Here's what I did, which is all I know how to recommend:

0) Absorb liberalism by osmosis.

1) Learn neoclassical economics - price curves, opportunity cost, many of the basic arguments of politicized economics.

2) Learn how especially the politicized stuff is incomplete (should see it coming if you read LW) - evidence for and basics of Keynesian economics, read economic analyses of past trends (growth of trusts, great depression, WW2, silicon valley, banking crisis), economics of public and common goods.

3) Study the world a bit, try and find out what other countries are doing well and how we can copy them. My one book recommendation: Deep Economy by Bill McKibben - excellent book, even if you partly disagree you will be very glad you read it.