I'm not going to rant about the idiocy of the hostage deal the President made to get Unemployment Insurance extended, the continuation of middle class tax cuts or the payroll tax holiday by paying off the super-rich. There's been plenty of that already. No, what I want to do here is lay out a message to put some Progressive spin on this turkey.
The deal is getting a lot of attention - this can be an opportunity to start pushing back on the Conservative "Free Money" mantra. Plus, we can do a lot to maximize the stimulative effects of robbing Peter to pay Paul - which is what tax cuts do. I'm going to try to set this up as a set of talking points, and I'd suggest anyone who feels so inclined can have some fun using them to write Letters to the Editor, call into Talk Radio and so on.
It'd be nice if the White House would pick up on this, but since we're that last people they'll listen to, don't hold your breath. OTOH, if you've got a progressive Congress Critter, you might pass the word along to them. Repetition, repetition, repetition.
Do The Smart Thing
This is the key part of the message. We need to remind people this is NOT free money that's being handed out. We're getting temporary money by not paying for things everyone needs - money for schools, roads, safe food, a secure retirement, support for our troops both at war and when they come home, and so on. All of this will have to be paid for - our job is to take that money now and use it to make our country stronger so we can pay that money back doubled and redoubled. This doesn't mean just using it to pay our regular bills - we need to put it where it will have a lasting effect. We have a year to do it.
Buy American
If we are going to spend the money, we need to spend it on things made IN America BY Americans. Duh! The last thing we need at this point is to send more money to China to create jobs there instead of here. If buying American means spending a little more - this is money that's temporary, so use it to buy things you wouldn't otherwise - and you'll be helping your fellow Americans so they'll be able to give back too. The real price of that cheap stuff from overseas is jobs here at home - we can start turning that around with this money.
Buy Local
This is critical. State and local governments are hurting because of the economy - and it's now politically impossible for the Federal Government to help them. Spending money at locally owned and operated businesses puts money right into the community where you live. Money spent in a big box store is money that gets sucked out of your town off to some corporate headquarters and the pockets of shareholders who don't give a damn about you or your town. Spending in a big box store imports cheap crap while exporting jobs. And remember - this is temporary money. Use it to try things locally you might not otherwise. Check out that local organic co-op for food. Try that restaurant you've always wanted to sample. Hire that guy to do some remodeling on your house that you've always wanted.
Bank Local
Not sure what to do with the money just yet? Instead of putting it into one of the "Too Big To Fail" monster banks that wrecked the economy, find a local bank or credit union to park it. They'll take that money and use it to help people where YOU live - and you won't be rewarding the kind of people who think they deserve millions of dollars in bonuses for getting the taxpayers to bail them out of their mistakes. And while you're at it, see about switching over your credit cards to that local bank. This is stuff that will make a difference after that temporary money is gone.
Invest in Yourself and your Community
Get that health club membership you've always wanted, and see what you can do for your health in a year. Get that old bicycle fixed up and try riding around your town - or get a good pair of walking shoes and get off the couch. Heck - just buy a big bottle of aspirin so you can get the heart and cancer benefits. Take a class at your local community college, learn a skill - and you'll have it for life. Join a community group and strengthen where you live. Support a local artist, symphony, historical society, community garden. See what a difference YOU can make in a year.
Buy Pre-Owned, Buy Long-Term
Really want something we don't make over here any more? Take a look on eBay or any of the other ways people swap goods for money. By buying pre-owned, you're taking advantage of all the energy and materials that's already been invested in making that gizmo AND you're not giving money directly to the economic machinery that has been stripping jobs out of this country. Spend money on things that last, that can be recycled. You'll be reducing both your impact on the world we all share, and the costs of fixing the damage we're doing.
Invest in making America Energy Smarter
Add that insulation, replace doors and windows that waste energy. Upgrade to a more efficient furnace and major appliances. Every dollar you save on energy costs now will pay you back multiple times. Every barrel of oil we DON'T import is that much less money going to countries that finance terrorism and are buying us up piecemeal. Use that temporary money to make America stronger.
There you have it - concepts that are easy to sell, easy to understand - and a way of bending the giveaway to the Rich with progressive twist. WE can make American stronger! They could - but they don't and won't. It's up to us. We have a year to make a difference. Props to Sara Robinson for inspiring a lot of this - I admit to taking a lot of her ideas (among those from others) and putting a tax-cut spin on them.
Got ideas of your own? Feel free to add them in comments. Please rec this up so it gets seen. Use these ideas in letters to the editor, talk radio, conversation, etc. We need to get these ideas out there, and we don't have anything like a FOX NEWS or the lamestream media to push them.
Bitching about this lemon "Mr. Pragmatic" handed us won't accomplish anything except to harden his position. Let's take it and use it for OUR ends. The conservative spin is tax cuts give people back their own money - it's all about the individual at the expense of everyone else. This is about taking that money and coming together to help ourselves by helping everybody, the forgotten purpose of government. This is a way of reviving that idea. We have a year - let's not waste it.