The Big Ideas Project

Citizens should have a line item veto to apportion how their taxes are used: Pay for health care? Great! Green jobs? Here is my portion. National Parks? Yes! Fund wars to steal other nations' natural resources? No, thank you.

Submitted by Napi in Taxes & Budget Jan. 11, 2015, 1:13 a.m.

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#1897

49 votes

"FAIR FUEL STABILIZER" IN U.S. GASOLINE TAX, to take public advantage of low gasoline/diesel prices -- such as the extremely low current prices -- and at long last truly fund America's declining infrastructure and public transit. Americans are savng some $450 million daily in gas taxes. If half of the reduced price of gas were added to the very low U.S. gas tax, we would be able to much better fund our built and natural environment while incenting reduced use of polluting fossil fuels.

Submitted by Gregory Wright, ADA So Cal Board Member in Infrastructure & Technology Jan. 2, 2015, 10:49 a.m.

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#1897

49 votes

Investigate all significant "terrorist" events for ties to domestic armed insurgency or governmental false flag operations. Prosecute and jail ALL those found to be participants in such activities.

Submitted by Timothy Salt in Foreign Policy & Military Dec. 16, 2014, 1:02 p.m.

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#1897

49 votes

Job guarantee. Modern Money Theory points out money is a social construct. We won't ever run out. Government "debt" is completely unlike household debt. Nothing prevents the only fiscally unconstrained player in the economy from employing the unemployed, or from funding alternative energy infrastructure.

Submitted by Adameran in Economy & Jobs Dec. 10, 2014, 1:59 p.m.

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#1897

49 votes

The cost of US diplomatic operations needs to be trimmed. The effectiveness of officers needs to be increased. More regional embassies or regional offices within embassies is a viable way to cut costs. Two year stints of embassy personnel prevents the attainment of true regional or country specific expertise. This endless transferring is costly. Expertise is at best a gloss. As our recent history has shown, our lack of in-depth understanding of cultures has led us to costly blunders

Submitted by jon g. from IL in Foreign Policy & Military Dec. 11, 2014, 3:05 p.m.

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#1897

49 votes

Raise the minimum wage to at least $25/hour. It is simply not possible to live in many parts of the country -- especially large cities in many parts of the country -- with anything less.

Submitted by Madeleine A. from NY in Economy & Jobs Dec. 10, 2014, 6:24 p.m.

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#1897

49 votes

Tax deductions for all legitimate work expenses such as work clothing and travel costs.

Submitted by Pietro Poggi in Taxes & Budget Dec. 10, 2014, 9:05 p.m.

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#1897

49 votes

Require all government expenditures to be made to USA businesses. American tax money should be spent at home.

Submitted by dasSchramm in Foreign Policy & Military Jan. 6, 2015, 6:17 p.m.

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#1897

49 votes

Get rid of the 'penny'. Round up every transaction to the next nickel (or dime) and use the extra .01-.09 to fund a social welfare or infrastructure project

Submitted by Democratic_Actuary in Economy & Jobs Dec. 11, 2014, 5:21 a.m.

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#1909

48 votes

LARGEST FOREIGN ASSISTANCE TO LOWEST-CARBON NATIONS: The U.S. and other wealthy nations should contribute their greatest foreign assistance in money and in kind to the lowest-carbon-footprint nations, e.g. Cuba, North Korea, and most African countries, as a matter of "carbon justice" and to materially improve their people's standard of living while enabling them to preserve the rainforests and biodiversity essential to keeping the earth climate-stable and environmentally healthy.

Submitted by Gregory Wright, ADA So Cal Board Member in Foreign Policy & Military Jan. 2, 2015, 9:59 a.m. 1

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#1909

48 votes

Put Federal Legislation in place to anchor President Obama's Health Reform Program for LIFE; so that no negative changes can be made now or in the future, to this law by the GOP or any other 'Naysayers'. All Democrats in the Senate and the House of Representatives, must physically 'SIGN OFF' on this.

Submitted by LIKANSI in Health Jan. 5, 2015, 11 a.m.

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#1909

48 votes

Wood-fired generators on converted logging trucks teethered into the electric grid that criss crosses our national forests. Instead of piling and burning piles when manual releasing/thinning forests or cleaning up after logging, you use the slash to create electricity and reduce the cost per acre to clean up the forest. Jobs, cheap energy, safer forests, less fires, lower insurance.

Submitted by John P. from AZ in Environment Jan. 4, 2015, 3:09 p.m.

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#1909

48 votes

Our healthcare system is labeled wrongly. It is an illness care system. Payment by procedure does not value prevention. Which is the one thing which could maintain health. Educate existing and new medical personnel (Dr. nurse etc) and students to focus on wellness instead of health crisis. Change payment systems (federal and private insurance) to reflect the value of HEALTH not illness.

Submitted by Ummm... in Health Jan. 9, 2015, 2:08 a.m.

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#1909

48 votes

Demand Congress establish a formal "definition" of LIBERTY and require an explanation and "justification" of laws proposed that would violate such a definition. We can drink alcohol and smoke cigarettes, but are not allowed to consume other "harmful substances". We can climb mountains too, risking death. But we have the "liberty" to do these things. Our government is inconsistent in its laws.

Submitted by the answertothegap in Civil Rights Dec. 29, 2014, 10:40 a.m.

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#1909

48 votes

Acting as an agent provocateur should be treated as a felony with a mandatory jail term of 5 years. Greater depending on the consequences in terms of injuries, casualties, property damage, etc.

Submitted by Timothy Salt in Civil Rights Dec. 18, 2014, 3:56 p.m.

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#1909

48 votes

Judicial-enormous problem specifically w probate and family. The bias, inept and corrupt actions of those on the bench and to include court personnel along with attorney's having the ability to produce such destructive results upon any person or family without recourse or correction. The appellate process is either futile/completely out of reach for most. The statistics are flawed w Appeals/CJC.

Submitted by andrea c. from MA in Civil Rights Jan. 4, 2015, 9:37 a.m.

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#1909

48 votes

Establish a 4-year, $1 trillion ($250B/yr) program to provide meaningful living wage jobs for those under 30 and over 50 who want and are able to work. Preferably jobs having to do with green programs, infrastructure, affordable housing and services for those with homelessness, substance abuse, or mental illness issues.

Submitted by Timothy Salt in Economy & Jobs Dec. 16, 2014, 12:56 p.m.

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#1909

48 votes

A citizen's advisory board of people of color who are volunteers who would go on ride-alongs with the police, go to briefings with the police, view crimes scenes, conduct community meetings and submit a monthy report to their board director, elected by the board and the board can appoint whites at their discretion.

Submitted by gkm1014 in Society & Community Dec. 10, 2014, 10:38 p.m.

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#1909

48 votes

Create a scoring system to reveal costs to society in one simple number (or up to 3) to be printed on packaging (like calories or tobacco warnings). Plus points would be given for locally produced, durability, recyclability, etc., but minus points for high use of power, toxic ingredients, short use, costly disposal, low wage workers who file for state supports.

Submitted by Michaela M. F. from PA in Society & Community Dec. 29, 2014, 3:16 p.m.

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#1909

48 votes

Make it a crime for any government employee, applicant, candidate or executive to receive direct or indirect benefit from any 3rd party for a period of 2 years before or after employment with a minimum 1 year in Thailand minimum 10 years of intent to deceive is proven.

Submitted by Gnomic in Government & Elections Jan. 3, 2015, 8:30 p.m.

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#1909

48 votes

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