The Big Ideas Project

Stop Militarizing Law Enforcement Act. The bill would place restrictions and transparency measures on the DOD Program that transfers military equipment to state and local law enforcement. The “1033” Program permits military equipment from war zones to be transferred to police departments free of charge. This bill would prevent transfers of equipment inappropriate for policing, end incentives to use the equipment, and require that recipients certify that they can account for all equipment.

Submitted by Rep. Hank Johnson (GA-4) in Foreign Policy & Military Dec. 10, 2014, 2:20 a.m. 1

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#62

2949 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

Corporations that are found to have intentionally defrauded the government (We the People) would be required to repay the amount defrauded plus all costs (investigation, attorney fees, etc) times 3. A second offense w/in 5 years would disqualify the company from bidding on any future government contracts. Company executives responsible for such thefts should be barred from employment with any company performing government contract work.

Submitted by Chuck Isner in Foreign Policy & Military Jan. 3, 2015, 7:12 p.m.

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#198

1219 votes

De-militarize police forces nationwide.

Submitted by Connie Thomas in Foreign Policy & Military Nov. 18, 2014, 2:32 p.m.

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#199

1217 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

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

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

We need to fix the VA, bring our troops home and make sure they have housing, jobs, & healthcare for themselves and their families when they do get home. If we can stop the wars, then we CAN do EVERYTHING else on the above list.

Submitted by Lorna F. from CA in Foreign Policy & Military Nov. 16, 2014, 3:58 p.m.

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#252

944 votes

A law requiring Congress to raise taxes whenever they authorize military action to pay for it and for future veterans benefits.

Submitted by Robert D. from CT in Foreign Policy & Military Nov. 16, 2014, 3:55 p.m.

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#253

927 votes

Merged Idea

end the big military spending on war weapons and corporate expanding. instead, put the good work of our service men and women to helping us repair our environment and infrastructure domestically and worldwide

Submitted by debbie l. from OR in Foreign Policy & Military Dec. 18, 2014, 11:17 a.m.

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#265

875 votes

Executives in our defense industry get obscenely extravagant salaries, sometimes going as high as $500 million. It is an exploitation and waste of taxpayer money. Salaries of the executive of all defense contractors should be limited -- not one cent more than $500,000 -- and should be made public.

Submitted by Robert S. from NY in Foreign Policy & Military Jan. 8, 2015, 3:36 p.m.

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#276

824 votes

Cut the Pentagon budget in half. End our military adventurism in the Middle East and other parts of the globe. Reduce our support of Israel if Netenyahu doesn't agree to end apartheid, and treat Palestinians like human beings.

Submitted by Harry A. from CT in Foreign Policy & Military Nov. 14, 2014, 7:58 p.m.

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#314

720 votes

Clamp down on Pentagon overspending - once and for all. The Pentagon is NOT a jobs program, nor is it corporate welfare for Boeing and Haliburton. Implement an immediate Pentagon spending freeze. Order a comprehensive audit of the entire Pentagon budget. Require the Pentagon to account for every dollar of its spending. End funding for all programs that cannot demonstrate national security value. Require competitive bidding. End no-bid contracts and under-the-table sweetheart deals.

Submitted by Mystic Michael in Foreign Policy & Military Dec. 27, 2014, 12:07 a.m.

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#329

694 votes

Make the terms of the TPP public. They are already known to businss, in fact business is helping draft the TPP. And get behind the move to stop "fast tracking" the TPP. If TPP is enacted and infringes our ability to protect our environment, our climate, our local ability to govern ourselves, the U.S. will find itself in a civil insurrection.

Submitted by Dwain in Foreign Policy & Military Jan. 4, 2015, 4:16 p.m.

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#349

642 votes

Congress should not block President Obama's great step forward to normalize relations with Cuba. The whole world sees this as a (refreshing) positive move by the US, except for the backwards looking Republicans and their pseudo-Nazi, Floridian cohorts.

Submitted by Tara T. from CA in Foreign Policy & Military Dec. 18, 2014, 8:41 p.m.

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#354

638 votes

How about helping those who have sacrificed so much to help us? Translators who have aided the U.S. Military in Afghanistan and Iraq are in great danger in their home countries, but red tape is making it impossible for many of them to leave.

Submitted by Ian C. from CO in Foreign Policy & Military Dec. 9, 2014, 2:46 a.m.

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#359

633 votes

Merged Idea

Stop enabling Israels' terrible behavior with our military, money, and influence.

Submitted by Cliff in Foreign Policy & Military Dec. 9, 2014, 2:42 p.m.

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#397

571 votes

Let's cut the military budget and spend the money here in the United States (ie roads and education) instead of war.

Submitted by georgeiv in Foreign Policy & Military Dec. 10, 2014, 7:43 p.m.

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#405

548 votes

The Dept of Defense cannot accurately account for its spending. Billions go missing. It is rife with mismanagement, cronyism (no bid contracts, kickbacks, etc.), boondoggles & conflicts of interest. 1) Fire the DOD's Inspector General for gross incompetence/negligence. 2) ELECT an accountable replacement. 3) Felony (jail time) for anyone engaging in, aiding or abetting in DOD malfeasance. 4) Significantly reduce privatization. 5) Limit Contractor pay like NIH does when it awards research grants.

Submitted by Timothy Salt in Foreign Policy & Military Jan. 13, 2015, 11:29 a.m.

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#415

534 votes

The U.S. government must start obeying it's own Leahy law and stop selling arms to countries that violate human rights such as Isreal.

Submitted by misanthrope7 in Foreign Policy & Military Dec. 10, 2014, 1:22 p.m.

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#418

533 votes

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