Reply #125: I've posted this before with only one or two responses:

[Lorien]

Get the hell out of Iraq ASAP. Spend the Billions earmarked for that disaster on a new National high speed MagLev rail system with light rail connectors. Develop the areas around major train depots using the new urbanism designs that place mixed income homes and apartments within walking distance of retail, restaurants, office space, hospitals, schools, and theaters. These measures would create tens of thousands of new jobs and make Americans more mobile, less dependent on foreign oil and our roads would be less congested. To really cut our energy use, I'd build 100 square miles worth of solar panels (a recent article stated that that's how many would be needed to power the entire US), with the eventual goal of making home energy free or nearly free for the poor, disabled,schools,hospitals, government buildings etc. Added benefit; cutting greenhouse gases and allowing those people or institutions to direct the savings elsewhere (like hiring more teachers or staff) .We could do both and STILL spend less than we have on the Iraq war.

Right now a billionaire only pays about 17% income tax while a person making $50,000 a year pays about 28% income tax. Reverse that. Close tax loopholes for the uber rich. End corporate personhood and make big corporations pay their fair share in taxes. If it has to come out of a CEO’s bonus package, then so be it! No more subsidies for corporations who outsource jobs overseas.

Give tax credits and incentives to people who build and buy cars like this: www.aptera.com. Adopt Al Gore’s carbon emission tax idea. Make America a place of new ideas and innovative technology and manufacturing again. Create a National prize (cheaper than a no bid contract to Halliburtan) for energy and health innovations that would be given out every year to the individuals or corporations who develop the most beneficial new technologies. So many amazing developments are never used because profit margin is put before common sense and the welfare of society. Reclaiming our place as world pioneers in these areas could create a massive employment boom.