The Big Ideas Project

If we legalize hemp, we can create more permanent jobs than the keystone temporary jobs. Legalize hemp. Accelerated solar and wind power development. Promote this development in the south America and the Caribbean. This will lead to a cleaner climate.

Submitted by ameer in Economy & Jobs Dec. 11, 2014, 1:41 p.m.

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#1681

66 votes

Enlist all willing people in an AmeriCorps like program and allow internships to teach real leadership and social organizing. Pay a living stipend and offer recognition and workshops for furthering ones skills. A two year term allows one to become familiar with the issues of the school system, justice system, environmental system, work system one has decided to serve.Like AmeriCorps offer a loan forbearance program or scholarships to those who intend to continue the work they learned.

Submitted by Jennifer W. from CA in Economy & Jobs Dec. 10, 2014, 7:47 p.m.

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#1681

66 votes

An idea, perhaps a partial solution as well? Try this. Let's go to a 4 day work week here in the US. Work four eight hour days and get paid for 40 hours. Overtime pay for those who work more then 32 hours. Make it an executive order, "a mandate". That's a plus or minus 20 % change depending on what particular item is up for debate. Example. Vehicles: less pollution. A 20% pay raise. More cash flow in the economy. More time off to do those things you don't have time for now...like raising your ki

Submitted by ron_of_orange in Economy & Jobs Dec. 10, 2014, 2:56 p.m.

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#1681

66 votes

Expand HARP 2 to include ALL loans, not just those from FMAE & FMAC

Submitted by Ann M. from WA in Economy & Jobs Nov. 9, 2014, 12:10 p.m.

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#1681

66 votes

INNOVATION: without it we are dead, Institute an competition county by county, state by state, in 6 or 7 different areas. Make the prizes large enough that it will attract the best minds in the nation. I am an inventor, have been for over 40 years, people like me, and our talents are wasted. We as a Nation need NEW Manufacturing. existing corporations are not interested in anything "Truly New" their only interested in fine tuning their bottom line.

Submitted by GlennB in Economy & Jobs Dec. 10, 2014, 3:11 p.m.

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#1694

65 votes

Rethink the Democrat party's stance on immigration and put focus on legal citizens looking for jobs and legal citizens in need of federal dollars. Stop looking for minority votes and focus on employment for the middle and lower class.

Submitted by MovingAndStorage in Economy & Jobs Dec. 9, 2014, 12:16 p.m.

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#1694

65 votes

Preserve jobs for Americans by mandating E-Verify and prescribing harsh jail terms for those who hire illegal aliens.

Submitted by Vinced in Economy & Jobs Jan. 5, 2015, 9:06 a.m.

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#1694

65 votes

Development Banks - This is a self-funded approach to furthering community development by using a city- or county-owned bank as the source of low cost loan programs. Any interest would be captured and re-used -- not extracted from the community.

Submitted by Commonomics in Economy & Jobs Dec. 11, 2014, 7:22 a.m.

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#1694

65 votes

Fine corporations $1000.00 per day and $100.00 per day for employing and housing undocumented employees. Allow the police 50% of the fine money and whistle blowers to get 25%, the fed and states get the rest. The immigrants will leave on their own. More blue collar jobs will open at higher wages.

Submitted by Charles in Economy & Jobs Dec. 26, 2014, 11:37 a.m.

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#1708

64 votes

Whether goods or services are provided by the private or public sector we pay for them & jobs are created.Complain about govt service but not Comcast & contractors who show up late (or not at all), leave early, don't get the job done. Etc. Medicare has 3^% overhead. Private Healthcare, 33%. Private sector has no mandate to create jobs & is not creating enough of them. It's killing them. Create a huge gov jobs program & full employment policy. STOP blaming the unemployed & working poor.

Submitted by Timothy Salt in Economy & Jobs Dec. 19, 2014, 12:11 p.m.

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#1708

64 votes

Show the right what a canard the idea the government can't create jobs by creating them. Not just public works, but in a new kind of TVA dedicating to producing green power through solar, geo, wind etc. and in creating new environmentally sound farming methods. The seed money can be obtained by creating a minimal (5%) flat tax for corporations (supposedly the right loves a flat tax) eliminating loopholes and tax give-aways

Submitted by Jack DeWitt in Economy & Jobs Jan. 4, 2015, 8:23 p.m.

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#1708

64 votes

I think we create a WPA-like program for what's now volunteer work (in the non-profit sector). Volunteers do real work in really important areas, often in financially strapped communities; I think a federal program should be created to give people good pay and benefits for it.

Submitted by SueT in Economy & Jobs Jan. 13, 2015, 9:51 p.m.

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#1708

64 votes

Require any company with more than 50 employees (number could be studied) to recognize a union of any size that workers join or form. Union reps should be voting members on the board of directors or equivalent. In this way free market forces can determine compensation not just the bosses dictate to one worker at a time. Bob K

Submitted by Dirt Forester in Economy & Jobs Dec. 10, 2014, 11:23 p.m.

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#1724

63 votes

No more bad Trade Deals. Let's have Smart Trade that works for America and creates jobs here in the US and not send them overseas.

Submitted by Don B. from CA in Economy & Jobs Dec. 20, 2014, 5:38 a.m.

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#1738

62 votes

Lower the reserve requirement for credit unions to the same level as banks so that they can serve more customers and compete more effectively with banks.

Submitted by Brad S. from ME in Economy & Jobs Dec. 11, 2014, 12:06 p.m.

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#1738

62 votes

I cant see any other way to ensure and preserve jobs in the U.S. then to set tariffs for for not only goods but also for services. E.g., if a country has lower social security taxes than the U.S. then there will need to be some added tax put on by us for them to sell goods or perform services in our country. There would need to be a formula for each nation/economic unit.

Submitted by Marc in Economy & Jobs Dec. 10, 2014, 10:13 p.m.

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#1738

62 votes

Cost energy progressively, so those that use it wisely pay less while those that use an inordinate amount of it pay more. You could even create a market for it with those that use little of it selling it to those that use more of it.

Submitted by Nelson in Economy & Jobs Dec. 10, 2014, 5:11 p.m.

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#1754

61 votes

Incentivize (tax breaks, etc) various forms of Worker-Owned Businesses. WOBs are better than unions and is the "capitalist" method of reducing the flow of profits to the top. If half of all US businesses were worker-owned, the middle class would burgeon, the working poor would be almost non-existent and jobs would stay in the US. Combined with a robust minimum wage law, WOBs would shift the power away from the 1%. In WOBs, mgt answers to the workers, not the BofD or stockholders.

Submitted by RepeatingHistory in Economy & Jobs Dec. 10, 2014, 10:50 p.m. 1

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#1754

61 votes

Build an underground system of rail, expressways, broadband and a new/safe power grid - implement technology to scrub/clean the air within before discharging it back into the atmosphere.

Submitted by Gary H. from MI in Economy & Jobs Dec. 19, 2014, 12:57 a.m.

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#1766

60 votes

I have seen many poor people in my neighborhood stay dirt poor because we give them money for baby care, health-care, and housing in exchange for their GIVING UP THEIR JOB! Their self-esteem tanks, and so much more. We as communities need to pass laws which stop making poor people useless and instead help and train them to make good decisions without whipping out their self esteem!

Submitted by Sarah Melcher in Economy & Jobs Jan. 4, 2015, 5:46 p.m.

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#1776

59 votes

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