Help Me Help Obama Help Us Help Ourselves

The euphoria that many Americans felt when Barack Obama was inaugurated has now given way to harsh reality: Digging America out of its deep hole will require hard work. By everybody. For a long time. I believe that Americans are willing to do that work; they just aren't sure what they should do.

JFK's Inaugural address in 1961 included his famously inspiring words:

"And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country."

Imagine the collective changes we could make if every citizen knew of some personal action he or she could take that would make things better for all of us. If you knew "what you can do for your country," wouldn't you do it?

I'm submitting a proposal to President Obama, and I invite you to be a part of it. My idea is that the White House could provide news media with three daily suggestions and invite citizens to pick one and undertake some action every single day. They'd be small, simple things that anybody can easily undertake... and that will collectively help dig us out this hole. Think of USA Today featuring a shaded box on the front page every day with three simple action suggestions. What if CNN's news ticker at the bottom of the screen showed daily action tips?

I've started compiling the list I'm going to submit to the President. Will you help me by adding to it? Would you kindly scan through some of the action items below and let me know of a few actions you think should be added to that list? And, how about suggesting a creative title? "American Action Initiative" or "Citizens' Survival Steps" aren't positive or catchy enough. What title can you think of?

I'll gladly credit you in my submission to our President. Please, send me your ideas.

Thank you, and let's get to work.

Here's my starter list:

• Go to your local library, apply for a card, and discover all the books and magazines that await you...for free, since your tax dollars already support this valuable resource. Be an "Informed American."
• Contact your local city hall and find out when the next council meeting is scheduled. Attend it as a citizen and speak up on a local issue that affects your life.
• Check your dishwasher and consider turning off the "heated drying" switch. The dishes will air dry just fine, and you'll be saving money while conserving resources.
• Start planning a family outing that includes visiting a state or national park in your area. Your taxes already support these resources, so take advantage of them. Realize what fabulous national assets are waiting for you to discover. Attend an interpretive nature talk by one of the helpful rangers whose salary you're already paying.
• Ride a bus or some other form of public transportation. Just try it once. Go online and access the local "Trip Planner" to see how easily you can get out of your car and enjoy the ride.
• Pick up some trash. Express your responsibility by walking around your block with a trash bag. Uplift your own mood, and your neighbors' by cleaning up your immediate surroundings.
• Visit a VA hospital and just ask what you could do to help for a half-day. Who can you thank for serving our country?
• Stop by your local police department and ask what you can do to become more involved in securing your own community. Ask if you can ride along with an officer on a routine patrol to gain an awareness of what your public servants are doing to protect you every day.
• Go to a tire shop and ask to have the air in your car's tires replaced with Nitrogen. This "thicker" gas promotes better gas mileage because tires maintain optimal pressure much longer. The replacement cost is about $5 per tire, or simply ask for Nitrogen when you buy new tires. At the very least, check your tires' inflation pressure regularly. You've heard this before; but have you done it?
• Start regularly reading the "International News" section of your newspaper or news website. Become more aware of the greater world community of which you're a citizen.
• You've already heard enough about the benefits of replacing traditional light bulbs with energy-efficient CFLs. Do it. Start with the bulbs that you leave on the longest, like overnight security lights. Save money, and help free us from foreign oil dependency.
• Thank a fireman. Remember how we all felt after 9/11? Stop by your nearest fire station and just say "Thank you" to the women and men who stand ready to risk their lives to save ours.
• Pick a religion -- any religion other than your own -- and invest a half hour to find out what its adherents believe. Research online or go to your library. Who was Buddha? What's the difference between a Sunni and a Shiite? What's the Baha'i faith all about? Do Sikhs' turbans have any connection with Arabs? Many of the worst conflicts in world history have resulted from not understanding how other people view the world and how they relate to God. Find out, and be more accepting of others' views.
• Rather than buying $3.95 birthday cards for your children or others you care about, write letters expressing what you most appreciate about them. They'll keep and treasure these expressions of your love, while a card would be quickly trashed.
• Turn off your TV. It's tempting to constantly surround yourself with news or soaps. Do they improve your life? If you're intent on watching, just switch to your local PBS station, or History Channel, or anything educational. When you leave the room, shut the TV off! Better yet, just leave it off and listen to music, or quietly think.
• Find out where there's a local farmers market and go shop there. It's fun and social, plus you'll save money on fresher food, support local agriculture, and reduce the transportation costs associated with food that's shipped in from far away.
• Think back to your school years and remember that one special teacher who shaped your life with some personal attention that motivated you. Contact your old school and find out how you can send your teacher a thank you letter or leave a voicemail message.
• Park far away. Instead of idling, circling, and wasting your time to find a parking spot close to the entry of your supermarket or mall, park far out in the lot. You're less likely to get dings in your car; you'll certainly get a little exercise and fresh air, and you will also remind yourself that every bit of walking helps. Every minute that you're not driving reduces energy costs.
• Get unplugged! All those cell phone chargers, electric toothbrushes, and computer accessories are drawing power, even when they're not in use. Unplug them. If your battery runs low, plug in and charge it up. The batteries will actually last longer and yield better performance if you let them drain down, rather than keeping them constantly charged, anyway.

Submit your own suggestions for what your fellow citizens can do to strengthen our nation.

Wonderful new book recco: "The Art of Influence"

On the Frankincense Trail