The Big Ideas Project

Scrap the failed F-35 fighter jet, and use the $1.5 Trillion... yes, trillion dollar budget to completely rebuild and modernize our infrastructure from the ground up, rebuilding our roads, freeways, bridges, rail systems, power grids, air traffic systems, and utilities. This would not only bring our infrastructure into the 21st century, it would directly create millions of jobs, and indirectly create hundreds of thousands of support jobs for small businesses. What's not to like?

Submitted by Geoff H. from WA in Economy & Jobs Jan. 3, 2015, 7:08 p.m.

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#141

1631 votes

Subsidize organic farms and help small farmers flourish. Stop subsidizing industrial farming that is cruel to animals, pollutes the earth, and is profoundly unhealthy due to the use of pesticides, GMOs, and animal antibiotics.

Submitted by Janiece J. from NM in Health Jan. 12, 2015, 7:56 p.m. 1

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#142

1615 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

Expand apprenticeship programs, perhaps first open them to all veterans; college is not for all and we need the skilled workers they provide.

Submitted by Nancy Munro in Education Nov. 6, 2014, 10:51 a.m.

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#144

1578 votes

Re-Patriate all the money stashed in tax-free, off-shore accounts by declaring it illegal to hold U.S. Dollars in tax sheltered accounts. This can be accomplished by international declaratory statements and presumed wealth as to amount being held.

Submitted by captmike in Economy & Jobs Jan. 4, 2015, 5:44 p.m.

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#145

1572 votes

Prohibit Factory Farms from using excessive amounts of antibiotics and GMO feed. Require the animals have access to open fields to roam and graze. Require the animals are treated humanely and allowed to stay with their offspring.

Submitted by jLAB in Health Jan. 4, 2015, 6:33 p.m.

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#146

1542 votes

Heavy tax penalties for all American corporations that ship jobs outside the US. This would be usable as as an incentive to bring jobs that were originally performed here back and to stop "outsourcing" them so readily in the first place. In addition, this would add much needed revenue to the Budget coming from corporations who can more readily afford it than the rest of us.

Submitted by ACE910046SCA1 in Taxes & Budget Jan. 6, 2015, 10:14 p.m.

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#146

1542 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

Don't allow corporations to be able to deduct from their taxes the obscene salaries they offer their top executives. Put a cap on that deduction and then give corporations a larger/bonus deduction if they pay their employees a wage that will allow them to enjoy a middle class life.

Submitted by Richard N. from CA in Taxes & Budget Nov. 16, 2014, 7:36 p.m.

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#149

1522 votes

REQUIRE GOVERNMENT ELECTED OFFICIALS TO PAY FOR THEIR OWN HEALTH INSURANCE, AND NOT AT TAXPAYER EXPENSE.

Submitted by Gregory in Health Jan. 4, 2015, 4:32 p.m.

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#150

1516 votes

Pharmaceutical companies should not be allowed to promote their products directly to patients with expensive ad campaigns designed to create a market for their new drug. Pharmaceutical companies should not be allowed to bribe doctors to promote their products, including using lots of euphemisms for "bribe" to get away with using this unethical practice.

Submitted by Mary Rocco in Health Dec. 10, 2014, 4:35 p.m.

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#151

1512 votes

Solar panels over parking lots provide lots of electricity and shade for cars.

Submitted by Charlotte Shnaider in Environment Nov. 18, 2014, 8:44 a.m. 3

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#152

1503 votes

2ND Amendment buffs often overlook the 2nd and 3rd word of the 2nd Amendment. Lets remind them of it and pose Universal Background Checks, limited capacity clips, Pass Assault Weapons Ban and possibly extend tax cuts for Smart Gun manufacturers http://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/the-gun-the-nra-doesnt-want-sold-244605507892

Submitted by Roger M. from NY in Civil Rights Dec. 30, 2014, 3:40 p.m.

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#153

1501 votes

Putting a lid on CEO pay by empowering shareholders. In the last 3 decades, CEO pay has exploded. A simple way to change incentives is to have directors forfeit their own pay by giving shareholders a “say on pay” vote. This would create a real incentive to rein in CEO pay, which will help to contain pay at the top throughout both the corporate and non-profit sector. The best part is that this can be done by legislation, or shareholders can pressure corporations to adopt this rule on their own.

Submitted by Dean Baker, Co-Director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research in Economy & Jobs Dec. 10, 2014, 1:34 a.m.

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#154

1497 votes

Raise the top tax rates on those making $10M-$100M to Pay 40%, those making $100M-$1B Pay 50%, those making $1B-$10B pay 75% & THOSE MAKING HIGHER 92%

Submitted by Roger M. from NY in Taxes & Budget Dec. 30, 2014, 3:10 p.m.

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#155

1493 votes

Repealing these Right to Work Laws that do more to protect Corporations and CEO’s than their employees or their customers and consumers.

Submitted by Roger M. from NY in Economy & Jobs Dec. 30, 2014, 3:41 p.m.

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#156

1478 votes

Add dental, vision and hearing insurance to Obamacare and Medicaid and require insurance companies to cover all expenses with no maximum limits and minimum acceptable coverage requirements.. These policies currently can cost consumers tens of thousands of dollars per year even when they have insurance.

Submitted by Les Mezei in Health Jan. 13, 2015, 12:11 p.m. 1

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#157

1475 votes

Do not allow companies to force part-time (or full-time) employees to become independent contractors so that the companies no longer have to offer benefits. Do not allow schools to have "adjunct" instructors when there are enough classes to hire a full-time instructor. Companies and schools are using more and more people as employees but denying them employee status. When forced to accept independent contractor status, I lost a lot of the rights and protections that are given to employees.

Submitted by L.M> in Economy & Jobs Jan. 8, 2015, 3:06 a.m.

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#158

1466 votes

Prohibit all officers and senior staff of regulatory agencies from working for lobbyists and/or related industry for life following public service. Conduct routine, in-depth conflict of interest screenings.

Submitted by Timothy Salt in Environment Dec. 16, 2014, 1:34 p.m.

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#159

1463 votes

End corporate stock buybacks. One of the major causes of income inequality and wage stagnation is the growing corporate use of stock buybacks to drive up stock prices which is one of the major factors in computing executive compensation. Statistics show that companies making up the S&P 500 index from 2003 to 2012 used 54% of their earnings to buy back their stock. Dividends use an additional 37% of earnings. That leaves only 9% to pay for new plants and equipment, R&D, and raises for employees.

Submitted by Former U.S. Sen. Ted Kaufman (Del.) in Economy & Jobs Dec. 10, 2014, 2 a.m. 2

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#160

1448 votes

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