The Big Ideas Project

Ensure that the police force in a given locality reflects the demographics of the area.

Submitted by Rohit K. from VA in Civil Rights Jan. 4, 2015, 11:11 p.m.

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#1081

144 votes

Reinstitute the draft for all high school graduates to either serve in the military or civilian service for 2 to 3 years. After completion the students will have their college education paid for.

Submitted by Fred P. from VA in Education Nov. 14, 2014, 10:33 p.m.

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#1081

144 votes

Battery technology could change the world. The efficient capture and storage of solar or wind energy could change the course of history. With inexpensive electricity, people who live in rural areas without electric could have clean water, sanitation, economic development, proper educational tools, etc. And with that there would avenues away from poverty and disease. People who live in cities would need less fossil fuels.

Submitted by WA in Infrastructure & Technology Jan. 14, 2015, 10:36 p.m.

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#1081

144 votes

Make Solar power available to the elderly and the poor at the same price as the wealthy. Most states have a tax Credit 40-60% off of the cost of a system, if you do not make enough money to earn those credits, your cost for the same system is 40-60% greater. So, If I take a loan out on my home and install a 10,000 dollar system I pay 10,000, but id the Dr. down the street does it, the same thing costs him 4,000-6,000 dollars, how is that fair or right ?

Submitted by GlennB in Environment Dec. 20, 2014, 11:29 p.m.

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#1081

144 votes

Declare a one-time forgiveness of college loan debt just like we did to bailout the big banks and GM. However legislation needs to be passed for 0% loans in the future for students who graduate. In addition, develop some program(s) for those with forgiven debt to provide community or equivalent service as a partial re-payment for eliminating the college loan debt.

Submitted by Jim M. from TX in Education Dec. 11, 2014, 9:32 a.m.

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#1081

144 votes

The way we manage our residential landscapes is insane, and what industrial agriculture has done to our food supply is appalling. Lets kill two birds with one stone. We use valuable freshwater resources to water grass lawns that have been treated with fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides, just so we can mow those lawns with CO2 spewing maintenance equipment. Let's move to convert green grass lawn areas into local food production spaces on a grand scale.

Submitted by Dr. Brooke in Environment Dec. 10, 2014, 11:05 a.m.

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#1081

144 votes

Tax large corporations an amount equal to the amount of government assistance their employees must use to stay at a middle-class income level.

Submitted by Simon R, Political Organizer in Economy & Jobs Dec. 11, 2014, 6:10 a.m.

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#1087

143 votes

Make police officers responsible for their actions. Require them to prove that if they injure or kill someone in the line of duty that they prove their actions were the only possible solution to the problem.

Submitted by capprich in Civil Rights Dec. 11, 2014, 6:01 p.m.

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#1087

143 votes

Lets have a living wage that will automatically increase or decrease at the same percent congress increases or decreases their own pay. Note; a decrease in our pay will be an automatic decrease in congressional pay. This will cause a riff between congress and monied/ slavery interests.

Submitted by Richard G. from OR in Taxes & Budget Dec. 26, 2014, 6:58 p.m.

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#1087

143 votes

Increase small claims court limits to the average cost of a home so middle class Americans can have access to court redress that is affordable.

Submitted by jack p. from CA in Civil Rights Jan. 4, 2015, 8:33 p.m.

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#1087

143 votes

The elected members of both the Senate and the House can only get monetary raises if the majority of their constituents vote "yes" on the ballot. Why should our elected officials vote for their own raises? Everybody else in the real world has to meet certain standards by their boss in order to get a raise

Submitted by Lynne Rooney Katsma in Government & Elections Dec. 18, 2014, midnight

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#1087

143 votes

Allow all payments towards student loan debt to be fully tax deductible.

Submitted by Clifford C. from SC in Education Dec. 11, 2014, 8:38 a.m.

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#1092

142 votes

Get rid of the capital gains tax on the first $10,000 made per year for all people and companies. All capital gains from $10,001 and up should be taxed at 35%, regardless of income. This encourages casual investors, i.e. most of us, to invest and to be able to make a little extra per year through careful investments. Large investment corporations, will not even notice a tax free $10,000, and they will continue to pay capital gains, but all at 35%.

Submitted by Pat Ukaleley in Taxes & Budget Dec. 30, 2014, 4:58 p.m. 1

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#1092

142 votes

Limit the number of times the same issue can be voted on in Congress (regardless of minor changes or new bill numbers): no more 50+ votes to repeal Obamacare!,etc. What a hideous waste of taxpayer money from the party that swears they want to cut gov't spending! also set limits on how long federally appointed positions can be left open b/c Congress refuses to approve anyone. all the unfilled positions just clogs the system and causes the inefficiencies that some use as an excuse to not vote.

Submitted by Terri S. from OH in Government & Elections Dec. 11, 2014, 5:55 a.m.

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#1092

142 votes

Eliminate tax loop holes that allow large corporations to drastically reduce their taxes, end all corporate subsidies, create tax incentives for companies that manufacture here, end tax breaks for companies that export jobs and manufacturing, create a progressive tax structure that increases income and capital gains taxes as those earnings increase. Decrease taxes on everyone making less than $100,000 annually. Get the IRS off the backs of the middle-class. Reverse the obscene income inequality

Submitted by clara e. from CO in Taxes & Budget Dec. 12, 2014, 4:34 a.m.

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#1092

142 votes

Universal paper ballots and public counting

Submitted by katiebird in Government & Elections Dec. 10, 2014, 7:28 p.m.

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#1096

141 votes

Provide a tax deduction for those who sell their cars and replace them with bicycles, or public transportation, or walking.

Submitted by Bramble in Environment Dec. 9, 2014, 8:25 a.m.

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#1096

141 votes

Create a tax(or fee) on carbon. This would put alternative forms of energy on an equal footing with fossil fuels. The C.B.O. has estimated that a tax on carbon could raise nearly 1 trillion dollars in the next 10 years.

Submitted by Robert S. from NH in Taxes & Budget Dec. 10, 2014, 8:31 p.m.

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#1096

141 votes

The moment a elected official or government employee is convicted of a felony that person loses their job and/or office and immediately loses all pay, health care benefits, pension, and all other benefits. This would apply at all levels of government.

Submitted by Don B. from CA in Government & Elections Dec. 20, 2014, 3:51 a.m.

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#1096

141 votes

Ask Congress that a state of war be declared on green house gases. The goal of this effort should be that within 20 years the US will actually be reducing green house gases from the atmosphere as its share in the effort to mitigate the consequences of global climate change.

Submitted by 20 in 20 in Environment Dec. 10, 2014, 4:34 p.m. 1

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#1096

141 votes

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