The Big Ideas Project

Eliminate all deduction of expenses associated with off shoring, limit deduction of US HQ/Corporate expenses to that % of revenue taxed here - if 80% parked off shore untaxed then only 20% of Corp. expenses can be deducted. No interest expense csn be deducted for borrowing used to pay dividends, interest on borrowing, stock buybacks, etc. if cash parked off shore is available to be repatriated (and taxed) to cover these expenses.

Submitted by Kitty in Taxes & Budget Dec. 19, 2014, 12:17 a.m.

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#1574

75 votes

Post-secondary institutions should be encouraged to cut or sell varsity athletic programs and put the money saved into academics. The collegiate varsity teams have become merely a gateway for aspiring professional athletes with little regard for education.

Submitted by Dan in Education Jan. 5, 2015, 6:20 p.m.

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#1574

75 votes

Enact a military personnel pay raise- that is scaled INVERSELY to the RANK of the member. For example, newest inductees through E5 get a 7% kick. E6 through top E grade, 4%. O1 through O5, 3%. Brass above O5 all the way to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, 1%.

Submitted by kenforst in Foreign Policy & Military Jan. 4, 2015, 8:46 a.m.

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#1574

75 votes

Eliminate the federal home mortgage interest deduction in states that don't provide a property tax exemption for a ownership of a basic homestead. Having to pay property tax on one's home means no relief from taxes even when unemployed, sick, or aged. It means renting the right to own your home. Taxation of luxury or business assets might make sense for some states, but the US government should create an incentive for states not to tax basic living.

Submitted by Kent Pitman in Civil Rights Dec. 26, 2014, 2:20 p.m. 1

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#1574

75 votes

Instead of National Broadband, why not National Wi-fi, instead? Come to think of it, there are plenty of places that already offer free wi-fi (apartment complexes, restaurants, etc.) to attract customers. Why not go National? (For those of you with older PCs, there are devices out there to convert wi-fi back to broadband - in fact, I own one, and it works great!)

Submitted by TOOO in Infrastructure & Technology Dec. 10, 2014, 8:34 p.m.

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#1585

74 votes

Every two years, progressives should support a coordinated, multi-state campaign to put the same issue addressing economic fairness on the ballot in as many states as possible. The initiative process is available in more than 20 states and nearly every major city, and ballot-based changes can impact more then 140 million people. Potential issues include raising the minimum wage, paid sick days, pay equity, student and housing loan relief and tax fairness.

Submitted by Dave Regan, President, Service Employees International Union, United Healthcare Workers West in Economy & Jobs Dec. 11, 2014, 7:33 p.m.

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#1585

74 votes

Reestablish the top graduated income tax at 70%. Tax at 100% executive total compensation in excess of 20X the compensation paid to the lowest paid employee, full or part time. Recalibrate corporate tax contribution so their total is 35% of total income collected for community benefit expenditures.

Submitted by nokoch in Taxes & Budget Dec. 10, 2014, 9:32 p.m.

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#1585

74 votes

If a company has more than a thousand employees, you should be able to dial their customer service line, hit '0', and talk to a real live person in America. Trapping people in automated phone trees is key isolating executives from their stakeholders. It's also super annoying. This proposal could be done with a law requiring the FTC to enforce this mandate.

Submitted by Anon in Economy & Jobs Dec. 20, 2014, 10:14 a.m.

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#1585

74 votes

Poor people need money more than anything else. Instead of bailing out the crooked financial institutions, bail out the American citizens who are suffering because of the criminals on Wall Street. Each American citizen should be given $250,000. People could pay off their mortgages, buy a home, pay off medical bills, college loans, etc. This would stimulate the economy and help many poor people.

Submitted by Margaret M. from MO in Economy & Jobs Dec. 11, 2014, 5:29 a.m. 1

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#1585

74 votes

A Constitutional Amendment to outlaw in the gravest terms possible oligarchy, plutocracy, corporatism, and every other means of using money to thwart, diminish and eliminate democracy.

Submitted by Timothy Salt in Government & Elections Jan. 10, 2015, 11:47 a.m.

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#1585

74 votes

In local elections, make it mandatory that the positions held by those running for office be made available to everyone. Where I live, ruraly, there is not even a local paper for viliage (city) , county and sometimes statewide. So people go in and have to vote blind. I have lived in large cities and this is not a problem, but out here in the country it is.

Submitted by GlennB in Government & Elections Dec. 20, 2014, 11:24 p.m.

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#1591

73 votes

Sue the do nothing congress for dereliction of duty. Bring equal justice for politicians who commit crimes of war and go free and then veterans who opposed the war and release them from jail and pardon them as well.l

Submitted by eli crow in Government & Elections Dec. 11, 2014, 2:15 a.m.

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#1591

73 votes

Get rid of corrupt politicians in the pockets of "big business." We want our government back!

Submitted by Harriet W. from NJ in Uncategorized Dec. 18, 2014, 8:39 p.m.

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#1591

73 votes

Have voting begin at 6:00AM SATURDAY and close at 8:00PM on the east coast on SUNDAY.

Submitted by George C in Government & Elections Dec. 10, 2014, 7:47 p.m.

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#1591

73 votes

Low-Tech voting. Paper ballots and markers only. Hand-counted & logged on mechanical, not digital, adding machines. NO COMPUTERS INVOLVED AT ANY STEP OF THE PROCESS.

Submitted by KatWillow in Government & Elections Dec. 13, 2014, 4:05 p.m.

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#1591

73 votes

No more conversations, or even mention of, GDP and growth. The only financial statistic we should talk about is average (not median) income, broken down by tiers and population.

Submitted by Allen B. from MD in Economy & Jobs Nov. 11, 2014, 5:17 p.m.

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#1591

73 votes

Bring back non-partisanship to congress and stop the total control by majority. We need a congress and senate that are willing to compromise for the good of citizens not to increase power for whatever party is in power.

Submitted by Carolyn in Government & Elections Dec. 15, 2014, 1:52 p.m.

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#1591

73 votes

Get private industry working on our infrastructure. Especially high speed rail. Incentives? No corporate taxes during project, limited taxes after completion, or none if they provide maintenance. Allow projects to be completed on the dime of the companies with their own oversight so that they do it well. If taxes are not a large enough incentive add free ad time. Give networks tax relief in exchange for ad time for public works companies.

Submitted by courtdmc in Infrastructure & Technology Dec. 10, 2014, 4:22 p.m.

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#1591

73 votes

Have redistricting be done by a commission picked by lottery selection. This would be similar to jury duty, but pay would be higher to match the commissioner's current salary or another acceptable level. Employers would be forced to hold their job for them while the commissioners are in session. This would be similar to California's Redistricting Board.

Submitted by denton.murphy in Government & Elections Dec. 17, 2014, 12:20 a.m.

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#1591

73 votes

Make a law that all wars must be connected to a special tax to pay for them.

Submitted by jack p. from CA in Taxes & Budget Jan. 4, 2015, 8:37 p.m.

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#1591

73 votes

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