Earlier today, President Barack Obama took the battle over the fiscal cliff to Twitter, urging his followers to voice their support for his budget plan with the hashtag #MY2K. The tag refers to the $2,200 that the average American family will save each year if Congress votes to extend the Bush tax cuts for all but the top 2 percent of earners.
Obama’s Twitter campaign reflects a push to mobilize his large army of grassroots supporters beyond the electoral campaign. His strategists don’t want to repeat the mistakes of four years ago, when the populist energy from his campaign fizzled for lack of any meaningful way for his supporters to stay involved. Vocal support from liberals for the middle-class tax cuts might make it easier for Obama to boost taxes on the rich.
The #MY2K hashtag quickly began trending on Twitter. But waging a policy battle with social media isn’t as simple as it might sound. Here’s a sample of tweets that use Obama’s hashtag:
The origninal tweet:
“Call your members of Congress. Write them an email. Tweet it using the hashtag #My2K.” —President Obama
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) November 28, 2012
The conservative Heritage Foundation quickly purchased ad space on the #MY2K search results:
MUST-READ: 4 Reasons Warren Buffett Is Wrong on Tax Hikes!herit.ag/SaGWuJ #imnotafanof
— Heritage Foundation (@Heritage) November 27, 2012
But there’s this thing called a mandate. . .
If only we just had a big election to decide if the rich should pay a little more in taxes. #my2k
— LOLGOP (@LOLGOP) November 28, 2012
What will your $2K buy?
@barackobama #My2K means my kid gets to eat something besides ramen noodles for dinner
— Leslie Cornett (@damngoodatit) November 28, 2012
What would I do with an extra $2k? Booze and porn. Gotta support American industry! #My2k
— Jamie Butterworth (@JamieBworth) November 28, 2012
#My2K will buy six pounds of Wagyu beef for a small White House dinner.
— Bert Leecraft (@BLeecraft) November 28, 2012
With $2,200, I could pay for 1/65th of the cost of the average yearly Bush tax cut for millionaires. #My2K
— LOLGOP (@LOLGOP) November 29, 2012
#My2K means maybe my middle class family will stop supporting the GOP.
— Rob Walls (@TheRawUniverse) November 28, 2012
Feel the pressure, Congress!
#my2k PRESSURE PRESSURE PRESSURE PRESSURE PRESSURE
— Elanor Eberhardt (@ElanorEberhardt) November 28, 2012
And don’t forget the kittehs!
Just asked Ms.Adalay ( the cat) what 2 spend#MY2K on she said FISH
— David Blankenship (@Quiteinsane) November 28, 2012
Is $2K even enough?
@punditreview if #obama wasn’t such a fraud, be promoting #my6k, not #My2K.
— Todd Verhoeven (@ToddWine) November 28, 2012
At any rate, this whole fiscal cliff thing is so 1999. . .
I’ve stocked up on canned goods for #My2K … That was Y2K??? Never mind :-/
— Bert Leecraft (@BLeecraft) November 28, 2012
