J. in Economy & Jobs Dec. 30, 2014, 3:26 p.m. 1

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#194

1240 votes

Repeal the Mining Law of 1872. Require that any public land sold should be sold for fair market value and any money derived from mineral extraction be taxed at a rate commensurate with the damage done to the environment. The taxes should cover the repair and restoration of the land and water. The sale of land should not exclude environmental groups or private citizens who wish to preserve the land for future generations

Submitted by S. fried in Environment Jan. 12, 2015, 5:09 p.m. 1

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#194

1240 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

A retiree bank should be created for those over 65 where people could deposit their money and earn a guaranteed 5% interest. Retired people could live on the money they saved and not have to put their savings into risky investments. The gov't would have plenty of money for projects we need and the average person could be secure in retirement.

Submitted by Gloria S. from CA in Society & Community Nov. 16, 2014, 7:54 p.m. 1

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#197

1225 votes

Corporations that are found to have intentionally defrauded the government (We the People) would be required to repay the amount defrauded plus all costs (investigation, attorney fees, etc) times 3. A second offense w/in 5 years would disqualify the company from bidding on any future government contracts. Company executives responsible for such thefts should be barred from employment with any company performing government contract work.

Submitted by Chuck Isner in Foreign Policy & Military Jan. 3, 2015, 7:12 p.m.

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#198

1219 votes

De-militarize police forces nationwide.

Submitted by Connie Thomas in Foreign Policy & Military Nov. 18, 2014, 2:32 p.m.

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#199

1217 votes

The government should reinstate/strengthen the made in America purchasing rule for items purchased for the government. This rule has been ignored for too long and would do much to stimulate American production. The U.S. government buying non american produced products should be rare and not the norm.

Submitted by Charles Soper in Economy & Jobs Nov. 16, 2014, 5:52 p.m.

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#200

1195 votes

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