The Big Ideas Project

Publicly funded clinical drug trials. The current system of financing research through government imposed patent monopolies is incredibly inefficient. As a result, drugs that would be cheap in a free market sell at outrageous prices. This vast gap between the patent-protected price and the production costs encourage corruption. If the government paid for the clinical trials (buying rights to promising compounds) all new drugs could be sold at generic prices.

Submitted by Dean Baker, Co-Director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research in Health Dec. 10, 2014, 1:37 a.m.

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#201

1194 votes

Reinstate Chapter 11 for the common man. That the minimum (!) amount to qualify for filing is $1,030,000 is absurd. If banks knew that mortgagees could file, there would be no "Liar Loans," and a lot more manageable derivative market.

Submitted by Dave C. from WI in Economy & Jobs Nov. 11, 2014, 12:09 p.m.

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#202

1187 votes

The U.S. government must start obeying international law - no more wars of aggression, no more torture.

Submitted by misanthrope7 in Foreign Policy & Military Dec. 10, 2014, 1:20 p.m.

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#203

1186 votes

Pass the ERA. Stop penalizing women for our biology

Submitted by Sheila S. from CA in Civil Rights Dec. 10, 2014, 2:24 p.m.

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#204

1183 votes

Those responsible for tanking the economy must go to jail before we the people can trust our elected officials.

Submitted by sharon tate in Civil Rights Nov. 17, 2014, 8:24 p.m.

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#205

1176 votes

My position--no tuition! State colleges (including community colleges) should offer free tuition to all residents in their state. The tuition-free education should be paid with a 50% federal match to state funds. We currently provide free K-12 education to the public. It's time to extend that to K-16.

Submitted by Paul Egerman in Education Dec. 12, 2014, 5:44 p.m. 3

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#205

1176 votes

An enforceable federal right to organize.

Submitted by Todd Andrew in Economy & Jobs Nov. 11, 2014, 3:54 p.m.

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#207

1175 votes

Ban private ownership of assault weapons

Submitted by b m. from OR in Civil Rights Jan. 14, 2015, 11:42 p.m.

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#208

1174 votes

Stop subsidizing the meat and dairy industry and industrialized farming - these industries create food that harm our health and promotes animal cruelty and damages the environment. I want my tax dollars to support organic farmers which improves health, helps the environment, and cause no animals to suffer. Eating meat & dairy increase our health care costs.

Submitted by Lynn Putnam (Food Revolution Network, T. Colin Campbell Foundation) in Health Jan. 7, 2015, 10:18 p.m.

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#209

1169 votes

Merged Idea

Term limits for Congress. They will actually work if they are not always campaigning.

Submitted by Robert W. from IA in Government & Elections Nov. 9, 2014, 9:41 a.m. 1

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#210

1167 votes

Stop "Taxing" solar power setup by individuals and families; allow rights to setup solar power and prevent laws that make it illegal to do so.

Submitted by reidmix in Environment Dec. 10, 2014, 3:11 p.m.

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#211

1162 votes

Merged Idea

Federal Student Loan forgiveness.

Submitted by Patrick Earnest in Education Nov. 6, 2014, 3:10 p.m.

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#212

1155 votes

Allow Veterans full education benefits for twenty years after Honorable Discharge to allow them to train, re-train and/or achieve college educations.

Submitted by Gary H. from MI in Foreign Policy & Military Dec. 19, 2014, 12:44 a.m.

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#213

1152 votes

Fully fund the Social Security Administration. Specifically, the unit that investigates fraud. Adjust the yearly COLA increase according to the ACTUAL rate of inflation. Re-pay the millions of dollars "borrowed" from the Social Security Trust Funds, the last being the $678 million "borrowed" in 2008 to balance the budget. Permanently forbid the "privitization" of Social Security. If it would have been privitized in 2008......

Submitted by Stacy Croan from IL in Taxes & Budget Dec. 10, 2014, 6:03 p.m.

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#214

1144 votes

Bring medical costs under control. medical expenses and hospital billing are atrocious. Next, rein in health insurance companies -- their profits are sky-high, and premiums are too high for the benefits (or lack thereof).

Submitted by Donna . in Health Nov. 24, 2014, 1:58 p.m.

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#215

1139 votes

Stop policing the world. Sharply reduce military spending. Build hope instead of foster fear.

Submitted by Thomas M. from KY in Foreign Policy & Military Nov. 16, 2014, 8:05 p.m.

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#216

1137 votes

Redirect fossil-fuel subsidies from energy companies to state and local governments solely for the purpose of financing conservation retrofits and distributed solar energy for "grid-connected" homeowners and small businesses. This would have the effect of expanding small-scale clean renewable-energy production, reducing carbon emissions, saving people money, and creating dynamic local economic sectors.

Submitted by cascadian12 in Environment Dec. 28, 2014, 2:32 p.m. 3

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#217

1129 votes

Transparency in healthcare pricing: Require healthcare providers (hospitals, doctors practices) to publish (e.g., post on website) the prices charges for standard procedures, services, and supplies. This will allow patients to comparison shop, allow data mining to uncover and publicize extraordinarily high charges, and encourage responsible pricing. If we can require gas prices to be posted publicly, we can do the same for the price of a appendectomy, a mammogram, a flu shot, an x-ray, etc.

Submitted by KB_LB in Health Jan. 10, 2015, 8:45 p.m.

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#218

1128 votes

Merged Idea

I think we should go back to "health care companies" being non-profit. When health care and profit are in the same sentence it is no longer about the health of the patient it is about the profit of the corporation.

Submitted by Mbkemp1 in Health Dec. 10, 2014, 1:25 p.m.

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#219

1127 votes

Get rid of the right to work laws in some states that employers use against their employees, like mandatory overtime or cutting employees hours to part time so they won't have to give benefits.

Submitted by Mark Weisser in Economy & Jobs Dec. 29, 2014, 9:25 p.m.

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#220

1117 votes

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