The Big Ideas Project

Outlaw the revolving door between elected officials and lobbyist firms.

Submitted by CitizenX911 in Government & Elections Jan. 4, 2015, 4:44 p.m.

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#86

2571 votes

Merged Idea

End the big banks’ control of the Fed. Despite the Fed's power over our economy, many of its key decision-makers are directly appointed by the private sector. Congress should amend the Federal Reserve Act so that banks no longer get to appoint their own regulators. Regional bank presidents should be nominated by the US President and confirmed by the Senate and should report to a board of directors who are genuine representatives of the public interest, not the financial and corporate sector.

Submitted by Brian Kettenring, Co-Executive Director of the Center for Popular Democracy in Government & Elections Dec. 10, 2014, 1:10 a.m. 1

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#89

2409 votes

If unions must obtain individual permission of their members for political donations, corporations should have to obtain individual affirmative permission from their shareholders.

Submitted by Dr. Charles David Hunt FACS in Government & Elections Dec. 10, 2014, 5:23 p.m. 2

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#90

2396 votes

Implement the Sherman Anti-Trust Act, which hasn't been used since the Reagan Administration, to break up the Mega-Corporations who are running and ruining this country.

Submitted by Larry L. from CA in Government & Elections Jan. 3, 2015, 6:38 p.m.

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#93

2355 votes

Dick Cheney must face trial because he lied to the American people, tortured innocent civilians and extracted deliberately false information to help drive the war in Iraq. The war that profited him massively through his Halliburton (and its military industrial complex subsidiaries) stock shares, as was proven during the 2006 email leaks between the former vice-president and his corporate correspondents. Cheney is a traitor, war criminal and must face swift prosecution.

Submitted by MidoElrayes in Government & Elections Dec. 31, 2014, 1:40 p.m. 1

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#99

2163 votes

End the ability of one person to stop the movement of proposed new legislation through Congress/Senate. No one person should have that amount of control to stop progress in our government.

Submitted by Linda, RN, BSN, MHA in Government & Elections Jan. 7, 2015, 10:18 p.m.

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#100

2140 votes

An educational marketing campaign for democracy. "We have a better philosophy: democracy." The problem is that corporate special interest groups are winning the marketing battle with ideas like smaller government and "freedom". Reviving the big conceptual idea of democracy would help progressives win on just about every policy front: repealing Citizens United, getting money out of politics, the Fairness Doctrine, Voting Rights, public financing of elections, fair and non-partisan elections, public

Submitted by akadjian in Government & Elections Dec. 15, 2014, 1:10 p.m. 1

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#101

2107 votes

Put all Congress, Senators and Representatives, on Social Security. Limit all brakes, recesses and vacations to two weeks only with pay. All increases of salary must be voted by the citizens of the United States of America and last but not least all of Congress must pay for their own health insurance not covered by Medicare.

Submitted by Anthony V. from MO in Government & Elections Nov. 16, 2014, 7:11 p.m.

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#104

2085 votes

Public Funding of Elected Officials Petition by Norm Norton To be delivered to The United States House of Representatives, The United States Senate, and President Barack Obama A 28th amendment to the Constitution shall be enacted to fund campaigns of elected public officials through public taxes. All donations, gratuities or outside monies from sources other than public taxes are prohibited. Corporate Personhood, as enacted by Citizens United Vs F.E.C, is to be repealed.

Submitted by eaglemount in Government & Elections Jan. 12, 2015, 4:10 p.m. 1

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#105

2067 votes

End the ability of elected officials to tack on their specific addendum into a proposed piece of legislation at the last minute when others don't know it's been done there.

Submitted by Linda, RN, BSN, MHA in Government & Elections Jan. 7, 2015, 10:20 p.m.

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#111

2009 votes

Enforce existing regulations on 501 C4 corporations if their primarily existence is political they should lose their status as a non profit, i.e. CrossroadsGPS.

Submitted by David Myers in Government & Elections Nov. 14, 2014, 9:21 p.m.

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#116

1915 votes

The Federal Reserve should be allowed to make long-term loans directly to cities, states, school districts, and other public agencies so taxpayers can get low-interest rates and avoid predatory Wall Street fees. Currently, banks borrow money at near zero interest from the Fed while public entities are forced to pay billions in fees and interest each year. If the Fed lent directly to cities and states at low interest it would free up taxpayer money for services like education and infrastructure.

Submitted by Saqib Bhatti, Roosevelt Institute Fellow and Director of the ReFund America Project in Government & Elections Dec. 10, 2014, 1:27 a.m.

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#127

1796 votes

STOP privatizing government services. These become profits, not services, once for-profits get their hands on them. i.e. LEAVE the USPS alone; fund it rather than privatize. AT THE VERY LEAST require any private entity doing business representing the USPS hire only union workers at union wages with union benefits!

Submitted by GayleM in Government & Elections Dec. 10, 2014, 6:23 a.m.

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#131

1750 votes

Standardize the voting machines to make them impossible to recalibrate to steal the elections.

Submitted by Gail A. from NC in Government & Elections Nov. 26, 2014, 6:11 p.m.

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#133

1713 votes

Automatic voter registration at 18 and/or when applying for driver's license or state ID.

Submitted by Tim H. in Government & Elections Dec. 5, 2014, 2:04 p.m.

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#143

1599 votes

GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN: Dock the pay (taxpayer money!) of all those elected House and/or Senate representatives responsible for Government Shutdowns. Have the Supreme Court enforce such a rule. The docked pay should then go to REDUCE THE FEDERAL DEFICIT.

Submitted by makfml in Government & Elections Jan. 10, 2015, 7:09 a.m. 1

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#148

1530 votes

Make Congress and all government employees (state and Federal) subject to all the laws they pass including insider trading laws.

Submitted by Doug M in Government & Elections Dec. 10, 2014, 2:46 p.m.

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#163

1409 votes

Mandate early voting periods of at least 7 days (so as to include at least one weekend) for all federal elections. Mandate that early voting can be done in any location in your county/city of residence (or within 30 miles of your residence/polling place), not just at your voting day polling location. Mandate extended hours for early voting, so that polls are open for 12 hours/day. (We have these things where I live, and it makes a HUGE difference in enabling working people to vote!)

Submitted by Meri L in Government & Elections Jan. 11, 2015, 2:38 a.m. 1

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#169

1383 votes

Law requiring that any and all political ads (whether by the candidate or on behalf of a candidate or political party) MUST be factual and display a prominent link or footnote to those facts being explained in the ad. If the ad is proven to be non-factual, the ad MUST be removed and a correction be posted within 24 hours. In addition to this, television stations, radio ad and other 3rd party delivery mechanism hosts would be required to fact check the ads prior to them being shown.

Submitted by Dennis Gilgallon in Government & Elections Dec. 10, 2014, 2:21 p.m.

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#176

1358 votes

Pass a law that makes lying or misrepresentations by elected officials or those seeking an elected position be considered perjury and prosecuted as such.

Submitted by John L. from WA in Government & Elections Dec. 30, 2014, 12:10 p.m.

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#179

1340 votes

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