The Big Ideas Project

Lenders must keep at least the top or riskiest 20% of any loan made, insurance supervision must be maintained high enough to reduce lo losses, and capitalization ratios of 10% must be retained for all financial institutions. They need to regulated heavily since they use other peoples' money like governmtal institions.

Submitted by dan in Economy & Jobs Dec. 27, 2014, 3:14 a.m.

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#1776

59 votes

Here's another idea - give businesses, regardless of size, a tax break for going green. Too many businesses(usually small to mid-sized)operate with old P.O.S. systems and "back PC"s. This is not good for the customers, employees, the environment, or the bottom line. If businesses knew they were getting money back for upgrading their systems, more probably would. In this economy, some can't(but probably should).

Submitted by J.T. in Economy & Jobs Dec. 11, 2014, 12:34 a.m.

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#1776

59 votes

Our economic system requires endless growth to function but such a system is doomed because infinit growth on a finite planet is impossible. Policy makers are held hostage by narrow economic thought from economists that all preach growth in one form or another. But the pursuit of growth is causing our environmental and social problems. Policy makers need exposure to experts from economic fields such as ecological economics and biophysical economics that better explain the real world.

Submitted by Jared in Economy & Jobs Dec. 24, 2014, 1:57 a.m.

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#1788

58 votes

Lower the definition of Full Time Employment to 30 hours . Require employers to prioritize hiring the unemployed and especially persons with disabilities.before hiring someone for a second job. Make ADA real not just a token gesture. Economic recovery will not be real until employment goals are set to stop discrimination against the currently unemployed. More workers i> tax base and < crime. workers are healthier and happier. > leisure <stress &> related business.

Submitted by fran h. from PA in Economy & Jobs Dec. 13, 2014, 11:18 a.m.

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#1788

58 votes

Eliminate the Union personhood from Citizens United. If we do it for the corporations we have to do it for the unions.

Submitted by Descarte in Economy & Jobs Dec. 12, 2014, 7:46 p.m.

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#1802

57 votes

Require anyone who purchases shares of stock to keep those shares a minimum of 30 days before selling them. This would virtually eliminate the market volatility resulting from speculative trading and minimize the negative impact on a company's employees and assets from hit-and-run trading.

Submitted by Dave H. from SC in Economy & Jobs Dec. 12, 2014, 5:19 p.m.

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#1802

57 votes

End the debt/inflation spiral. Stop borrowing money from the Fed at interest and once again issue it directly from the US Treasury as credit.

Submitted by wpmiller in Economy & Jobs Dec. 10, 2014, 3:20 p.m.

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#1817

56 votes

8. End these Sequestors and repeal The Budget Control Act of 2011

Submitted by Roger M. from NY in Economy & Jobs Dec. 30, 2014, 2:52 p.m.

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#1817

56 votes

One third of the Koch brothers' profits come from speculating, for every $3 dollars you spend on gas over $1 goes to speculators. Make a law that if you buy a stock/commodity you have to keep it for at least a year. Rich people can spend money only on themselves or on things that will create jobs.

Submitted by John Norton in Economy & Jobs Dec. 18, 2014, 3:06 a.m.

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#1831

55 votes

'"100% Home Mortgage Forgiveness" bill: To provide COMPLETE mortgage relief to homeowners all throughout the country IMMEDIATELY by having all of the bailed out banks FORGIVE COMPLETELY mortgages. Condition to be met to qualify: The homeowner (age 65 years or older) must have either have made payments to the bank 25 years total or has paid 125% of the mortgage. If under 65 years of age, then 30 years of payment or 150% of the mortgage will be the minimum condition for forgiveness.

Submitted by fpc in Economy & Jobs Dec. 10, 2014, 2:41 p.m. 1

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#1841

54 votes

Executive Pay should be regulated but the required qualifications of executives in smaller vs. larger companies must be recognized. A CEO of $25M should not be treated the same as one of a $2.5B company. So you need a sliding scale, say a max. of 5X in companies under $1M, 10X up $5M, etc., up to 100 X (approx. $5M) for $1B or more. Prohibitive tax penalty if exceeded.

Submitted by Timothy Salt in Economy & Jobs Dec. 19, 2014, 12:36 p.m.

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#1841

54 votes

Price energy progressively, with those using less of it paying less and those using more paying more per unit. We could even create a market where those using less energy could sell their energy to those that use more energy.

Submitted by Nelson in Economy & Jobs Dec. 10, 2014, 5:14 p.m.

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#1841

54 votes

An upfront, one-time Social Security payment puts tens of thousands of dollars or more in the hands of retirees and saves Social Security billions on the back end. The same principle would apply to pension funds (which currently want to cut monthly payments by as much as 30%).

Submitted by Denny F. from CA in Economy & Jobs Dec. 10, 2014, 3:10 p.m.

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#1853

53 votes

I think he Federal Reserve should be renamed. It isn't a Federal entity, it is a private entity. I think therefore the name is extremely misleading. The Federal Reserve is mostly controlled by and looking out for banking interests not the interest of American citizens. Maybe it can be called the Private Banking Reserve.

Submitted by EP in Economy & Jobs Dec. 24, 2014, 9:16 p.m.

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#1863

52 votes

Make income/corp. taxes simple: maybe a flat tax with NO deductions period. That will eliminate many of the lobby groups and crony capitalism with corrupt politicians. Corporations cannot get "deals" without corrupt politicians.

Submitted by SJ in Economy & Jobs Dec. 18, 2014, 3:50 p.m.

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#1863

52 votes

The banks have been bailed out. Inflation is still very low, probably to low. Congress should pass a bill to have the Federal Reserve purchase from the banks 20% of the US consumer credit card and credit line debt. The debt should then be canceled. This will give many consumers a fresh start.

Submitted by Joe in Economy & Jobs Dec. 18, 2014, 11:44 p.m.

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#1870

51 votes

Flat taxes are regressive; they have a disproportionate effect on lower income earners. Progressive taxation--higher rates for higher earnings--was established for this reason. Marginal tax is where income earned in each bracket is taxed according to that bracket's tax rate. Eliminate the marginal tax so that earners pay one rate on all earnings: reduce accounting & IRS costs, increase tax rev., & increase the 1%'s current tax rate paid from the 19%, which is lower than most of the pop.

Submitted by Timothy Salt in Economy & Jobs Dec. 19, 2014, 12:31 p.m.

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#1886

50 votes

Raise the minimum wage to at least $25/hour. It is simply not possible to live in many parts of the country -- especially large cities in many parts of the country -- with anything less.

Submitted by Madeleine A. from NY in Economy & Jobs Dec. 10, 2014, 6:24 p.m.

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#1897

49 votes

Real Time Payments -- The US Postal Service should build a payments system for the use of all people (and merchants) that processes transactions in real time and at an affordable cost. Our current VISA/MC/AMEX system is costly and slow.

Submitted by Commonomics in Economy & Jobs Dec. 11, 2014, 7:13 a.m.

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#1897

49 votes

Democracy in the work place. - Change laws, work force must have representation in all corporate boards - Offer lowest corporate tax rate to only Worker Owned Corporations - Make an appealing, easy path for corporations to convert to Worker Owned - Create a Govt VC Fund & Incubation Dept to help the Unemployed start Worker Owned businesses.

Submitted by Eric Bischoff in Economy & Jobs Jan. 5, 2015, 8:52 a.m.

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#1897

49 votes

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