The Big Ideas Project

Create a "Citizenship Scratch-Off" game funded with 1% of national gambling receipts. Playing is free; participants learn about democratic principles and about opportunities to volunteer. Playing increases the chances of winning prizes, further promoting participation.

Submitted by Timothy B. from OR in Education Dec. 10, 2014, 2:09 p.m.

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#2191

26 votes

The American people (taxpayers) deserve a thorough, deep investigatopm into this nation's Foreign Aid program. And the results should be made known through the media. If Congress is serious about saving money and lowering the national debt, this is a very good place to start. There are billions to be saved here which could be used to solve problems at home. The U.S. should stop being a credit card for the rest of the world!

Submitted by Ron H. from CA in Taxes & Budget Jan. 8, 2015, 6:29 p.m.

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#2191

26 votes

This is more for local governments although more rigorous participation from FCC will not hurt: Make it easy for prospective ISPs to build high speed Internet infrastructure buy streamlining the permitting process as well as make public right-of-way use to lay cables as well as pole attachments more affordable. At the same time make it illegal for current large providers to play "I don't play on your turf, you don't play on mine". Promote competition among ISPs.

Submitted by George in Infrastructure & Technology Jan. 5, 2015, 3:47 a.m.

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#2191

26 votes

Give the public the ability to disband Congress.

Submitted by Sam in Government & Elections Jan. 11, 2015, 12:55 p.m.

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#2191

26 votes

Return the control of Education to the grassroots, the local level. We've moved from local level to state level to federal level on control of education

Submitted by Descarte in Education Dec. 11, 2014, 7:35 p.m.

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#2205

25 votes

Foreign trade has cost us jobs. It is time to fix that. New Legislation- IF YOU SELL IT HERE YOU HAVE TO MAKE IT HERE or EQUAL TRADE, whereby another country has to buy as much as they sell to us, with an annual fee on imported goods to make up the differential.

Submitted by Mike B. from AZ in Economy & Jobs Jan. 9, 2015, 10:35 a.m.

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#2205

25 votes

Abolish the two party system. Let anyone who wants to run for an office do so with no economic or other political disadvantages. Even the emerging democratic countries have that system, though they they might vote for hundreds of candidates.

Submitted by thecatlady in Government & Elections Jan. 6, 2015, 10:21 p.m.

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#2205

25 votes

Honestly work towards more balanced/equalized hemispheric international economies thus removing a huge factor in illegal immigration from so called "poor" countries to so called "rich" countries.

Submitted by RCline in Economy & Jobs Jan. 5, 2015, 7:40 p.m.

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#2205

25 votes

PRO-RATING EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS TO WEEKLY HOURS WORKED, no matter how few, would be a great carbon-reduction and quality-of-life policy! In extreme-commuting America, we should tailor work hours to workweeks to create four-day, three-day, and two-day workweeks and greatly reduce overall commuting for employees who want to reduce the work, cost, road exposure, and time spent driving to their jobs while gaining whole new workweek days for a second job, school, child care, hobby, or family fun.

Submitted by Gregory Wright, ADA So Cal Board Member in Economy & Jobs Dec. 22, 2014, 5:47 a.m.

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#2205

25 votes

Legalize and tax prostitution. Pleasure is not a crime. It's a dangerous world; send cops after real criminals.

Submitted by Ray M. from WA in Society & Community Jan. 9, 2015, 2:49 a.m.

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#2205

25 votes

Make yearly adjustments to taxes based on wealth distribution If the bottom 1/5 of the country by wealth owns less than 2% of the country’s wealth, increase the taxes on each of the other 4/5s by 1% per year. When the bottom 1/5 of the country by wealth get above 5% of the country’s wealth, start retracting the 1% that were added. There is more.

Submitted by Go go in Taxes & Budget Dec. 22, 2014, 7:34 a.m.

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#2205

25 votes

People with older homes who live in historical sections of their towns or cities are micro-managed as to what they are allowed to do to the exterior of their homes by the areas Preservation and Historical Societies. Any changes even as minute as changing a porch light needs authorization brought up before their committees. In my town, their is an actual committee member who does daily "policing" of any changes made. This seems unconstitutional and there should be a law for home owners to opt out

Submitted by Fatima M. from RI in Society & Community Dec. 10, 2014, 11:58 p.m.

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#2205

25 votes

In an effort to address the separateness that may be the root cause of gender and racial inequity, militarism, imperialism, and environmental degradation, we might craft a UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF THE SACREDNESS AND INTERCONNECTION OF ALL LIFE to be ratified by all human, nations, organizations, religions, and businesses.

Submitted by Peter B. from ME in Society & Community Jan. 4, 2015, 5:50 p.m.

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#2205

25 votes

forget small stuff: convert to a truly representative (parliamentary) democracy closer to the people. Start w/ small, no-outside-money neighborhood scale elections to select electors for Congress, to elect the President.

Submitted by ken burgdorf in Government & Elections Dec. 26, 2014, 4:02 p.m.

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#2214

24 votes

Allow our military to carry out confidential (secret as allowed prior to the end of World War II) retaliation against terrorists foreign or domestic. We were once a country feared for retaliation of any harm to our citizens.

Submitted by Grey Haired Citizen (inventor & consultant) in Foreign Policy & Military Dec. 11, 2014, 4:12 p.m.

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#2214

24 votes

Pass, a law that requires the US Government to make public the amount of GOLD that is s or used to pay federal debt.and not replaced We the citizens of America have no IDEA

Submitted by Eric H. from NM in Taxes & Budget Dec. 20, 2014, 3:24 p.m.

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#2214

24 votes

Tax imported oil at a floating rate per barrel to stabilize US oil prices at an optimum amount ($80?) to balance the economic benefits of lower prices and stable employment in the US energy industry, along with strengthening US energy independence. Added bonus: dedicate the new tax revenues to paying down the national debt.

Submitted by cseibert in Economy & Jobs Dec. 14, 2014, 3:03 p.m.

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#2214

24 votes

PUBLIC FUNDING for non-profit media: each American 18+ has $200/yr voucher. We ALL benefit from well-informed citizens & non-commercial media that monitor power. Media must be recognized non-profits with no commercial ads. All they produce by subsidy must post online immediately, available at no charge; & enters public domain with no copyright. This invests $30 billion/yr in public press w/ no control by govt or giant corps. Founders Madison, Jefferson, Tom Paine +more subsidized a STRONG press.

Submitted by publicMediaKnowDemocracy in Society & Community Jan. 11, 2015, 2:10 a.m.

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#2214

24 votes

Greatly reduce government regulations on healthcare and and other corporations that require extensive and costly documentation. Reduce the documentation to understandable and simplified versions that are clearly understood. Documentation alone increases healthcare costs by over 50%. To buy a home or get a loan involves too much documentation and too many individuals that have to be paid increasing all costs in purchases and commodities. Too much documentation is chaos.

Submitted by Chrisg in Government & Elections Jan. 6, 2015, 12:26 p.m.

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#2214

24 votes

These 30 members of congress should offer to break with every member of their opposition with the guts enough to share a civil meal. And more than once.

Submitted by Judge Chuck E. from FL in Government & Elections Jan. 4, 2015, 4:27 p.m. 1

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#2220

23 votes

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