The Big Ideas Project

Create and support a Contract For Americans, which voters would endorse and Candidates would pledge to try to pass. Include things ordinary citizens want and special interests oppose, such as increased minimum wages, student debt relief, equal pay for equal work, equal justice under the law, and tax changes so the ultra-wealthy pay their fair share. This is how we can keep Big Money from buying elections and elected officials. Please check it out at ContractForAmericans.org. Thanks!

Submitted by John U. from CA in Government & Elections Jan. 12, 2015, 4:50 p.m.

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#1964

43 votes

Have Congress offer a contest to find the best solutions to eliminate our national debt; thus freeing more capitol to expand the middle class.

Submitted by Gail V. from LA in Government & Elections Dec. 10, 2014, 10:26 a.m.

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#1982

42 votes

Increase the size of the House so that districts are smaller and less susceptible to gerrymandering.

Submitted by Garrett H. from OH in Government & Elections Dec. 11, 2014, 9:25 a.m.

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#1982

42 votes

Outlaw the Republican Party. It has become a hate group guilty of innumerable crimes against humanity.

Submitted by PercyIsFantastic in Government & Elections Dec. 10, 2014, 10:23 p.m.

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#1982

42 votes

The only campaign financing allowed for all elections should be a mandatory pre-tax contribution by each taxpayer of one-half of one percent of annual gross income. All funds would be equally split between the DNC and RNC. All other campaign funding would be disallowed.

Submitted by Pattick O. from KS in Government & Elections Dec. 26, 2014, 3:50 p.m.

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#1982

42 votes

Each year between Mid-term and Presidential elections hold Congressional vote of confidence elections. By simple majority, the people may thus vote themselves a one-year right to quarterly public referendums, in order to ensure that government represents the People. Provide a counter-weight to oligarchy, prevent do-nothing squatters, and get the people's business done.

Submitted by Timothy Salt in Government & Elections Jan. 3, 2015, 12:33 p.m.

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#2000

41 votes

A Permanent Special Prosecutor needs to be empowered to oversee the White House, so that the executive branch remains within the law, with sufficient powers to stop lawbreaking and to prosecute those who violate the Constitution, the federal statutes and our international commitments, particularly the UN Charter. Torture crimes, false intelligence, lying to congress, wars of aggression and covert support to terrorist networks (Libya, Syria) destabilize the world.

Submitted by Political Film Blog in Government & Elections Dec. 17, 2014, 2:57 p.m.

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#2000

41 votes

There are better voting systems than the one we are in the habit of using. One reform we could adopt would be to allow a voter an equal opportunity to vote against as to vote for a candidate; there are a number of such systems of Balanced Voting. Approval voting is another approach - allowing each voter to approve (or in a balanced form, disapprove) of each of the candidates. Even IRV would be a better system. We should be adopting one or several of these better approaches.

Submitted by Gedanken in Government & Elections Dec. 10, 2014, 8:02 p.m.

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#2000

41 votes

"THE QUARTER-MILLENNIUM OF AMERICAN DEMOCRACY": A decade-long project to start in 2015, with an eye on the year 2026 when the United States will be 250 years old, to compile a progressive collection of proposed Constitutional Amendments that collectively will create a new Constitution 2.0 that will make the U.S. a truly 21st-century evolved developed nation that no longer is near the bottom of the OECD rankings in almost every significant socio-economic indicator.

Submitted by Gregory Wright, ADA So Cal Board Member in Government & Elections Dec. 22, 2014, 6:13 a.m.

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#2000

41 votes

Provide the people with a Contract for Democracy filled with populist economic programs and policies, and guarantee it with the signatures of every incumbent and candidate, at pain of political and financial homicide, such that any one who breaches the Contract will be exiled and shall be legally bound to forfeit their campaign war chest and other funds they must put in escrow. The Contract would commit the signers to commit to enacting the Contract if they are given control of D.C.

Submitted by Timothy Salt in Government & Elections Dec. 16, 2014, 11:11 a.m.

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#2000

41 votes

No more than two uniformed officials may be present at any polling station, and these must be stationed indoors, at a minimum distance of 25 ft from the line and the machines at all times.

Submitted by Timothy Salt in Government & Elections Dec. 16, 2014, 2:23 p.m.

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#2024

39 votes

Enact a fine for not voting in all elections for federal offices.

Submitted by Kathleen W. from KY in Government & Elections Dec. 10, 2014, 10:23 a.m. 1

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#2024

39 votes

Declare that election day become election weekend and require employers to give workers at least one day on the weekend off with pay to vote. Require that all people vote or face a fine of $100 unless the vote absentee or are in the hospital.

Submitted by wildheart812 in Government & Elections Jan. 15, 2015, 5:35 p.m.

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#2024

39 votes

A BEST POLICIES / BEST PRACTICES CAUCUS in Congress would be a useful way for the more creative and pro-active (read, mostly, D) members of Congress to simultaneously educate about, promote, support and enact good legislation on a wide variety of issues -- explicitly highlighting the frequently superior policies of the other developed countries, particularly European countries, and educating Americans about these in the process.

Submitted by Gregory Wright, ADA So Cal Board Member in Government & Elections Dec. 22, 2014, 5:32 a.m.

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#2024

39 votes

Double the size of the House of Representatives and give a seat to the top TWO finishers in each election. At least then I might have a true representative of my interests despite my gerrymandered district.

Submitted by Doug M in Government & Elections Dec. 10, 2014, 2:39 p.m.

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#2024

39 votes

MAKE ALL VOTING DECISIONS A PUBLIC REFERENDUM VOTE MONTHLY .....THE PEOPLE DESERVE BETTER THAN HAVING A NON FUNCTIONAL CONGRESS.....

Submitted by no in Government & Elections Dec. 11, 2014, 9:19 a.m.

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#2037

38 votes

Lets elect senators and congressmen/women the same way we fill juries. Lets have men, women, black, white, straight, gay, young and old fill these jobs for term limits. I bet if we put real people ( instead of rich career politicians ) in a room they could work together for the common good instead of for corporations

Submitted by Yes in Government & Elections Jan. 4, 2015, 8:13 p.m.

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#2046

37 votes

Implement proportional representation, now.

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

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#2056

36 votes

The ratio of voters -- Republican to Democrat -- in any Congressional district shall be the same as the ratio of those voters statewide, based on poll results from the most recent regular Congressional election.

Submitted by Terry Allen in Government & Elections Jan. 4, 2015, 8:35 p.m.

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#2056

36 votes

Taking money out of politics hasn't' work. Instead pass a bill so that 1/3 of the money that the two major parties plan on spending needs to be distributed to a third party who can get at least 5% of the voter in their state to support them .

Submitted by Grrreeggggg in Government & Elections Dec. 11, 2014, 8:36 p.m.

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#2056

36 votes

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