Rules for Radicals versus Rules for American Conservatives

By Sally Morem

Years ago, noted radical activist and writer, Saul Alinsky, wrote a widely distributed list of political battle tactics he named Rules for Radicals. He described these as means by which the have-nots could take power away from the haves. Actually, it’s a set of rules by which power-hungry leftists can take power away from everyone else—but only with their unwitting cooperation.

The avariciousness displayed by Alinsky in his list is quite self-evident. What I want to do is compare each item on his list with the tactics good American conservatives must use to defend and restore American freedoms. By so doing, I hope to help inoculate Americans against the totalitarian temptation offered by leftism:

1. Alinsky—Power is not only what you have but what the enemy thinks you have. Conservatives—Power is what every one of us has and uses to get what we need and want. In a free society, power isn’t equally distributed, but it is widely distributed, far more so than in any other kind of society. Do not disdain power. Build upon it. Spread it.

2. Alinsky—Never go outside the experience of your own people. Conservatives—Always push for additional useful experience. Younever know what bit of knowledge gained thereby may help you in your efforts to protect freedom.

3. Alinsky—Wherever possible go outside the experience of the enemy. Conservatives—This won’t be difficult to do for conservatives, since statists are all about restricting experience to the smallest of elites.

4. Alinsky—Make the enemy live up to their own book of rules. Conservatives—Make everyone live up to the same body of rules—thesimpler, the better. As Hayek said, by so doing, you will make it easier for every member of a free society to anticipate and plan their own future. This will also make things a great deal more difficult for the leftist agenda makers.

5. Alinsky—Ridicule is man’s most potent weapon. Conservatives—Point out the absurdity of leftist beliefs by paraphrasing their beliefs clearly. Let everyone see how silly they are.

6. Alinsky—A good tactic is one that your people enjoy. Conservatives—A good tactic is one that will open people’s eyes to the worth of freedom and the means by which they may preserve it.

7. Alinsky—A tactic that drags on too long becomes a drag. Conservative—A tactic that works, works. Keep at it. But add to it.

8. Alinsky—Keep the pressure on, with different tactics and actions, and utilize all events of the period for your purpose. Conservatives—Counter leftist tactics at every single point, but don’t leave it at that. Be inventive. Don’t limit yourselves to counterattacks against anti-American, anti-freedom leftists. Offense is the best defense in politics as well as in football.

9. Alinsky—The threat is usually more terrifying than the thing itself. Conservatives—Bear this in mind. Leftists are natural-born bullies, simply waiting for good American conservatives to worry about what others will think, to cave into their demands, to cross the aisle, to moderate their beliefs. Don’t fall for it. They have nothing with which to back up their bullying.

10. Alinsky—The major premise for tactics is the development of operations that will maintain a constant pressure upon the opposition. Conservatives—Bear this in mind, also. Whatever leftists do, they do it in order to destroy America and its freedom. And they will keep doing so when not opposed. They are masters of the political art of incrementalism. No matter how nice they may seem, or how kindly and caring their proposed programs are, do not cooperate. Oppose them vigorously. Push back against them. Hard.

11. Alinsky—If you push a negative hard and deep enough it will break through into its counter side; this is based on the principle that every positive has its negative. Conservatives—Leftists will often say the opposite of what they mean. They are duplicitous in the name of their Revolution, believing any lie serves a greater truth. This is one of their greatest weaknesses, simply because it disconnects them from their own political reality. Don’t copy this tactic. Remain true to your principles. Push the truth of freedom hard and deep enough so that it will break through into the minds of the vast majority of Americans.

12. Alinsky—The price of a successful attack is a constructive alternative. Conservatives—The benefit of a successful attack on leftism is more freedom for a longer period of time for Americans. Keep at it.

13. Alinsky--Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it. Conservatives—This is the most widely cited Alinsky tactic. It simply means making conservatives look as bad as possible to the public. Don’t follow this tactic in response to leftist attacks. Instead, describe the leftist anti-freedom agenda as succinctly as you can and link it to any policy proposal any leftist makes. Clarity of purpose and meaning is the American conservative’s greatest political battle tactic. Hone it and use it whenever possible.

American conservatives will win when they reveal the Saul Alinskys of today as the political anachronisms they are. All this will take is work, work, and more work. Just remember: Freedom is worth it.