Personalities vary. Bill Clinton’s a policy wonk. He has the ability to cite facts and figures about any topic until your eyes glaze over but can charm the listener through strength of personality. George W. Bush, not so much; he often speaks more from principle and emotion than charts and statistics. He sometimes trips over the words, but the principles are always there, underlying.

Do you remember a Mr. Saul Alinsky? He’s known as the father of community organizing (the occupation that’s the biggest bullet on Mr. Obama’s thin resume), through his Rules for Radicals. Hillary Clinton was a fan. Our current President’s more than a fan, he’s an acolyte, an evangelist if you will, a teacher of the principles (see photo).

Our friend Jim Geraghty @ NRO points out the President’s nasty habit of using his high office to invite opponents to events, only to trash them to their face when they show up.

It shouldn’t be surprising as it’s straight from the Alinsky Gospel:

Rule #5: Ridicule is man’s most potent weapon. “well, tough luck -– you’re on your own.” and “These are the Americans we’d be telling to fend for themselves.” ” And I don’t think there’s anything courageous about asking for sacrifice from those who can least afford it and don’t have any clout on Capitol Hill.”*

Rule #10 (ethical power tactics): You do what you can with what you have and clothe it in moral garments. “The America I know is generous and compassionate. It’s a land of opportunity and optimism. Yes, we take responsibility for ourselves, but we also take responsibility for each other; for the country we want and the future that we share.”

And of course, Rule #13: Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it. Invite Paul Ryan to sit in the front row, and poke him in the eye with a sharp stick. “It’s a vision that says if our roads crumble and our bridges collapse, we can’t afford to fix them.” “That’s not right. And it’s not going to happen as long as I’m President. (Applause.)”

It seems that gone are the days when we have a leader who uses clear thinking, honest words and artful, gracious speeches to persuade folks to his side. We now have President Alinsky who specializes in mocking opponents he’s positioned where defense and rebuttal are impossible because of the respect they have for his office and the situation he’s placed them in. If you pull a Joe Wilson, you disrespect the office. If you pull a Justice Sam Alito, you get spanked. Meanwhile, Cambridge cops act stupidly, Caterpillar WILL rehire laid-off employees if you pass my super-dreamy stimulus plan, and John McCain’s a poopie-head, but do not speak ill of teh One. I guess when Candidate Big Ears Mr. Obama** babbled about bringing a gun to a knife fight, he meant only if the opposition gets security-screened first.

*all quotes from Remarks by the President
**see, even I’m doing it, respecting the office.

To me, one of the many mysteries about our federal government has always been this concept of a ‘lame duck’ Congress. I can understand transition time for the President, being elected in early November, and assuming office in mid-January. Especially now, with the gargantuan size of the Executive branch, it takes awhile to move in and attempt to populate the place with your own folks.

As for Congress, not so much. Just this past year, we’ve seen Senators sworn in on fairly short notice, and while they’re performance might not win any standing ovations, at least some didn’t fall flat on their faces. It would seem even easier for a Congressman, at least to me.

A tad of research reveals the culprit, sections 1 & 2 of the 20th Amendment, setting the date of the new Congress at January 3rd. Amending the Constitution isn’t a trivial matter, but I think this one needs some attention.

Really, aside from the logistics, how hard would it be to have the new Congress sworn in on November 15th or 20th? If the ‘old’ Congress knew their number was up right at or immediately after the election, perhaps they’d get their work done on time, and not let the tough issues drift into the lame duck session, where loose cannons can abound.

People change jobs all the time; our society is pretty familiar with the phenomenon today. Few folks, other than Congress-critters, anticipate nailing a job that will carry them all the way to the gold watch retirement banquet. Why do we need 60 days to switch out Congressmen and Senators, aside from the fact they blow town early to campaign, without finishing the business they were hired to do in the first place?

I realize the electoral winds won’t always blow in our favor, that someday we’ll probably face a blue wave election, but that still doesn’t justify this lame duck nonsense. Out with the old, in with the new and just get on with it! I mean really, how many businesses allow a discharged employee to hang around working for 2 months after he’s received the pink slip?

We’re at the end of our semester and two things have occurred; one, the students, bless their hearts, have managed to give me a raging head-cold (my nose runneth over), and two, the Learning Objectives have all been mostly attained, leaving me a wee bit of ‘empty’ classroom time. So, as in years past, I’ve used my instructor discretion and brought in my pocket hard drive containing a 2006 ABC John Stossel program “Stupid in America”, decrying the sorry state of high school education, proposing solutions thereto.

This semester my little class is 100% single moms, no guys whatsoever; a topic for another day. However, they’re all more than a little interested in the education their kids are getting, or are going to get shortly. Additionally, many of my students aren’t that long out of high school themselves (although some are grandparents, very young grandparents…)

It’s interesting to see people’s reactions to a TV show presented in a classroom environment, as opposed to the average living room with all its distractions. The points Stossel makes, which ordinarily might get lost in the background noise, really hit home when viewed in school.

They were truly outraged. They totally identified with the parents on the program. Stopping the video for discussion and sharing showed my folks were largely in the same boat, and understood the implications Stossel’s interviewees brought forth regarding money, teachers and bloated administrative staff. And also high school grads who literally couldn’t read their own diplomas.

But the fun part was afterward; what can we do about this? I asked if any of them knew who is currently on their school board(s); they had no idea. Did they realize the school boards basically hold the district’s checkbook in hand? Were they aware that these board members are elected, and that elections are (always) coming up? Again, virgin territory. But not for long; the computers were immediately busy doing research, pointing & clicking away, discovering school boards, members, meetings and elections. (This was the Applied Computer Science part of the class; that’s how we’re listed in the college catalog; need to stay a little bit on topic)

Isn’t learning fun? This was so much better than a dull review before next week’s final exam. I think at best, I may have created a few school board candidates yesterday. At the very least, people’s phones are going to begin ringing. One can only hope…

As an aside, they also really enjoyed the Christmas flash mob; I left the classroom door open and cranked the volume so as to share The Messiah with all the other students out there in our atrium. Merry Christmas!

He, of course, voted in favor of S-510, the new FDA Food Safety Modernization Act.

I cannot say I’m surprised, but can say, at least he’s in good company.

That sure didn’t take long…*burns Kirk yard sign*.

In all the post mortem talk from last week, I’ve seen mention of a lack of GOTV and the famed 72 hour plan of the RNC, greatly lamented, unimplemented this year as not cost-effective. It cost us otherwise winnable seats, where was the money, where were the DC staffers, etc.

I’m a beginner. I’ve watched from the sidelines for decades. I listened in person to Ronald Reagan, a former Governor, on the stump at the Peoria Courthouse decades ago. I shook hands with Richard Nixon during a Chicago visit at O’Hare airport even earlier. But I wasn’t involved until this past year.

We all draw our lessons from our experiences.

This year, as a brand-new Precinct Committman (thanks, CW!), I ‘worked’ booths at local festivals, fairs, events. I got to know many of the candidates personally. The hard-working ones, the ones who WANTED IT, showed up, talked to people, talked to me. So, when I just lived my life, I could speak to others of John So-and-so, or Mary This-n-that, who were candidates I KNEW, who knew me, and who I could sincerely advocate for. This had nothing whatsoever to do with TV or radio ads, jingles or slogans. I knew these people, and those who know me could trust that I knew what I was talking about. Does wonders, ya know?

This is all well & good, but what’s it got to do with GOTV?

Several times during this campaign, including the final Saturday, my ‘boss’, the local PC Chairman called to see if I could help with phone-banking or pavement-pounding. The last instance was instigated by one of those local candidates, a good guy I had come to know, who wanted as many of us as possible to go door-to-door with his fliers for a last-minute GOTV. A couple dozen of us showed up, walked precincts, our own and others, in the spirit of helping out a good candidate and friend. Another candidate ‘camped on’, came along with, and we distributed his literature as well.

They both won, handily.

Was it due to mine and others sore feet and hoarse voices? Probably not. Both of these fellows were the ones who WANTED IT, worked themselves to a frazzle for the past year, clearly articulated their positions, and won people over. But our last-minute GOTV certainly didn’t hurt, may have even helped.

GOTV seems to work best locally and on the ground. Having a local organizational structure to notify people, recruit & organize labor and do the needed planning is essential, but doesn’t require DC staffers or a lot of outside money. So where does this structure, these few local dollars, come from?

Look in the mirror.

Sometimes you have to step away from that keyboard and stop yelling and throwing things at the TV set, or fuming at the op-ed page. If you’re dissatisfied with the way things are, perhaps it’s now time to get up off your duff and begin to do something about it. I’m assuming your county Republican Committee exists, is listed in the phone book or on the Web, and would like to hear from you as a volunteer, even now, post-election. More elections are on the horizon. So, do it. I can’t dial the phone for you.

But, be aware. Your phone may begin ringing. You may be stunned to see YOUR NAME on a ballot. You may begin to receive mail addressed to ‘The Honorable (your name)’. People you’ve only ever in the past seen on TV may start shaking your hand and calling you by your first name, especially when they sincerely thank you for all your hard work.

At least for me, it all makes my aching feet hurt a bit less.

After some scheduling snafus in May, I attended the American Majority training for activists yesterday in Springfield, IL, with a fellow Precinct Committeeman from my township. Our presenters, Beka Romm and John Burns, were excellent! We also heard from Mike Flynn from BigGovernment.com, who offered great words of wisdom.

A fine group of folks from Southern and Western Illinois were in attendance, representing many activist organizations. So in addition to practical ‘book’ learning, networking opportunities abounded.

I echo Erick Erickson & ColdWarrior’s recommendations to attend an American Majority training session if you can arrange it. As we say around here, 55555+!

And since sometimes God smiles on us, guess who was having a fundraiser in the room next door to us? The hapless and constantly amusing Congressman Phil (I don’t care about the Constitution) Hare! Good times!

Cheers!

Could be wrong but I’m sensing a tone around here that’s a little disturbing, and I’m usually a sunny optimist.

Too many on our side are giving off a vibe that a November housecleaning, shellacking, tidal wave, whatever, is going to be the end-all fix-it to what ails our Republic. It ain’t so. There will be no instant gratification. It can’t be simply about revenge, or ‘it’s our turn’.

Attempting to turn around this ocean liner is going to take much more than a few election cycles, even if each cycle goes totally our way, which it won’t. We’ve continued our leftward drift over the decades despite the pendulum swinging our way in some elections, and sorry for the mixed metaphor there.

I’m encouraged and intrigued by Erick’s post on Dan Greenberg’s idea for a single purpose ConCon, likely to be followed by a repeal the 17th movement. Even if this idea takes off spectacularly, beyond my wildest expectations, it’s gonna take years to come to fruition, probably not likely during my lifetime.

Our very best bet, actually our only real hope, is to continue to follow ColdWarrior’s drumbeat to take back the Party; seek out, find and enthusiastically, loudly, generously support like-minded Conservatives in the primaries, Republicans in the General elections and educate everyone in our personal ‘circle’ about the Present Danger.

The Remember November theme is great and the RGA has put out some wonderful stuff. But November 2010 isn’t going to ‘fix’ everything, and neither is November 2012. It will NOT happen overnight. At the very best we can energetically try to de-fund, repeal and put the brakes on this dash into socialism; rolling the country back to a proper constitutional republic is the work of decades and generations.

I hope the fire’s been lit now, but let’s not overestimate what the upcoming Novembers are actually going to achieve. I’m afraid too many of us have overslept during the past many years (myself included), we’ve a lot of ground to make up, and it’s going to take some time to get the ball rolling.

I’m getting seasick what with turning ocean liners, lit fires, swinging pendulums and rolling balls, but I’m sure you get my drift, urp!

After warning against over-optimism, I now offer you all:

(Realistic and) Sunny Optimist Cheers!

Last night, Brian Hibbert and I got together with about 30 fellow PCs. Brian wrote about the meeting when it was first scheduled, here. It’s called a caucus.

Per statute, we needed to nominate a candidate for the County Board to replace someone who dropped out of the race.

There were 2 candidates, both Committeemen, who each gave campaign speeches, along with those of their supporters, prior to the vote. Fairly routine.

The vote itself was somewhat unique, town hall meeting-like. Each of us had to vote for one of the candidates, VERBALLY, not secretly, in the presence of both candidates. Just sing out your guy’s name! Real, actual democracy in action, in your face! What a hoot! Friends, no amount of money could buy this kind of entertainment!

If this sounds like your kind of fun & you haven’t yet investigated becoming a Precinct Committeeman, you’re missing the boat. I urge you to check out ColdWarrior’s blog and become a VOTING MEMBER of the party. Your participation is greatly needed. Jump in, the water’s fine!

Cheers!

BACKGROUND: Some of my work is with ‘special populations’ at a junior college; unemployed folks, many minorities, single moms, people who’ve made idiotic choices along the way (and got caught), some newly-released felons. As such, they are the natural constituency of the Enemy, more so given the racial ratios; Obama T-shirts USED TO BE wildly popular. Zero now. Absolutely NO MORE defenses of teh One to all the criticisms flying about, as before, even 6 months ago; now, crickets.

Nearly all these folks are at rock-bottom, subsistence level, drawing their measly $200 a month from township welfare; they get that, a medical card, a bus pass and that’s about it. They come to me for help in finding/keeping work.

So, here’s what I’m seeing:

WORK ETHIC is making a comeback. This is Illinois, good old corrupt, under water & bankrupt Illinois. The social agency cupboards are bare; the nanny-state spigot is barely dripping at all. NO MONEY. Social workers, case workers, job counselors AND THEIR SUPERVISORS are being laid off left & right, the ship is rapidly sinking. Hence, I’m seeing many more folks who now want to work because they really have no other option.

They’re beginning to understand the Biblical truism (also my Grandfather’s) of ‘no work-no eat’. And they’re getting it as to what ‘work’ really is: WORK, not goofing off, calling in sick, texting friends, grabbing a smoke, but hunkering down and producing something useful so the boss can turn a profit. Yes, they’re getting if the company does well, due to their sweat, they themselves will prosper. Coulda knocked me over with a feather! And it’s not just happy-talk: former unemployeds return to class to show off their brand new work uniforms, with their first name embroidered on the shirt (service types at hotels, repair shops, etc.) and the clothing is sweat-stained from WORK. And they’re ecstatic, literally dancing with joy at having a job. Literally, not figuratively. Actual dancing in the classroom aisles, the college hallways.

ENTREPRENEURSHIP is a goal. Not a bad plan, since getting hired with a recent felony conviction is damn near impossible, but that’s another thread. But today, instead of ‘the man’ holding them back, they’re seeing gubbmint as the devil. Several await hiring at soon to open businesses, but are delayed as the owner digs his way through licensing, inspections, certifications with fees and taxes out the kazoo. This is AFTER business-plan approval, capitalization, franchising issues and so forth. Some desire their own day-care or hair salon, but certification, insurance and licensing stymies their fledgling aspirations. Not to mention criminal background checks….

A high percentage of the groups respond well to the introduction of the concepts of individualism, citizenship and corny old Constitutional ideas of being born a free American, capable of doing whatever you’re able to do. They’re not articulating it, but I pick up on the idea that they’re seeing the old reliable state-run agencies as modern day plantations; not a way to overcome ‘barriers’, but actually barriers themselves, and THEY HATE IT!

I’m examining both group dynamic and individual attitudes here. There’s still a ‘we’re all in this together’ and ‘let’s help one another’ spirit, some of which I encourage. But there’s a shift in focus. The ‘mañana’, ‘tomorrow’s another day’ philosophy is quickly going out the window. A new sense of urgency, practicality, I want it & I want it NOW attitude that’s both fresh and highly energetic. No excuses, no postponements, no put-offs, let’s roll today; quite unlike this ‘population’ historically (I’ve been at this for about 10 years now). Nearly all of them are now DOING constructive things, rather than talking about doing things, inventing excuses, or seeking support systems/a shoulder to cry on. Money talks….

Not sure what all this implies, but I’m thinking the key is related to the freedom to do whatever you’re capable of doing, without crapping on anyone else, and not having to get anybody’s permission to do so.

At any rate, it’s heartening to see some of these attitudes in the younger groups, say early 20′s to mid 30′s in age; the older folks, age 45+ already know this from Mom & grandma but are pretty well beaten down, lacking energy and motivation. Probably too late for them, but the younger ones give me some hope.

I realize all this is highly subjective and only a snapshot of a tiny microcosm. I don’t know what anyone can actually DO with this type of anecdotal data, but I’m sensing a ‘change in the Force’. And it makes me optimistic. Very optimistic.

It’s a rainy, sticky day here and I’m feeling kinda logy, so I had the time to reread Erick’s post and the 50+ comments on Jane Norton. Wow, just wow!

Our credo, the Conservative in the Primary, the Republican in the General is spot-on correct; the fun part is determining the former in order to wholeheartedly support the latter.

Personal attack is a subjective term; it turns on whose ox is being gored at the moment. Since we don’t have Spock’s mind-meld capabilities, we have to examine ALL of the candidate’s attributes we can perceive and react accordingly. Comparing & contrasting (nit-picking, some might say) is part of the process, designed to arrive at the best Conservative, a subjectivity in itself.

Having suffered through the bruising Illinois primary which you all saw, with accusations of RINO-ness & questionable sexual orientation being hurled, and now watching the (words fail me, sleazy? vomit-inducing?) process unfold around Nicky Haley in North South Carolina, I have my own definition of a personal attack.

There seems to me a distinct and noticeable difference between calling one’s opponent a pedophile, a rag-head, or a really, really cheap date, versus pointing out heavy reliance on staffers, caucus participation, or who is included in photo-ops, and why.

We’re examining perceived attributes here folks. It’s subjective, based upon your world view and experiences (including personal discussions with the candidates), and sometimes just your ‘gut’. Accordingly, each of us defends our position and tries to advance it, along with our chosen candidate. While our internal verbal fisticuffs and finger-pointing are amusing, they’re seldom persuasive. And isn’t that really the target we’re aiming at? Persuasion?

Your perceptions are persuasive. Facts are persuasive. Thoughtful analysis is persuasive. Sometimes your gut reaction, or even humor, is persuasive.

Choking debate for fear of fueling oppo-research is unpersuasive; we’re not saying anything the Enemy doesn’t already know, and knew long ago. Saying the other guy is biased (Of course he is! If he weren’t, he’d be on your side!) is unpersuasive. Assertions of unfairness are unpersuasive–prove it! Convince me!

Finally, since I’ve sadly swerved into process rather than substance, I kind of thought critiquing grammar and spelling went out the window the last time somebody picked on one of Jaded’s lovely, passionate, stream-of-consciousness run-on-sentence CAPITAL letters sermonettes. Nit-picky, unpersuasive. Asserting the unfairness of this I ask, when was the last time anyone had the temerity to nit-pick the occasional typo in any of Vassar’s (Hi VB! Busily filling the old Zippo, I hope?) masterpieces?

Persuade, don’t attack. Convince, don’t bludgeon. Keep your powder dry and save the vitriol for the Enemy, who truly deserves it, with both barrels.

As the other Eric (no typo, Cartman not Erickson) might say, “I love you guys….”