This diary is action oriented. Please bear with me :)
I just finished listening to Robert Reich on NPR. He leveled the fair and, in my opinion, accurate criticism that our President has given up the role of Educator-in-Chief. Call it using the bully pulpit, whatever. I've defended Obama against some accusations here (i.e. his fantasy is to gut social security), but in my mind Reich's point is spot on.
I've had a favorable reaction to what Obama says in his speeches. He does talk sense. He may be right in what he says, but he is playing the Tea Party game and even playing that game is wrong wrong wrong. He's ignoring jobs and the fact that cuts right now will hurt a fragile economy. He knows these things, but he's choosing only to talk about debts and deficits.
So that sucks. Now what? Do we continue sniping at him, ranting, and wishing we had a better leader? No. That would accomplish nothing. Actually, it would do harm to our cause because we could spend our time and energy in more productive ways. For example, we could become our own Educators-In-Chief and destroy the Tea Party. Which sounds better, ranting or destroying?
We should spread the message that the Republicans have backward priorities. You probably have more credibility with your friends and family than Barack Obama does anyway.
Some of you may already play the role of political agitator within your circle of friends. Cheers to you all. As for me, I only half-ass it. I'll post a few links to facebook. I need to do more, and I'm posting steps below that represent my plan to do more. I know this is basic organizing shit that we all know, but I need to do less "knowing" of it and more "doing" of it. Feel free to appropriate my plan.
1) Identify a group of people you know who are less politically engaged than you.
[Grad student friends]
2) Identify how aforementioned group of people are screwed by Republicans (& Democrats playing the Tea Party game) focusing obsessively on spending cuts.
[Debt ceiling plans are taking away subsidized Stafford loans]
3) Provide concrete details.
[Grad school will cost $10,000 more.]
4) Communicate this fact to the group using Facebook, Email, in-person, all of the above.
5) Within the message, identify how the do-nothing House is focusing obsessively on cuts without raising revenues or doing anything that will actually help ordinary working Americans. Point out that the Tea Party-owned Congressman are driving the agenda and Democrats are going along with this charade in part because the silent majority of Americans who know better are too busy to be bothered. Often they are too busy working 2-3 jobs. Point out that citizen apathy allows the batshit insane voices to drown out everyone else. Throw in a link to US Uncut for good measure.
6) Exhort them to pass this message along to 5 people and to make it personal. Make it about how the Tea Party agenda is hurting them personally. Ask them to repeat steps 1-6 for their own family and friends and help ensure this snowball continues to roll.
That's what I got so far. Suggestions to improve this are welcome, encouraged, and appreciated.