Sometimes it seems that the magnitude of the problems that face us overwhelm the wit and wisdom of our government. Interest groups, groupthink, and bureaucracy all block the path of good ideas. Push a policy for a year, the thinking goes, and maybe it will move an inch.

But there’s a way around that: really big ideas that cut through, around, and over the conventional wisdom. This panel, comprised of the men and women profiled in WIRED magazine’s special November “Smart List,” all have crisp proposals and action plans for doing just that. How to deal with extreme weather? The urban population explosion? America’s declining world power? Culture clashes between the U.S. military and Iraqis? Come learn how the next president can solve these seemingly intractable problems.