Rules for Conservatives in Response to Rules for Radicals
“Liberal community organizers created mass organizations to fight Conservatives. Conservatives relied on the individual to fight back. The result is that Liberals are winning.” (Michael Charles Master in “Rules for Conservatives”)
Over my last three blogs (April through June), I shared some of the tactics used by Liberal political leaders and their radical factions following the “Rules for Radicals” espoused by the original community organizer, Saul Alinsky. The ideas promoted and taught by Alinsky have contributed to changing the ideological culture war for America’s future. We are witnessing a major shift (or transformation in Obama’s words, an Alinsky advocate) from our founding principles for individual freedom, God-given individual rights, family values, and a limited role for government in our lives to a full-blown focus on the values of the collective through social justice. The collective focus unfairly benefits a select group and an expanded view of social welfare through the redistribution of wealth from those who produce and work hard to those who rely on government handouts.
This shift in our culture has resulted in a vastly expanded role and size of government. The collective impact of state, local and federal governments through taxes, fees and tolls now account for more than 40% of the U.S. economy. A government of, by, and for the people is being replaced by a government of, by, and for the government employees. Michael Masters shares in his book “Rules for Conservatives” that while we think we change government with elections, Liberals control the federal government through the permanent employees made up of Liberals especially lawyers, union members especially government employees, single women especially teachers, and minorities especially Blacks and Hispanics. Masters makes the case for what the Conservative response to Liberals and their radical, cultural agenda needs to be if we are to conserve the American way of life.
Like Alinsky, Master’s offers a set of only five key rules for Conservatives to follow. Let’s look at each one and hear Master’s key insights (presented in quotations).
Rule #1. SAVE with Action not Words
“Conservatives save.” We need to save America. We need to save our Constitution as that will save America. The Constitution is a “system of restraints” to guard our individual rights against the federal government expanding its authority beyond specific delegated powers, ensuring the powers reserved only for the states and keeping a division of power among the three branches of government (executive, legislative and judicial) serving as a check and balance on government’s power over the people.
“To save all of this takes ACTION NOT WORDS.”
Rule #2. CHALLENGE Everything
Liberals have gone unchallenged by Conservatives who are afraid of being called racists, accused of lacking compassion or causing conflict. The Tea Party movement, Masters points out, was the first Conservative group to challenge the Liberal agenda on their theme of Taxed, Enough, Already and no more government growth and spending. During the Tea Party’s challenge in 2009 and 2010, the Democratic Party incurred the largest losses at both the federal and state elections of 2010. And 33 of the newly elected Republican Congressmen were small business owners.
Conservatives need to “challenge everything and anything that does not seem right.” When radicals are allowed to practice the rules of Alinsky without any Conservative challenge, America loses.
Rule #3. TALK THE TALK and Loudly
“Liberals talk over any disagreement so that the disagreement cannot be heard.” You can observe Liberals for yourself and notice how loud their voice, how often they shout back at opposing views, and how they dominate every conversation in the mainstream media and sadly in our classrooms.
The Tea Party was vocal and loud, speaking up and showing up at town halls, in small cities and then in Washington D.C. with 2 million strong asking “Can you hear us now?” Conservatives need to talk the talk loudly and not allow the Liberals to dominate the conversations. We need to bring back the Tea Party movement as we need it now more than ever.
Rule #4. WALK THE WALK by Getting Engaged
Conservatives see people as individuals which is why they are often referred to as the silent majority. Conservatives discuss things one-on-one, so Conservatives need to build relationships one at a time and represent, respect and help individuals regardless of any group affiliation. Conservatives need to show their true colors like the American flag, their religion, their bumper stickers, call out their representatives when they don’t represent their wishes. Masters suggests that if every Conservative talked to 10 Independents and/or moderate Liberals on a continual basis, the media bias with its mass techniques would be put in check. Conservatives need to be informed then share that information one-on-one.
Rule #5. COMPROMISE SELFISHLY
“Conservatives cannot ever compromise in one area to get what they want in another area unless it advances the Conservative cause.” This rule requires much discipline. Liberals abide by this rule themselves and with great discipline. “When negotiating with Liberals, gridlock is better than compromises that lose the Conservative position.” The Liberal agenda in pushing their health care for all through Obama Care is a case in point. Obama presented himself as a compromiser using deceitful promises to get the votes of Democrats (e.g. reduce cost of healthcare, keep your doctor) and the winning vote with Republican Senator John McCain.
For Masters, the issue with Conservatives is not their lack of compassion but their need for passion to make things happen and take action so that evil will not triumph. “Tea Party participants showed passion and made a difference.”
These five rules are really five actions we can each take in our own way as individuals, working one-on-one with our fellow American citizens who love America, and its culture based on our founding principles. One final message from Masters – “Liberals own the government sites as their battlefields, and they use it.” “You (Conservatives) need to stop being so afraid and use the battlefields that you own! It is okay for you to take sides – you are a private entity.”
According to Masters, there are many battlefields that the Liberals control (government, education, media) but the Conservatives also have their battlefields in business and economy, home and neighborhood, with an internet still friendly. Conservatives are also making strides and need to keep moving forward in changing battlefields that liberals own in education via school choice, property taxes via school boards, social media with Conservative thought leaders, and courts via support of organizations like Liberty Council.
LET’S GO OUT THERE AND FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT!!!!!