Increasing Trade, Exports, and Overall Competitiveness : Browse Popular Ideas

1. What could the government do better to help increase trade, exports, and overall competitiveness in the 21st Century?

2. How can we better streamline the government’s trade, export, and competitiveness programs and services?

3. How can we use government resources in trade, exports, and competitiveness more efficiently and effectively?

• Recent Ideas (1568)
• Popular Ideas (1568)
• Hot Ideas (0)

• I agree

  Voting is Disabled

  246 votes

  This idea is active.
  Increasing Trade, Exports, and Overall Competitiveness »

  Stop balancing the budget on the backs of Federal employees

  Federal employees work hard to oversee and manage the programs of the Federal government. The budget should not be balanced on their backs. If you cut pay raises, bonuses, potential for growth and development, you will decrease employee moral. People will lose their jobs and you will increase the unemployment rate. The Federal workforce should be acknowledged for what it does and not become the scapegoat for an inefficient ...more »

  Federal employees work hard to oversee and manage the programs of the Federal government. The budget should not be balanced on their backs. If you cut pay raises, bonuses, potential for growth and development, you will decrease employee moral. People will lose their jobs and you will increase the unemployment rate. The Federal workforce should be acknowledged for what it does and not become the scapegoat for an inefficient Congress.

  « less full details »

  26 comments for Idea: Stop balancing the budget on the backs of Federal employees

  Submitted by Community Member 2 years ago

• I agree

  Voting is Disabled

  136 votes

  This idea is active.
  Increasing Trade, Exports, and Overall Competitiveness »

  Illiminate benefits to illegal aliens

  This alone could balance the budget. Why is it someone can enter this country and get free medical, etc.? Why do those of us that pay taxes have to cover their bills?

  4 comments for Idea: Illiminate benefits to illegal aliens

  Submitted by Community Member 2 years ago

• I agree

  Voting is Disabled

  133 votes

  This idea is active.
  Increasing Trade, Exports, and Overall Competitiveness »

  stop providing Federal services to Illegal Aliens

  Our Government needs to stop providing free Federal

  services and free State services to Illegal Aliens, who's children are born in the U.S. We are providing

  food stamps, medicaid are other Federal funded services that we need to put a stop to this.

  7 comments for Idea: stop providing Federal services to Illegal Aliens

  Submitted by Community Member 2 years ago

• I agree

  Voting is Disabled

  123 votes

  This idea is active.
  Increasing Trade, Exports, and Overall Competitiveness »

  Stop giving free education to illegals

  Why do we keep catering to illegals? If they are not legal citizens of the United States, they should not reap the benefits that legal citizens get. I know for a fact that a lot of illegal students get grants for education, when a lot of our own US citizen students don't. I don't understand why it is more beneficial to give free education to illegals (paid for w/our taxes) than to our own citizens who reallly need ...more »

  Why do we keep catering to illegals? If they are not legal citizens of the United States, they should not reap the benefits that legal citizens get. I know for a fact that a lot of illegal students get grants for education, when a lot of our own US citizen students don't. I don't understand why it is more beneficial to give free education to illegals (paid for w/our taxes) than to our own citizens who reallly need the money. I also know that these grants are given and any leftover money is kept by the students, which allow them to use the money freely, i.e. to buy name brand purses, shoes, etc. We should first help our own before others.

  « less full details »

  6 comments for Idea: Stop giving free education to illegals

  Submitted by Community Member 2 years ago

• I agree

  Voting is Disabled

  122 votes

  This idea is active.
  Increasing Trade, Exports, and Overall Competitiveness »

  The Federal Government Should Buy American Made Products

  The government should only be allowed to buy American made products. This will help keep jobs in this country and help create additional ones. American taxpayer dollars should be used to invest in this country.

  28 comments for Idea: The Federal Government Should Buy American Made Products

  Submitted by Community Member 2 years ago

• I agree

  Voting is Disabled

  121 votes

  This idea is active.
  Increasing Trade, Exports, and Overall Competitiveness »

  Free Market - eliminate agriculture subsidies

  Agriculture subsidies are the largest welfare program in this country, and go against the idea of free trade. By eliminating subsidies we will grow only crops that are needed, eliminate excesses, bring down the cost of food, and provide farmers an incentive to become the best producer that they can be. We don't subsidize the local mom and pop endeavors, so we shouldn't subsidize this sector of our economy.

  23 comments for Idea: Free Market - eliminate agriculture subsidies

  Submitted by Community Member 2 years ago

• I agree

  Voting is Disabled

  116 votes

  This idea is active.
  Increasing Trade, Exports, and Overall Competitiveness »

  Create a flat Federal income tax

  Create a flat Federal income tax for all tax brackets and free up IRS employees to fight all levels tax related fraud.

  15 comments for Idea: Create a flat Federal income tax

  Submitted by Community Member 2 years ago

• I agree

  Voting is Disabled

  114 votes

  This idea is active.
  Increasing Trade, Exports, and Overall Competitiveness »

  Fire consistently underperforming Federal Employees

  There are a lot of complaints about contractor salaries, but if a contractor does not perform or performs below expectations, that contractor is removed. Not so (at least VERY rarely) with Government employees. The adage is once you go govt, it's near impossible to get fired, you're govt for life. Federal employees that are, essentially, wastes of space and money are simply moved from job to job and/or office to office, ...more »

  There are a lot of complaints about contractor salaries, but if a contractor does not perform or performs below expectations, that contractor is removed. Not so (at least VERY rarely) with Government employees.

  The adage is once you go govt, it's near impossible to get fired, you're govt for life. Federal employees that are, essentially, wastes of space and money are simply moved from job to job and/or office to office, rather than let go. It's a MASSIVE waste of resources and manpower. Hold federal employees to the same standards and practices as civilians. If someone is a consistent underperformer, they should be fired, not foisted onto some other office/branch.

  « less full details »

  7 comments for Idea: Fire consistently underperforming Federal Employees

  Submitted by Community Member 2 years ago

• I agree

  Voting is Disabled

  113 votes

  This idea is active.
  Increasing Trade, Exports, and Overall Competitiveness »

  Eliminate 5 yr minimum for congressional pensions and Social Sec

  Make them have to work for 20 or 30 years like the rest of us. What is this 5 year thing? That is ridiculous. In 5 years what have they really done?

  4 comments for Idea: Eliminate 5 yr minimum for congressional pensions and Social Sec

  Submitted by Community Member 2 years ago

• I agree

  Voting is Disabled

  108 votes

  This idea is active.
  Increasing Trade, Exports, and Overall Competitiveness »

  Don't Pay Women on Welfare Extra Money for Extra Children

  It's not rocket science. If a family is on public assistance it means they can't afford the children they have. There should be ZERO incentive for any additional children they have. Make it clear and enforce a simple policy which states that no additional funds will be granted for children born to families already on public assistance. Let them get by on what they've got, just like the working families that subsidize ...more »

  It's not rocket science. If a family is on public assistance it means they can't afford the children they have. There should be ZERO incentive for any additional children they have. Make it clear and enforce a simple policy which states that no additional funds will be granted for children born to families already on public assistance. Let them get by on what they've got, just like the working families that subsidize them.

  « less full details »

  15 comments for Idea: Don't Pay Women on Welfare Extra Money for Extra Children

  Submitted by Community Member 2 years ago

• I agree

  Voting is Disabled

  104 votes

  This idea is active.
  Increasing Trade, Exports, and Overall Competitiveness »

  Government Contractors

  Reduce the number of the Gov't contractors by 50%

  and replace them with government employees. this will reduce the cost of contracting by 50% since the cost of contracting is 2-1/2 time the equivalent government employee cost

  6 comments for Idea: Government Contractors

  Submitted by Community Member 2 years ago

• I agree

  Voting is Disabled

  100 votes

  This idea is active.
  Increasing Trade, Exports, and Overall Competitiveness »

  make prison a place people dont want to come to

  Stop the satellite tv for prisoners. The people paying taxes cant afford it why should inmates get this for free. Why are inmates given free medical and dential when people who are paying for the insurance still cant afford the copay to have their own teeth fixed.Federial inmates more time on the phone or in the rec yard than working. this is why they keep comming back. They like it. No bills free food free medical all ...more »

  Stop the satellite tv for prisoners. The people paying taxes cant afford it why should inmates get this for free. Why are inmates given free medical and dential when people who are paying for the insurance still cant afford the copay to have their own teeth fixed.Federial inmates more time on the phone or in the rec yard than working. this is why they keep comming back. They like it. No bills free food free medical all their friends are here. this is club med at the tax payers expence.One hot meal aday.No tv untill 5:00 pm off again at 11:00pm save the electric.

  « less full details »

  11 comments for Idea: make prison a place people dont want to come to

  Submitted by Community Member 2 years ago

• I agree

  Voting is Disabled

  90 votes

  This idea is active.
  Increasing Trade, Exports, and Overall Competitiveness »

  Password policies

  I must have 30 different government passwords, all of which expire at different times and have different character requirements. Are all of these passwords really necessary? What is the real threat? Do we need to require the changing of passwords as frequently as we do? Does my computer really need to go to sleep every 10 minutes? A holistic look at government password policies and the demands it places on employees ...more »

  I must have 30 different government passwords, all of which expire at different times and have different character requirements. Are all of these passwords really necessary? What is the real threat? Do we need to require the changing of passwords as frequently as we do? Does my computer really need to go to sleep every 10 minutes? A holistic look at government password policies and the demands it places on employees and IT departments would save a lot of time and money.

  « less full details »

  11 comments for Idea: Password policies

  Submitted by Community Member 2 years ago

• I agree

  Voting is Disabled

  90 votes

  This idea is active.
  Increasing Trade, Exports, and Overall Competitiveness »

  Add solar power to military and federal buildings!

  My building in the military had one that powered the HVAC and the hot water. We were always very comfortable and it was not at the expense of taxpayers beyond installation. What made this good was that we were a 24/7 function. We need more of these where it pays to add them and they should be made in America!

  10 comments for Idea: Add solar power to military and federal buildings!

  Submitted by Community Member 2 years ago

• I agree

  Voting is Disabled

  82 votes

  This idea is active.
  Increasing Trade, Exports, and Overall Competitiveness »

  Daylight Savings

  Because we now live in a 24 hour society we no longer have a need to use daylight savings time. It costs staff annual leave when the clock is moved forward and the employeer has to pay overtime when the clock is moved back. As a nation we could save millions simply by leaving the clocks alone.

  8 comments for Idea: Daylight Savings

  Submitted by Community Member 2 years ago

• I agree

  Voting is Disabled

  76 votes

  This idea is active.
  Increasing Trade, Exports, and Overall Competitiveness »

  'Buy-American' Tax Incentive!

  Create a tax incentive to encourage Americans to buy American-made products. Let's try to change the current China-dominated manufacturing environment. It's time to bring jobs and prosperty back to America!

  9 comments for Idea: 'Buy-American' Tax Incentive!

  Submitted by Community Member 2 years ago

• I agree

  Voting is Disabled

  76 votes

  This idea is active.
  Increasing Trade, Exports, and Overall Competitiveness »

  Require Welfare Recipients to Perform Community Service

  Welfare recipients should be required to perform 25 hours of community service each week in order to be eligible for welfare benefits.

  This could be very beneficial to communities. One of the biggest complaints against our current welfare system is that people receive free money without contributing anything to society.

  4 comments for Idea: Require Welfare Recipients to Perform Community Service

  Submitted by Community Member 2 years ago

• I agree

  Voting is Disabled

  76 votes

  This idea is active.
  Increasing Trade, Exports, and Overall Competitiveness »

  Offer a Govt wide early out

  Offer a Govt wide early out. Give employees the option to retire without penalty if they have 20 or 25 years in service at any age. This would most likely save more money in the long run for our Govt. Many employees at the top of their pay bands would retire, allowing new hiring if necessary, at lower salaries.

  Add your comment for Idea: Offer a Govt wide early out

  Submitted by Community Member 2 years ago

• I agree

  Voting is Disabled

  74 votes

  This idea is active.
  Increasing Trade, Exports, and Overall Competitiveness »

  Congress

  Make Congress have the same health care as other federal workers

  5 comments for Idea: Congress

  Submitted by Community Member 2 years ago

• I agree

  Voting is Disabled

  73 votes

  This idea is active.
  Increasing Trade, Exports, and Overall Competitiveness »

  Require Pell Grants to be repaid if a student drops out / Fails

  If a student drops out of college after receiving a Pell Grant then they should have to repay that grant to the government. Or if they fail after a semester of using a Pell Grant they should have to repay it. It should come with stiuplations. The potential savings could be in the Millions of dollars. We shouldn't be paying for failure.

  Add your comment for Idea: Require Pell Grants to be repaid if a student drops out / Fails

  Submitted by Community Member 2 years ago

• I agree

  Voting is Disabled

  72 votes

  This idea is active.
  Increasing Trade, Exports, and Overall Competitiveness »

  PRINTING ITEMS IN TWO DIFFERENT LANGUAGES

  Stop printing a lot of the signs/documents in language other than English. This is America, and as such, everyone should know the English language. We should not have to cater to those who cannot read nor understand English. Try going to another country and forcing that country to have everything printed in their language and in English! Good luck!

  3 comments for Idea: PRINTING ITEMS IN TWO DIFFERENT LANGUAGES

  Submitted by Community Member 2 years ago

• I agree

  Voting is Disabled

  72 votes

  This idea is active.
  Increasing Trade, Exports, and Overall Competitiveness »

  Stop Giving Away $Billions To Other Countries

  One of the reasons the U.S. is becoming less competitive globally is because we are becoming weaker economically. I know the whole world has had economic problems over the pass couple years, but China and India are back on track again while we are still wallowing in increasing debt and over-spending. Our economic problems are not temporary. We have major looming issues primarily resulting from the ridiculous debt levels ...more »

  One of the reasons the U.S. is becoming less competitive globally is because we are becoming weaker economically. I know the whole world has had economic problems over the pass couple years, but China and India are back on track again while we are still wallowing in increasing debt and over-spending.

  Our economic problems are not temporary. We have major looming issues primarily resulting from the ridiculous debt levels which is further fueled by unnecessary over-spending by the Govt. Some of the looming issues I see are massive underfunding of Social Security and Medicare, underfunded Govt pensions, taxes are rising (and going to rise much more), inflation has occurred already (trillions of new dollars printed backed by nothing tangible) and dramatic rising prices are inevitable, interest rates will be raised to fight inflation which means the interest on Govt debt will be rising as well. Furthermore, the U.S. is becoming less competitive "pricewise" in the global marketplace for 2 reasons: (1) salary demands are higher than most of the rest of the world (we don't want to change that one ;-) , and (2) the value of the dollar (relative to other currencies) is declining.

  One form of excessive spending I can't even figure out "why" we're doing it is we give away billions of dollars every year to other countries ... Why can't we just stop doing that (at least in most cases) for a couple of years or until we get our debt under control?

  « less full details »

  2 comments for Idea: Stop Giving Away $Billions To Other Countries

  Submitted by Community Member 2 years ago

• I agree

  Voting is Disabled

  71 votes

  This idea is active.
  Increasing Trade, Exports, and Overall Competitiveness »

  legislature pay

  The legislature has voted to freeze Government pay for 2 years and are discussing expanding that to 5 years. At the same time they have voted themselves a pay increase in December. They should be ashamed of themselves and agree to the same pay freeze the rest of the Federal workforce is enduring.

  Add your comment for Idea: legislature pay

  Submitted by Community Member 2 years ago

• I agree

  Voting is Disabled

  70 votes

  This idea is active.
  Increasing Trade, Exports, and Overall Competitiveness »

  Pass a two, three, five year budget

  The fact the Congress cannot pass a budget is ridilicous. In order to avoid excessive Continuing Resolutions, Congress should pass a multi-year budget. This would mean that the budget would only be looked at every few years, yearly earmarks could be avoided (saving money), and Congress can focus more of its time on passing legislation that can have a real impact.

  1 comment for Idea: Pass a two, three, five year budget

  Submitted by Community Member 2 years ago

• I agree

  Voting is Disabled

  69 votes

  This idea is active.
  Increasing Trade, Exports, and Overall Competitiveness »

  Eliminate military air support to Congress

  While members of Congress need to see military operations up colse and personal, there is far too much reliance on military aircraft to transport, not just members of Congress, but their staffs. The military rolls out the red carpet for all Congressional staffers and goes above and beyond for actual members, to include support for their families (I have been a military escort to numerous members and have been asked to ...more »

  While members of Congress need to see military operations up colse and personal, there is far too much reliance on military aircraft to transport, not just members of Congress, but their staffs. The military rolls out the red carpet for all Congressional staffers and goes above and beyond for actual members, to include support for their families (I have been a military escort to numerous members and have been asked to provide transportation to the Mall or the beach, etc. for wives and children of Members). There needs to be ethics rules in place or reimbursment required for any Congressional or staffer travel or support outside a warzone.

  « less full details »

  Add your comment for Idea: Eliminate military air support to Congress

  Submitted by Community Member 2 years ago

Displaying 1 - 25 of 1,568 Ideas

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• Next »