The Big Ideas Project

Finally prosecute the Wall Street hot shots and bankers whose crimes caused the crash and deprived the people of their life savings, their homes, their futures while walking away with millions and billions. SEND THEM TO PRISON FOR A LONG TIME. THAT'S WHERE THEY BELONG.

Submitted by Robert Beissel in Economy & Jobs Nov. 11, 2014, 7:36 p.m.

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#81

2645 votes

Enact/enforce laws that prohibit government from borrowing money from the National Social Security Fund for any reason except to pay qualified retirees. The government has been borrowing money from the Social Security Fund for years, using our money for unrelated expenses in other aspects of the federal budget. This money should not be allowed to be taken from the Fund for any other reason than to pay retirees who have reached at least age 59.5 years old.

Submitted by Rachel G. from WA in Government & Elections Jan. 2, 2015, 9:40 p.m. 1

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#82

2625 votes

Merged Idea

An Unconditional Basic Income Guarantee (UBI) for every U.S. citizen over 18 of $1,000 per month and every citizen under 18 of $300 per month, to be paid for through consolidation of present in-kind benefits better met by cash, and through the closing of loopholes, elimination of subsidies, and increase in top tax rates.

Submitted by Scott Santens, Moderator of /r/basicincome on Reddit and Founder of The BIG Patreon Creator Pledge in Economy & Jobs Dec. 10, 2014, 6:07 p.m. 5

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#83

2617 votes

Merged Idea

Interest rates on credit cards are absurd. Banks borrow money at ridiculously low rates and yet charge usurious rates on their credit cards. If you really want to stimulate the economy, help get the American people out of debt and reduce poverty, pass a law or implement a banking regulation that prohibits banks/credit card companies from charging any more than 5% above the rate charged to banks on ALL existing and future credit cards.

Submitted by Stuart in Economy & Jobs Jan. 4, 2015, 12:03 p.m.

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#84

2589 votes

Equal pay for women & women having 100% say over ALL choices for her own body!

Submitted by Shelly R. from AZ in Economy & Jobs Nov. 16, 2014, 5:12 p.m.

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#85

2578 votes

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

Hold corporate executives personally responsible both civilly and criminally, for malfeasance, deception or neglect that causes environmental, personal property, or physical harm to communities or persons. Prevent corporations, and their executives, from passing along additional costs incurred by 'accidents', recalls or judgments to rate payers (in the case of public utilities) or shareholders (in the case of publicly traded companies). For example: P.G.& E's San Bruno pipeline explosion.

Submitted by William-Robert S. from CA in Society & Community Dec. 18, 2014, 3:51 a.m.

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#87

2543 votes

Take the issue of women's right to choose and abort an unwanted pregnancy off the table in politics; it's a woman's personal decision, not the government's. It should be a basic right to choose and not up for grabs every election. The hardest hit by this are the poor and minorities. It's wrong to subject someone to a pregnancy if they can't or don't want to raise a child. Keep politics out of such decisions!

Submitted by Lynn Putnam (Food Revolution Network, T. Colin Campbell Foundation) in Health Jan. 7, 2015, 10:41 p.m. 2

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#88

2434 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

Require all organizations using the word "News" to be held accountable for the veracity of their reporting and culpable for libel, slander and other defamation suits. Fox News successfully argued in court that it could not be held to such standards because it is an entertainment company, not a news organization. Yet it markets as a news channel...

Submitted by Timothy Salt in Society & Community Dec. 16, 2014, 1:58 p.m.

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#91

2383 votes

Lets put grid-connected solar panels on 5 million homes by Dec 31 2015. It's feasible, affordable & doesn't require batteries. Homes would pull power from the grid when needed but any excess power would feed into the grid & reduce our use of dirty coal.This would create 1000's of good paying new jobs, reduce both pollution & climate changing emissions and eliminate our need for more Oil wars. The Gov't could sell bonds with 5% interest to provide the financing & be of no cost to taxpayers!

Submitted by Monty in Economy & Jobs Dec. 30, 2014, 6:08 p.m. 3

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#92

2371 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

Merged Idea

Eliminate the hiring of private security services to protect US government officials and property. This also needs to apply to training of foreign forces in overseas areas, especially areas like Afghanistan. Use of force should be restricted to US military and police forces only.

Submitted by denton.murphy in Foreign Policy & Military Dec. 17, 2014, 12:27 a.m.

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#94

2295 votes

Begin implementing the necessary policies--strong renewable energy standard; continued tax credits for renewables; increased energy efficiency measures; restrictions on nuclear power and fossil fuels, etc.--to achieve a nuclear-free, carbon-free energy system by 2040.

Submitted by nirsnet in Environment Jan. 4, 2015, 4:03 p.m.

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#95

2293 votes

Save traditional farming! GMOs are drifting into traditional farm crops. Monsanto's RoundUp Ready crops are forcing stronger pesticide use. Animal feed contains 90% of the antibiotics used in the US. Must be stopped to save them for humans! Encourage traditional, organic farming with bigger subsidies, and cut the industrial ag subsidies.

Submitted by Katherine Miller in Environment Nov. 16, 2014, 8:24 p.m.

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#96

2258 votes

Lets put climate change first in everything we do. Close the loop holes for oil and gas companies and any corporation who send businesses overseas. Explain in simple language how making these changes will help bring back the middle class. It is mostly gone you know.

Submitted by Nancy H. from OR in Environment Nov. 14, 2014, 10:40 p.m.

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#97

2202 votes

Breaking up the large banks and send these guys who crashed our economy to jail

Submitted by Roger M. from NY in Economy & Jobs Dec. 30, 2014, 2:51 p.m.

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#98

2196 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

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