After many months of intending to purchase this book, I finally found "Rules for Radicals" by Saul Alinski.
For those of you who don't know, most political organizers on both sides of the political spectrum credit Alinski with most of the organizational triumphs of the left. Interestingly, even though Alinski is clearly a leftist radical with whom I share almost no political opinions, I feel a great deal of affection and affinity with him as I read his book.
While the right has had many triumphs of their own in the last decade, they have yet to understand and implement the ingenious ideas that Alinski gave the left. If the the vast and numerous members of the "Leave Us Alone Coalition" (credit to Grover Norquist) were to implement Alinski's ideas, they would succeed in blasting the foundation that supports the "vast left-wing conspiracy" while cementing into place a freedom oriented political power structure that could last generations.
Over the next few weeks I will be introducing you to some of Alinski's ideas. It is my hope that Illinois conservatives start to implement them.
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Excerpt from the prologue:
"As an organizer I start from where the world is, as it is, not as I would like to be. That we accept the world as it is does not in any sense weaken our desire to change it into what we believe it should be -- it is necessary to begin where the world is if we are going to change it to what we think it should be. That means working in the system."
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Just imagine the power that could be applied to politics if all the "Constitution Party" and "Libertarian Party" activists; who do little more than piss and moan about how the Republican Party isn't sufficiently conservative (or Libertarian); if these folks simply took the time to get involved in the Republican Party apparatus. If you don't believe me, simply look at history.
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Excerpt continues...
We will start with the system because there is no other place to start from except political lunacy. It is most important for those of us who want revolutionary change to understand that revolution must be preceded by Reformation. To assume that a political revolution can survive without the supporting base of a popular reformation is ask for the impossible in politics.
[Students lamenting 1968 have asked] "Mr. Alinski, we fought in primary after primary and the people voted no on Vietnam. Look at the convention. They're not paying any attention to the vote. Look at your police and the Army. You still want us to work in the system?"
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Alinski goes on to explain that working within the system is the only hope. Interestingly, looking at Democratic Party politics, he was proven 100% correct. In 1968 the Democrats picked Hubert Humphrey over the objections of the antiwar faction of the party. By 1972, that same faction had complete control the Democratic Party, and for all intents and purposes still does.
One of the goals of the Extreme Wisdom Radio Show (as well as the work I do with various conservative groups and candidates) is to persuade activists and so-called "extremists" to stay engaged in the process rather than drop out. In a world where a few letters to the editor and 20 phone calls to a state representatives office and cause a legislature to "re-think" an issue, there is absolutely no upside to disengaging from the process.
More Alinski later. In the meantime, find a few like-minded libertarian and conservative friends and organize, even if that means nothing more than regularly meeting to discuss politics. The Republican Party grew from such humble beginings
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Excerpt from link above...
On March 20, 1854, Ripon, Wisconsin resident Alvan E. Bovay and several dozen Ripon citizens met to dissolve the local Whig pune, to suggest the name "Republican" for a new anti-slavery party. It was a name that had been mentioned a number of times around the country over the past two decades. A committee of five was formed as a result of the March 20 meeting, but did not formally adopt the name "Republican" for the proposed party.
Other similar meetings took place in May in Washington, D.C. Bangor, Maine, and Friendship, New York...
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From being founded in 1854, to the PRESIDENCY in 1860...
If that was possible, then we can turn Illinois more RED in 2006, and totally RED in 2008. Just start organizing. The pieces will fall into place.
