Rommel, you magnificent bastard!
I read your book!
Posted on 08/11/2009 1:15:49 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
I’ve noted in my brief report about the Denver Pelosi/ObamaCare protest that the pro-Obama side which turned out to support socialized medicine had clearly been more centrally organized than the “angry mob” of people (actually, no more angry than the other side and at least as well-behaved) who object to their liberty and money being stolen by this Administration.
It’s sort of amusing that the left is accusing the finally-awakened center and right of being “well organized", in part because it’s not true, in part because it wouldn’t matter if it were true (as long as the people there truly believed in what they were supporting or opposing), and in part because organizing for political purposes has long been a strong-suit of the left.
After all, what was Barack Obama’s JOB before running for office? A “community organizer". Obama’s main influence was Saul Alinsky, the father of radical leftist “organizing” and author of “Rules for Radicals", a good summary of which can be found HERE.
Two of Alinsky’s tactical rules are:
2. “Never go outside the expertise of your people. When an action or tactic is outside the experience of the people, the result is confusion, fear and retreat…. [and] the collapse of communication.
3. “Whenever possible, go outside the expertise of the enemy. Look for ways to increase insecurity, anxiety and uncertainty. (This happens all the time. Watch how many organizations under attack are blind-sided by seemingly irrelevant arguments that they are then forced to address.)
This explains the blind panic of the left when they see what they believe to be actual organization against them (even if that belief has little or no foundation in reality.) Organization has been one of the left’s most effective areas of superiority over conservatives in recent years. The idea that organization might no longer be “outside the expertise of the enemy” will do great damage to that key area of tactical advantage.
Here’s a good brief take on the subject from Robert Hahn at RedState.com: http://www.redstate.com/robert_a_hahn/2009/08/08/stop-the-madness/
Another of Alinksy’s rules:
5. “Ridicule is man’s most potent weapon. It is almost impossible to counteract ridicule. Also it infuriates the opposition, which then reacts to your advantage.”
This explains a lot about why the left attacks non-leftists in very childish, personal ways, not least the “Tea Bagger” moniker. Our side needs to make clear that the juvenile insults roll off like water off a duck, and to point out which side is acting like adults.
Here’s a great example, pushing back against the moronic claims of the left that pro-liberty activists are too well dressed (video from an event for a Democratic candidate for Governor in Virginia):
[video:youtube:dfdZMrHOldI W:560 H:340]
However, don’t forget that the left is not particularly damaged by claims of hypocrisy. They don’t care. They believe, as Alinsky did, that the ends justify the means. If they can get their way by hypocrisy and lies, they will without compunction.
Alinsky’s first power rule:
1. “Power is not only what you have, but what the enemy thinks you have.”
And this is really the crux of the matter: The left thought they had all the power when it came to political activity “in the streets.” That is changing rapidly. The left can feel their power slipping away because supporters of liberty are coming to realize that we have the same power they do, or at least nearly so. One thing the left has that the pro-liberty side doesn’t is the ability to call on unions, like the evil Emperor in the Lord of the Rings calling out armies of orcs, to go intimidate (or actually beat up) American citizens who are voicing their own opinions. Even with that advantage in manpower and in willingness to use violence or threats of violence, the left’s tactical superiority in “political organizing” is diminishing.
Alinsky knew that it was critical to take opponents out of their comfort zone. By no longer ceding the streets to the radical left and their union enforcers, the pro-liberty side is making Obama’s “community organizers” very uncomfortable indeed – and it’s about time.
So when you hear a leftist talk about the organized protests against ObamaCare, first ask on what basis they believe the protests are organized and second ask on what basis they have a reason to complain even if it were true, given that the only qualification of the man they elected as President (or Messiah) was that he was a “community organizer.”
If you go to one of these protests at which both sides attend, you’ll notice one thing very clearly: The left is more organized than the pro-liberty crowd and the left is less passionate than the pro-liberty crowd. But that’s what happens when so many of their people are only their because their bosses (or school teachers) told them to go. Not only are they less interested in the issue, but many of them don’t even really understand the issue. So when you go, be passionate but also be well-informed. Alinsky’s tactics are substantially immunized against by people who are both of those things.
The paradox the left is facing is in painting independent minded people as being mindless and manipulated.
Our new comfort zone has to be getting out on the streets. We saw that last night and other nights. People who attended probably felt better that they made a difference instead of staying home watching Tv and getting mad.
The people in Maryland last night were priceless. They have great chants back at the Dem/union goons that made fun of them but it was not too mean.
“All we are saying is - pay your own bills.”
They had a few more. Get in the streets, make fund of them in a cleaver but not totally mean way. IF they want to get rough - we get more people there.
As Glenn Beck has said “we have them surrounded.”
We have the momentum so we need to keep pushing.
Famous lines from WWII (I think attributed to the Screaming Eagles) - "They have us surrounded, the poor bastards!", and
"We're surrounded"...
"We're paratroopers, we're supposed to be surrounded."
Many of us are aware that a good portion of Alinsky’s rules and tactics are easily recognizable as summaries, adaptations and distillations of Sun Tzu’s commentaries on war and politics.
We would do well to read and understand Sun Tzu. Wisdom is where you find it.
Was it General Anthony McAuliffe who said “nuts” at Bastogne? 101st Airborne.
I have spent a good part of my life trying to “organize” conservatives, and it is darn near impossible to get our side to do anything they don't want to do.
Obama is our greatest “organizer” -— Obama has done more to organize the right, than anyone else in HISTORY!
For the most part we have the 2A activists and the libs really do need to be reminded of that.
“One thing the left has that the pro-liberty side doesn’t is the ability to call on unions,”
Don’t union members have to work too? I mean I know they can show up as a rent-a-mob but won’t they get tired of doing it for free week after week?
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