The Big Ideas Project

Require every police officer wear a camera. Require every officer be suspended without pay for 1-12 weeks for not operating their body and vehicle cameras. Require ever police chief be suspended without pay each time an officer is suspended for a camera violation.

Submitted by Timothy Salt in Civil Rights Dec. 26, 2014, 3:11 p.m.

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#624

298 votes

Eliminate civil forfeiture by police officers making traffic or other stops. The 4th amendment is being ignored here. It's as though we've given the police a letter of mark against our own citizens.

Submitted by Eric C. from PA in Civil Rights Jan. 6, 2015, 2:29 p.m.

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#648

285 votes

Overhaul the Freedom of Information Act and codify it in a Constitutional Amendment to prevent administrations from excessively blocking and/or impeding the provision of requested information and/or excessively classifying and/or redacting released documents. Specify harsh penalties and other legal remedies. Abuses have simply become downright fascistic. Time is long overdue for sunlight.

Submitted by Y. Sam in Civil Rights Jan. 3, 2015, 1:25 p.m.

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#648

285 votes

eliminate military equipment from police inventory

Submitted by lexout in Civil Rights Dec. 11, 2014, 7:38 p.m.

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#659

281 votes

Overhaul the entire penal system to stop overcrowding and outlaw extended solitary confinement. Also abolish capital punishment on the federal level. No more death penalty.

Submitted by no in Civil Rights Dec. 10, 2014, 11:46 a.m.

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#662

279 votes

Revamp our immigration policies to allow a larger visa quota, stop deportations until fair hearings can be held, open a pathway to legal citizenship for the undocumented who do not have a criminal record, pass the DREAM Act, allow parents of DACA students to apply for stay of deportation while President Obama's executive order is in effect.

Submitted by Rev. Vernon Naffier in Civil Rights Dec. 9, 2014, 12:05 p.m.

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#666

275 votes

Ban all trafficking in personal data (including geolocation) with a few limited exceptions (e.g. for credit rating agencies). Limited amounts/types of data held by companies/organizations with which one is directly dealing should be allowed, but sharing that data with other businesses owned by the same holding company should be forbidden. Accidental violations should have modest penalties; systematic or egregious violations should have very nasty penalties.

Submitted by Dave Anderson in Civil Rights Dec. 19, 2014, 1:44 p.m.

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#666

275 votes

The (NRA is the source of them, I believe) black human form shooting targets must NO LONGER be used for police or military training. The not-so-subtle but subliminal message in those is horrifying. They SHOULD be illegal in any venue, but I fear it'll be difficult enough to start eliminating them from governmental agency use.

Submitted by peabodyrus in Civil Rights Jan. 4, 2015, 4:19 p.m.

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#669

274 votes

Repeal the Hyde Amendment once and for all.We need to promote abortion worldwide and in the US.Also allow any abutter of a women's health clinic to be a de facto friend of the clinic by establishing a 500 foot buffer around THEIR business from the anti choice bombers and murderers as a matter of public safety.

Submitted by Jim B. from ME in Civil Rights Jan. 4, 2015, 1:45 p.m.

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#692

256 votes

Legalize, tax and regulate ALL drugs. Use funds from taxation to help those who have found themselves, for any multitude of reasons, caught up in a seemingly endless cycle of drug abuse.

Submitted by Jim O. from OR in Civil Rights Nov. 21, 2014, 3:29 p.m. 1

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#695

255 votes

I think all guns sold in the us should be pre-fired and the ballistic characteristics on file with the fbi. this will be a starting point in crime investigation and will make people think twice about who they sell a gun to.

Submitted by hooter in Civil Rights Dec. 10, 2014, 5:34 p.m.

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#712

245 votes

Issue police tranquillizers instead of bullets; body and car cameras also keep crime down.

Submitted by EQuillifer in Civil Rights Jan. 12, 2015, 1:28 a.m.

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#723

240 votes

Retrain the police department to recognize people who have mental illness, we have trained the police in Butte County, CA, and it has made a huge difference for everyone involved and safer.

Submitted by Social worker in Civil Rights Dec. 11, 2014, 8:41 a.m.

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#732

236 votes

Place a High Tax on Guns and Ammunition. Offer Licensing courses to train people in the use of firearms, consequences of using a firearm (taking a life) and firearms care. Include Range time and target practice in the Free courses. Require bi-annual refresher courses to maintain certification. All who pass the courses are certified and have a card that eliminates or greatly reduces the tax.

Submitted by BKearan in Civil Rights Jan. 4, 2015, 9:48 a.m.

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#736

235 votes

End the Death Penalty in all states and on the Federal level. Also eliminate life without parole.

Submitted by capprich in Civil Rights Dec. 11, 2014, 5:52 p.m.

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#744

230 votes

Transgender men and women face more violence than the average person, by a large margin. We also commit suicide far more often than statistics for any other demographic. Employment opportunities are given to others simply because the fear of what people can't understand rules them, we cannot fight what's in another's mind. Housing is another area in which we as trans Americans are shut out of more often than not. If we are not recognized, and granted equal protection under the law, we're lost.

Submitted by rosie in Civil Rights Dec. 10, 2014, 7:37 p.m.

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#744

230 votes

If police are considered "Professionals",REQUIRE them to carry (and pay for themselves!) a form of Liability Insurance much like a Doctor. If they discharge their weapon or assault an unthreatening person and cause harm or death from an unprovoked incident such as we've seen recently. Cities and counties get sued by the victim/families and the TAXPAYER has to account for the potentially illegal actions of police. The police officer might think twice if INSURANCE may have to pay and rates rise.

Submitted by rhodge in Civil Rights Dec. 10, 2014, 5:41 p.m.

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#746

229 votes

In every trial where the person accused has minor children, appoint a child advocate to help in sentencing. Parents who won't be hurting their children belong at home (perhaps with a bracelet on their leg) with their children. When parents go to jail/prison, the children do time right along with them.

Submitted by yes in Civil Rights Dec. 10, 2014, 3:15 p.m.

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#798

215 votes

nationally and federally legalize medical and recreational marijuana. use the tax revenue for any social programs/ health/education

Submitted by diane b. from NC in Civil Rights Dec. 11, 2014, 5:47 a.m.

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#801

213 votes

Ensure equality of justice under the law for every one.

Submitted by Rohit K. from VA in Civil Rights Jan. 4, 2015, 10:30 p.m.

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#805

212 votes

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