Senator BOB GRAHAM presents America, The Owner's Manual

Monday, February 15th at 1 p.m.

Would you teach someone to play basketball using just chalkboard diagrams? Or would you get them on the court and have them play? In basketball, the answer is easy -- you do both. So why teach politics only as a spectator sport?

Senator Bob Graham believes that US citizens should expand on their classroom learning about the political system: he spurs them to hit the court and actually play the game. If citizens work on an issue they care about, politics will become a meaningful and positive experience. This short, how-to guide takes readers out of theoretical discussions of policy and into a world where they can affect change. Graham's goal is to have readers identify a problem, and then walk them through each step from researching the issue, to getting others involved, to engaging the media. Each chapter starts with a real case, showing citizens tackling a step in the process, and ends with a summary checklist and a series of questions that help readers put Graham's game plan in action. By offering readers concrete guidance, an array of resources, and advice for troubleshooting and overcoming barriers, his compact user's guide gets readers way beyond textbook learning.