The Big Ideas Project

Robots are transforming the economy both for good and ill. They make things that last and they take jobs. They are a giant engine of inequality unless recognized for what they are: Social goods, not private goods. As a social good they are an income provider, as a private good they are job stealers. They must be taxed and their revenue made to support the basic income guarantee posted elsewhere on this site.

Submitted by David Bean in Economy & Jobs Jan. 16, 2015, 12:30 a.m.

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#2460

6 votes

Abolish or lower taxes for artists and creative people. Ireland has zero tax for artists, writers, musicians, etc. Policies in the US are currently driving the creative people out of the country. These are the people who essentially create wealth out of nothing, and they do it for others in addition to themselves.

Submitted by lostarts in Economy & Jobs Jan. 15, 2015, 5:11 p.m.

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#2460

6 votes

Let's take 2 Big Problems and create 1 Big Positive Idea! Our young adults face a horrible job market. Our infrastructure and Power Grid are outdated. Let's create a Two-Year National Service program for kids when they reach the age of 18. Evaluate them, and set them to work on our problems; put the most computer-savvy kids to work with new Green Tech companies. Put other kids in jobs that help them network and learn real-world skills as they create a new, Smarter Power Grid.

Submitted by Dennis Maneri in Economy & Jobs Jan. 15, 2015, 9:55 p.m.

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#2460

6 votes

Ex offenders with a low level (4th degree) or nonviolent felony conviction. Should be reviewed for clemency after 10 years automatically. If it is in the public interest regardless of politics in an election year. If they have not reoffended and have redeemed themselves through education. Testimony from bosses, professors or others with knowledge of their past and their redemption since should be a factor.

Submitted by Brendan C. from VA in Economy & Jobs Jan. 15, 2015, 10:37 p.m.

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#2460

6 votes

Nationalize all the banks! Keep all the employees and managers, they are government employees from now on. Their HUGE profits now go to the federal government. Eventually, individual taxation shall no longer be needed. And the bank's risky schemes shall no longer take place, or be supervised by government, now present at all board meetings. I see this as the only path to a saner economy.

Submitted by Shiva in Economy & Jobs Jan. 15, 2015, 9:25 a.m.

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#2460

6 votes

No more than 10 times difference from the lowest to highest salaries. Bonus and profit sharing that is an equal percentage of income for every employee is paid from current earnings. Unequally paid bonuses and profit sharing must be paid from retained earnings. (Equality rule does not apply to sales commissions which are paid from current revenues)

Submitted by ACM in Economy & Jobs Jan. 15, 2015, 12:39 p.m.

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#2460

6 votes

We understand that Social Security is a benefit that citizens and employers pay into- it is not free money from the government. Having said that, because we are in a country that encourages free enterprise- a place where you can live the life you want, we should have access to earned funds for a one time, penalty free withdrawal up to $10,000. This will gives citizens the opportunity realize enrichment, education or entrepreneurial pursuits...whatever they wish.

Submitted by GEH in Economy & Jobs Jan. 14, 2015, 12:46 a.m.

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#2487

5 votes

Train veterans to clear out the back log for veteran's benefits. Our veterans deserve better than years of waiting; they, already, fought for us, they shouldn't have to keep fighting, when they get home for the benefits they have earned. Training veterans to do the work will kill two birds with one stone: give veterans jobs and clear out the back log.

Submitted by Anti-GOP in Economy & Jobs Jan. 15, 2015, 11:59 p.m.

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#2487

5 votes

Change the priority of the government to serve the public good by making full employment and a living wage available to everyone.

Submitted by Richard S. from MA in Economy & Jobs Jan. 16, 2015, 8:03 a.m.

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#2507

4 votes

Universal income to offset advances in automated working system, changing market forces, and long-term, systemic favorable bias toward capital interests in both policy and regulations. Paid through a negative income tax to all adult citizens age 18 and over no matter what their current state of employment or ability to work may be.

Submitted by Andrew in Economy & Jobs Jan. 16, 2015, 3:05 a.m.

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#2507

4 votes

A paradigm shift in where (and how) we source our carbon based, liquid fuels. - Historically, we went below earth's surface to find it and deplete the nonrenewable resource - We propose that we source it from abundant atmospheric resources, above the earth's surface. This paradigm shift would replace carbon sourced from the carbon cycle that cycled during the dinosaur era with distributively sourced carbon from the current carbon cycle. Based on our research data, we can produce unprece

Submitted by LeRoy Deichman in Economy & Jobs Jan. 15, 2015, 8:38 a.m.

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#2507

4 votes

Instead of having a green card stapled to every foreign-born STEM graduate's diploma, we need a LETTER OF HIRE stapled to EVERY AMERICAN'S STEM graduate diploma. We need to scale back the H1-B and other guest worker programs until salaries are and job opportunities are stabilized for AMERICANS.

Submitted by RGHicks in Economy & Jobs Jan. 15, 2015, 12:09 p.m.

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#2507

4 votes

This is long term - but should we be thinking now about how to create a "post-jobs" world? One can imagine a time not too far away when automation will do most tasks handled by humans today. We're all so used to money and jobs that it's difficult to imagine anything else. The traditional response to this possibility is: "we'll just create new technologies, new products, and the game will go on as before". I'm not so sure.

Submitted by Bill Knight in Economy & Jobs Jan. 16, 2015, 12:30 a.m.

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#2507

4 votes

State and local government incentives to business corporations are bankrupting states and local governments and their ability to service the needs of students, infrastructure, and the social safety net. Make state and local give-aways to corporations illegal under federal law.

Submitted by Dwight R. from WA in Economy & Jobs Jan. 16, 2015, 6:51 a.m.

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#2507

4 votes

Our fiat currency is controlled by overseas interests. We need to create a metal based money that's controlled here in the US.

Submitted by lostarts in Economy & Jobs Jan. 15, 2015, 5:07 p.m.

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#2534

3 votes

Institute a basic stipend/check for every citizen of the US to ensure no one lives in poverty. Inflation has stolen everything affordable and has become bankster usury that goes in the elites pockets. Along these same lines, End corporate welfare! No one should have to be on food stamps working a full time job. What we are paying in food stamps ends up in the corporations bottom line and the elites pockets and not in the pockets of the citizens where it belongs.

Submitted by Ted in Economy & Jobs Jan. 16, 2015, 1:09 a.m.

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#2534

3 votes

Tax breaks to corporations that create jobs for U.S. citizens at home in the U.S.

Submitted by MikeHT in Economy & Jobs Jan. 16, 2015, 12:07 a.m.

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#2534

3 votes

Cap on corporate size and personal wealth: Define Foreign individuals companies and corporations whose wealth and/or size exceed American Cap Limits as terrorists and/or terrorist organizations and forbid imports from same. Penalty for noncompliance: Life imprisonment under House Arrest for individuals, officers and 100 hundred largest shareholders.

Submitted by Padrazo in Economy & Jobs Jan. 15, 2015, 3:27 p.m.

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#2534

3 votes

Grant Conditional Residency to any immigrant who starts or purchases a business within 1 year of the grant. Period. Waive all grounds of inadmissibility other than INA § 212(d)(14) (Nazis, Persecutors, major crimes, and terrorists). Immigrants start businesses at rates higher than native-born. Immigrants drive our economy through innovation and hard work and will contribute through business taxes, as well as payroll, sales taxes, and more. Fees will cover program costs. Demand will be amazing.

Submitted by Secret Shopper in Economy & Jobs Jan. 16, 2015, 12:22 a.m.

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#2534

3 votes

Ban the export of American oil unless the cost to consumers of gas and oil fuel is $3.00 or less per gallon.

Submitted by Ellen S. in Economy & Jobs Jan. 16, 2015, 8:24 a.m.

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#2552

2 votes

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