Three recent events revealed the desperate & ugly tactics of elected officials in Fort Bend, Montgomery & Harris County. For those with an under-appreciation of the Alinsky tactics used by the Political Left & The Republicans Who Love Them, allow me to share with you how Alinsky’s Rules For Radicals are being implemented by the Political Left and The Incumbent Republicans Who Love Them in the Texas counties of Montgomery, Harris and Fort Bend.
Saul Alinsky, as written in this 1969 thesis titled “There Is Only The Fight…” An Analysis of the Alinsky Model by Hillary D. Rodham, is the first individual she gives special appreciation to in her acknowledgments. On page 12, Ms. Rodham writes “Alinsky argues that those who wish to change circumstances must develop a mass-based organization and be prepared for conflict.” For those challenging an incumbent in 2013 and 2014, this article is written for you.
In 2011 Houston Mayor Parker and her ilk on the Political Left recognized the importance of suppressing the speech of mass-based organization and prepared for the conflict by ensuring sign violation tickets from the City of Houston were given to City Council candidates Clyde Bryan & Eric Dick. As noted in this morning’s press conference outside City Hall, City Council member C.O. Bradford received the same sign violations in 2011 as Clyde & Eric. However, two years later the City of Houston continues its attempts to prosecute Clyde Bryan and Eric Dick for these sign violations while C.O. Bradford’s tickets were dismissed without the necessity of him making court appearances. Alinsky Rule #9 is at play here: make the challenger expend time, money & energy in an attempt to demoralize.
In Fort Bend County, the Missouri City Council approved rezoning a parcel of land at the foot of the Fort Bend Toll Road & Highway 6 from retail to multi-family during the July 1 city council meeting. Widespread email and Facebook communications among different Missouri City communities opposed to the rezoning, citing a “missed opportunity” for a Town Center, now fuel what is believed to be the politically-motivated compilation of an enemies list including residents names & their places of employment, in advance of the 2014 municipal elections and bond program. Alinsky Rule #4 “make the enemy live up to its own book of rules” can be extremely effective, because no one can live up to all their rules.
In Montgomery County, RUD (road utility district) defendants in a voter residency case prepared for conflict and relied on a Texas Secretary of State election law advisory opinion when they claimed to have lawfully established residence prior to voting in a Woodlands Road Utility District election in Republican Senator Tommy Williams State Senate District.* Senator Williams has decided NOT to run for Comptroller next year, one of the defendants was recently convicted, & the remaining defendants continue to face what they believe to be politically- motivated prosecutions. Rule #9 surfaces a second time: make the challenger (s) expend time, money & energy in an attempt to demoralize.
Two of Saul Alinsky’s many rules, as cited in Ms. Rodham’s thesis, are being utilized as new coalitions wishing to change circumstances develop their mass-based organizations. In choosing to challenge The Political Left and The Republicans Who Love Them, be prepared for conflict.
*Ironically, Paul Kubosh explained both Clyde Bryan & Eric Dick relied on a letter that David Feldman, Houston City Attorney, issued them in the 2011 municipal election cycle.