The Big Ideas Project

A "TRANSIT PASS (instead of New-Car Cash) FOR CLUNKERS" program that provides paid-for public transportation to individuals who retire their low-mileage vehicles for dismantling would help lower U.S. carbon emissions from transportation far more than the ballyhooed Cash for Clunkers program did, while sending additional funds to America's public transportation sector for local jobs, and helping lower- and fixed-income Americans who trade in their 'clunkers' for a multi-year transit pass.

Submitted by Gregory Wright, ADA So Cal Board Member in Infrastructure & Technology Dec. 22, 2014, 5:57 a.m.

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#1909

48 votes

Ask the White House to hold an environmental summit with speakers who are established experts in the field. This would not only educate all of us on important environmental issues,including but not restricted to global warming, but it would also establish the United States as the world leader on the environment.

Submitted by Sarah J. Hall, M.A., Ph.D in Environment Jan. 8, 2015, 10:51 p.m.

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#1909

48 votes

Outlaw gun ownership

Submitted by suzanne in Civil Rights Dec. 16, 2014, 12:40 a.m. 3

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#1923

47 votes

Instant run-off voting...

Submitted by FeMorris in Government & Elections Dec. 18, 2014, 11:49 p.m.

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#1923

47 votes

Create a "Student Loan Account" investment tool, similar to the 401K model. Individuals with undergraduate student loan debt invest pre-tax dollars into this account, which is then invested and grows. Partnered with tax-benefits to employers for matching employee's investment. This will create an incentive for citizens to pay off student loans faster and increase the amount of disposable income to drive our consumer driven economy. The power to tax is power to destroy crushing student loan debt!

Submitted by Integrityoverpolitics in Education Dec. 11, 2014, 4:40 p.m.

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#1923

47 votes

CARDBOARD BOX REFORM Make senator votes strictly anonymous. Public voting gives corporate lobby groups leverage on politicians through positive and negative incentives. Anonymous voting breaks that leverage.

Submitted by Lennart in Government & Elections Dec. 11, 2014, 5:08 p.m. 2

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#1923

47 votes

Minimizing population growth by crediting couples with no, 1, or 2 children. Population growth in the mother of all ills. It creates more conflicts, more usage of limited resources, creates more trash, etc.

Submitted by Mariam in Taxes & Budget Dec. 12, 2014, 12:06 p.m.

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#1923

47 votes

Bring back the draft with the standards being used at the end of the Vietnam era, where even status as a college student could not be used as deferment criteria.

Submitted by denton.murphy in Foreign Policy & Military Dec. 17, 2014, 12:30 a.m.

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#1923

47 votes

Eliminate the corporate income tax and made up the shortfall by increasing capital gains taxes. Right now, large American companies are slow to repatriate profits made overseas, because they are not taxed on those profits until they do so. Overall, U.S. companies are sitting on an estimated $2.1 trillion in offshored profits. Eliminating the corporate tax would remove the disincentive for those companies to bring that money home where we can tax it.

Submitted by MasterOfSparks in Taxes & Budget Jan. 4, 2015, 5:23 a.m.

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#1923

47 votes

For the Supreme Court, here is the POLITICAL solution. Leave "Marriage" defined as between a man and a woman. Instead, define a broader superset term UNION, as a JOINING of individuals that bypasses historical and religious based definitions. I.e., all marriages are unions but not all unions are marriages. This is a POLITICAL solution that settles the issue as words with historical meanings are not redefined. See link for full discussion.

Submitted by Richard N. Cox in Civil Rights Dec. 28, 2014, 6:46 p.m.

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#1923

47 votes

Create a Contract for America similar to the Republicans did in the 1990s. Nationalize the election and campaign as Democrats. Make all democrats agree to basic policy agendas or don't run them. Make sure the voters know what we stand for and make the republicans defend their ideas. We see poll after poll where the America Public agrees with our ideas yet we cannot connect to them during elections. We don't need new ideas, We need to find a better way to get our message out.

Submitted by James B. from NY in Government & Elections Dec. 10, 2014, 6:39 p.m.

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#1923

47 votes

Every potential voter must have a SS number to either vote in person or absentee and it must be verified every 4 years

Submitted by Mandinka in Civil Rights Jan. 4, 2015, 8:12 p.m.

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#1923

47 votes

Get ALEC and Israel out of our government!! Our legislature is not a mule for special interests and sick agendas.

Submitted by Tevj in Foreign Policy & Military Jan. 15, 2015, 6:29 p.m.

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#1923

47 votes

Instead of eliminating the Electoral College make it where in order to win a state’s Electoral Votes a candidate must win a majority of the votes in the state’s popular votes, 50%+1. You use IRV, Instant Runoff Voting, to do this. If after all the counts & recounts there is a tie then use the National Popular Vote to break that tie.

Submitted by Don B. from CA in Government & Elections Dec. 20, 2014, 4:01 a.m.

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#1923

47 votes

When Government cant or wont vote for the majority's wishes then let the people vote or vote Nationally By telephone 1 yes 2 no hit the pound key and move on

Submitted by Duane W in Government & Elections Dec. 10, 2014, 4:21 p.m.

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#1923

47 votes

Raise the gas tax to fund the grade separation and electrification of the railroads with only solar and wind energy. It would employ millions in all sectors and ages, begin to eliminate the demand for fossil fuels, make America energy independent, connect all American communities rural and city and reduce the cost for almost everything we buy. Vaughn Wolffe

Submitted by Vaughn W. from CA in Uncategorized Dec. 26, 2014, 7:50 p.m.

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#1923

47 votes

Set terms for stock ownership after purchase. The stock market is no longer about it's initial purpose - to provoke investment around worthwhile ideas and companies. Instead it's about speculation and micro-trades. If we made a stock purchase meaningful by forcing the purchasee to own it for even a week, we would return the market to something that even makes sense for a society.

Submitted by Mike S in Economy & Jobs Jan. 10, 2015, 5:07 p.m.

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#1923

47 votes

Establish a $50B foreclosure relief program for the 4 years. Provide some relief to those who were foreclosed during the crisis. Provide some stimulus to the economy.

Submitted by Timothy Salt in Economy & Jobs Dec. 16, 2014, 4:42 p.m.

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#1938

46 votes

All campaigns for Federal or state offices, should be handled over the Internet or over TV...no flying all over the country, calling my house, or fliers on my door. Stations and Internet broadcasters would be required to provide so much free time and at the SAME time so people could not opt to watch cartoons, etc. Saves the environment, saves time and money, and nothing for big money to buy.

Submitted by Mel in Government & Elections Dec. 20, 2014, 10:08 p.m.

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#1938

46 votes

Pay our premium for Medigap insurance to Medicare and they write one check to cover 100 percent of the medical care that they approve. This would simplify the system and would help keep Medicare afloat.

Submitted by Joyce H. from TX in Health Dec. 19, 2014, 9:03 a.m.

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#1938

46 votes

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