The Big Ideas Project

Amend the Constitution of the United States to prohibit all artificial/created entities from contributing or having expenditures to, for and/or against any elected official, candidate or piece of legislation before the Senate and/or the Congress and/or people. Limit Campaign contributions to 7% of the median household income [~$53,000.00] for the previously recorded year per candidate, per piece of legislation per person. Currently $3,700.00.

Submitted by Nobody I. from WA in Government & Elections Jan. 8, 2015, 5:46 p.m.

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#2175

28 votes

As we build/repair urban & suburban roads, rail, cables, pipes & related utility equipment, locate them in underground passageways. This will reduce the cost of repairs from bad weather, natural disasters, accidents, & construction mistakes. As well as the cost/impact of these on the community & businesses. Do it correctly & we could limit tearing up streets all the time & requiring excessive easements/rights of way on property borders. And improve the scenery.

Submitted by Timothy Salt in Infrastructure & Technology Jan. 9, 2015, 11:31 a.m.

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#2182

27 votes

Use "Instant Runoff" voting for all elections with more than two candidates. (The voter ranks the N candidates 1 to N; the winner is the one left after repeatedly removing the one with the fewest first-place votes and counting again.) It does require aggregating all votes before counting, but is verifiable if each election is handled separately and the report from each level to the next is the number of ballots matching each possible voting pattern (a few dozen in a 4-way election).

Submitted by Dave Anderson in Government & Elections Jan. 5, 2015, 5:26 p.m.

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#2182

27 votes

Have North Americans totally boycott television for one month and we will be a new item on the agenda of the big spenders who are controlling everything. Boycotts are the only thing that has kind of worked in the U.S. We can march to infinity and they will just order another round of Remy.

Submitted by moose in Society & Community Dec. 31, 2014, 11:49 a.m.

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#2182

27 votes

Get some BIG IDEAS that aren't trivial, marginal, and wordy like many of those proposed. For example, a Progressive tax without escape clauses exploitable by $pecialist lawyers. Or a luxury tax likewise.

Submitted by Justice Allaround in Taxes & Budget Jan. 3, 2015, 10:03 p.m.

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#2182

27 votes

Just because we have type 1 diabetes doesn't mean we can't drive semis/tractor trailers as long as we watch what we eat and do what our doctors says and control our blood sugars and carry our medical cards/certifications should we carry a card/certification stating that we're married

Submitted by Joey Stevenson in Health Dec. 27, 2014, 2:38 p.m.

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#2182

27 votes

Reduce crime, promote learning, and improve health by focusing on improving nutrition and nutrition education in low income areas. Better nutrition leads to better decisions and a higher quality of life for everyone!

Submitted by wisconsinpaul in Society & Community Jan. 6, 2015, 7:48 p.m.

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#2182

27 votes

The current tax code should be scrapped in it's entirety. It should be replaced with a simple code that allows all individuals and corporations to deduct the same fixed percentage from gross income for expenses and a similar identical percentage for savings or investment. There should be no other deductions allowed. All remaining income would be taxed at the same rate. A realistic poverty level should be set for individuals and families where no taxes would be paid.

Submitted by Stuart in Taxes & Budget Jan. 4, 2015, 12:15 p.m.

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#2182

27 votes

Mutual credit exchange system. Form a national exchange system in which transactions are mediated by interest-free direct credit. Users possess a ledger with credits and debts, the balance of which may be negative without incurring fees. A distributed yet coherent network of accounting and credit clearing systems fills the role of a banking system. Monitoring and user metrics demonstrate user reliability and boost system credibility. Credit limits are imposed for balance and added credibility.

Submitted by Edward Cramp in Economy & Jobs Dec. 13, 2014, 1:32 p.m.

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#2182

27 votes

Alternate voting method for elections. Study and compare voting methods, such as plurality, instant runoff voting, various Condorcet methods, approval voting, and others. Consider criteria such as ease of implementation and use, satisfaction of voting system criteria, and the quality of representation and governability by those it would select in the comparison. Propose implementation of an alternate method, selected based on the display of desirable characteristics, to the state legislatures.

Submitted by Edward Cramp in Government & Elections Dec. 14, 2014, 3:11 p.m.

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#2182

27 votes

Adopt a party-wide political strategy that works toward achieving fundamental systemic changes in wealth ownership. Workers should own their own enterprise, communities (and not corporation) should benefit from our economic production.

Submitted by Joe in Society & Community Jan. 4, 2015, 6:55 p.m.

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#2191

26 votes

Make it easier to get the "bad apple" students out of the classroom. I have yet to hear of a sensible protocol or a teacher who has dealt successfully with the kid who won't sit down and/or won't be quiet. Make it easier to kick them out of school and the whole education system will improve.

Submitted by John Norton in Education Dec. 18, 2014, 2:40 a.m.

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#2191

26 votes

People need to be healthier and take responsibility for their well being, which is a big issue today. We should have farmers tending to the land to make in healthy so that we can grow the nutritious food that we need

Submitted by Sheila Y. from FL in Health Jan. 5, 2015, 7:40 a.m.

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#2191

26 votes

Start a contest for people who do not use plastic containers, etc. Make it worthwhile (money, donations from companies). Make people think about the subject.

Submitted by Patricia St August in Environment Jan. 4, 2015, 8:42 p.m. 1

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#2191

26 votes

divorce the idea that immigration reform be coupled with citizenship.guest worker permits issued first; then after a ''probationary'' period; revisit the prospect of citizenship.

Submitted by phil murray in Civil Rights Jan. 5, 2015, 6:15 p.m.

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#2191

26 votes

Why not couple raises in the federal minimum wage to reductions in corporate income tax. This should actually increase tax revenue as corporate profits pass through to individuals and those at the bottom of the scale spend the money.

Submitted by Ted A. from RI in Taxes & Budget Dec. 10, 2014, 3:23 p.m.

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#2191

26 votes

Get all text books and learning modules/materials that are on paper and move ALL schools to a paperless environment within 5 yrs. Younger students would use the same age appropriate "laptop" type of computer. As the student learns and moves to higher grade level material, appropriate hardware and software would be provided. The real world is moving to paperless, why are schools stuck with books that are so old they are falling apart.

Submitted by Nancy H. from NV in Education Dec. 31, 2014, 1:41 a.m.

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#2191

26 votes

Requiring a super-majority 60% vote to stop a filibuster (cloture) allows the MINORITY to control the Senate. Change cloture rules back to requiring a simple majority vote - 51% of the Senators PRESENT. Today, the rule is 60% of elected Senators, so it always requires 60 votes even if not all 100 Senators are present.

Submitted by Cynthia S. from CO in Government & Elections Jan. 14, 2015, 8:28 p.m.

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#2191

26 votes

End Cannabis Prohibition Our war on drugs hurts us Nationally and Internationally. Plus our soldiers deserve to have access to medicine that is effective on their specific conditions. High on the list of military conditions cannabis has been proven to relieve is pain management and PTSD.

Submitted by BtheBiggerPerson in Foreign Policy & Military Jan. 15, 2015, 12:26 p.m.

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#2191

26 votes

Shoot all the cattle in North America. Introduce Bison and Wolves. Insert chips into Bison to establish ownership by ranchers. Rip out all the barbed wire and return America to open range. Produce protein without hormones, antibiotics. Watch the continent flourish, re-charge aquifers.

Submitted by JM in Environment Dec. 30, 2014, 1 p.m.

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#2191

26 votes

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