approaching politics

[quarrel]

This is more or less the introductory footwork I, in my untrained condition, expect I'll need to do before I can begin discussing politics as anything approaching an equal:

• Read the Declaration of Independence.
• Read the Articles of Confederation.
• Read the Constitution.
• Read brief bios of all major contributors to all the above. At the minimum, cover how they grew up, what they did for a living, what they thought about politics, and why they chose the laws they did.
• Read every other major work all those people are famous for, like Common Sense.
• Assemble and memorize the various other federal government positions: cabinets, advisors, speakers, secretaries, etc. Cover what they do, how long they've been around, how they're filled, and who's in them now.
• Read my state constitution.
• Assemble and memorize my state's government positions as above.
• Learn how the proposition system works in my state. Learn why it's used. Learn why some states don't (if they don't).
• Learn economics:
  
  • macro vs. micro
  • Chicago school vs. Austrian school
  • Behavioral
  • Get familiar with the more famous economists and their theories. Hit Hayek, Keynes, Krugman & Friedman at the very least.

• bonus points: memorize the territories
• bonus bonus points: memorize which states aren't states