Friday, March 29, AD 2024 2:38am

Playing By the Rules of the Left

 

Trump may never have read Alinsky, but he seems to know his playbook instinctively by heart:

 

4. “Make the enemy live up to its own book of rules.” If the rule is that every letter gets a reply, send 30,000 letters. You can kill them with this because no one can possibly obey all of their own rules.
5. “Ridicule is man’s most potent weapon.” There is no defense. It’s irrational. It’s infuriating. It also works as a key pressure point to force the enemy into concessions.
6. “A good tactic is one your people enjoy.” They’ll keep doing it without urging and come back to do more. They’re doing their thing, and will even suggest better ones.

 

9. “The threat is usually more terrifying than the thing itself.” Imagination and ego can dream up many more consequences than any activist.
10. “The major premise for tactics is the development of operations that will maintain a constant pressure upon the opposition.” It is this unceasing pressure that results in the reactions from the opposition that are essential for the success of the campaign.

 

13. “Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it.” Cut off the support network and isolate the target from sympathy. Go after people and not institutions; people hurt faster than institutions.

Unlike most conservatives, Trump understands he is in a war and who the enemies are in that war.  One can deplore that our nation is in such a state, but deploring it does not alter the hard facts we are confronted with.  Trump fights, and too many conservative leaders are merely expert at rolling over at the first sign of Leftist presssure.

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David WS
David WS
Monday, April 15, AD 2019 5:11am

I’ve been reading up on the Catholic Teaching on immigration. In Google the USCCB comes up as a prominent “teacher”, and yet the USCCB is not following the catechism of the church. There is no “right” to immigration (or migration), immigration is a prudential decision made by governments of nations. Nations are families. Immigration is akin to adoption.
What was really eye opening was the amount of money the USCCB has received from the federal government. In the last 10 years the USCCB has received over one half billion dollars from the federal government to assist in immigration settlement. Does that compromise the USCCB on speaking prophetically on contraception, marriage and abortion?! You bet.
It’s really easy for Bishops who live in plush palaces, to take government money, fill pews with replacements rather than face their failings, and virtue signal. It’s much harder for the construction worker with three children, trying to keep his children catholic in public school, to face stagnate of falling wages due to immigration of low skilled workers. And not so hard for the wealthy who can still afford private now elitist “catholic” schools, employ immigrant gardeners and maids, all the while virtue signalling.

T. Shaw
T. Shaw
Monday, April 15, AD 2019 5:48am

Punch back twice as hard.

Fish don’t know they’re wet. The louder the imbeciles squeal, the better. Sparatcus Booker said Trump’s plan will make us less safe. Imbeciles don’t know they’re idiots.

Re: the illegal invasion (they l left keep misspelling “invasion” as “immigration”) and St. Matthew’s “Last Judgment” narrative, these killers, liars and thieves are not Christ’s brothers and sisters. Earlier in Matthew, Jesus tells us who are his brothers and sisters. Look it up.

The invaders are desperados, evil people being used by even-more evil people to destroy America.

I don’t give any money or foodstuffs to Catholic charities that support the massive invasion, which advances the destruction of my country and our way of life.

OrdinaryCatholic
OrdinaryCatholic
Monday, April 15, AD 2019 8:07am

My thoughts on immigration are formed by what is taught in our Catechism of the Catholic Church and not by the USCCB. Too many times they have ignored the very book that was published by St. JPll to be the one source of all teaching and reference for our faith.
No. I am not anti-immigrant or anti-refugee. My parents were immigrants but my father had to have a sponsor in the USA and a job secured before bringing the family to this country. It makes sense. It was my fathers responsibility to support the family not the host government.

Until my bishops show me where my sin lies with the immigration issue then I will continue to follow my Catechism as my guide. How can I follow bishops who defy the teachings of our Church? I can’t. I do not in any way shape or form refuse help to the needy. There are and always be people who cannot help themselves and need assistance in life and I understand that. But the assistance on the scale that we see today given to able bodied immigrant men who can work and don’t is theft from those of us that can least afford it give.

We as a nation are incredibly charitable, more so than any other nation in the world but we are portrayed as a selfish, greedy, and racist nation. The bishops find it easy to spout out how we need to love our neighbor and the alien. Fine. I agree. Now Bishops, let us hear you loud and clear, tell our neighbors and the aliens what their responsibility is to their host nation. Works both ways. It says so in the Catechism.

Foxfier
Admin
Monday, April 15, AD 2019 8:14am

It’s much harder for the construction worker with three children, trying to keep his children catholic in public school, to face stagnate of falling wages due to immigration of low skilled workers.

And if he and his wife order their family so they can homeschool, the bishop throws a fit about not ‘supporting’ the Catholic schools.

David WS
David WS
Monday, April 15, AD 2019 8:15am

@ Ordinary Catholic, Amen. The bishops are gas-lighting https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaslighting
-us, to cover for their own failings, government money, and a sense of puffed up importance.
No due American doesn’t “welcome the stranger”, we simply want our laws obeyed and a nation (border).

John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
Monday, April 15, AD 2019 8:28am

Don’t forget using the Cloward-Piven strategy and overwhelm their cities and States’ resources. Good thing I don’t live in those states. Too bad for Don who shares a sate with Chicago.

“The Cloward–Piven strategy is a political strategy outlined in 1966 by American sociologists and political activists Richard Cloward and Frances Fox Piven that called for overloading the U.S. public welfare system in order to precipitate a crisis that would lead to a replacement of the welfare system with a national system of “a guaranteed annual income and thus an end to poverty”

OrdinaryCatholic
OrdinaryCatholic
Monday, April 15, AD 2019 9:10am

I for one do not agree with using immigrants for political gain as Dems do. Immigrants I believe have a trust in ‘Americans’ who tell them to come to our nation illegally or legally and our nation will take care of them. That lie is insidious and only serves to harm the immigrant when they get here because they or most don’t know better. What the President proposes with busing illegals to sanctuary cities, I believe, will not help illegals at all either but use them as pawns. It’s taking a group of people and using them for the purpose of exposing the hypocrisy of the Dems. At the expense of the illegal. I understand why Trump is doing it but again, using people is not something with which I am comfortable in doing. Yes, yes, yes I know. They came here illegally so they deserve it right? I don’t think anyone deserves to be used a a political pawn. And I’m not one to say just because THEY do we can to. No, we should be above that. Let the left wallow in crap, we don’t have to follow suit.

David WS
David WS
Monday, April 15, AD 2019 9:41am

What is truly insidious is:
The Left wants a constant flow of illegal immigration. They know that if persons become legal and work their way up, they’ll become conservative. So a constant flow of illegal immigration is needed. The USCCB wants the same thing -to maintain a constant flow of immigrants with government money; This strangles bishops from speaking with a prophetic voice; and they lose as many people as they help bring in. So bringing in more is essential..
All the while the Left promotes contraception, abortion, infanticide and assisted suicide. With little more than crickets from bishops.

OrdinaryCatholic
OrdinaryCatholic
Monday, April 15, AD 2019 10:40am

David I agree. It’s a mess, a total mess and this what we have to work with today. Prayer is the answer to all of this. I’m not saying to sit back and let God do everything, but there needs to be conversion of heart in this nation and conversion is God’s work. We pray, do our part as citizens and let God do his.

Foxfier
Admin
Monday, April 15, AD 2019 11:58am

It’s taking a group of people and using them for the purpose of exposing the hypocrisy of the Dems. At the expense of the illegal.

You believe that official sanctuary cities are worse for illegals than non-sanctuary cities?

Why?

The Dems are using them as pawns, that is true; this recognizes that there is a philosophical difference between those who favor legal immigration, and those who insist there are insufficient costs to illegal immigration to justify treating them differently. It takes the costs away from areas that do not support the illegal behavior and moves it to areas that make public stands in support of it.

Currently, the Dems get to use illegals as pawns with no regard for the illegals’ well-being and at the cost of those who do not agree with their policies.

OrdinaryCatholic
OrdinaryCatholic
Monday, April 15, AD 2019 12:12pm

Please don’t apply words to me that I never wrote. I never said it was worse for illegals. I’m saying that people are being used by both sides now as pawns in a political war. Busing them to sanctuary cities is using people to show the hypocrisy of the Dems and in so doing the immigrants will be again used as pawns. Mark my words, the sanctuary cities will not keep most of them and they will have some lame excuse using Trump as their scapegoat. And again, the immigrants will be moved to some other location and another and another. We ALL know dems use illegals for their gain, I just am NOT comfortable with Trump using them also.

Ernst Schreiber
Ernst Schreiber
Monday, April 15, AD 2019 12:32pm

Personally I think Trump ought to start hinting about redeploying military forces from the middle east to the Mexican border, talking about how he admires the way Israel handled the PLO takeover of the failed state of Lebanon and how sovereign nations have a right to intervene in failed states grounded in self-defense, and talking vaguely about an “Operation Black Jack” that’s only in the planning but is going to be huge.

David WS
David WS
Monday, April 15, AD 2019 2:20pm

As evil as the Left is and weak as our bishops are, as messed up our immigration policy or lack of it is, we should count our blessings. The people coming here illegally are from the America’s, are Christian and mostly Catholic. All will eventually integrate and become part of this great nation.
Europe is not so lucky. Notre Dame is burning, and God help me – I don’t think it was an accident.

OrdinaryCatholic
OrdinaryCatholic
Monday, April 15, AD 2019 2:37pm

I cannot help but look at Notre Dame as what is happening to Catholicism in Europe as a whole.

Greg Mockeridge
Greg Mockeridge
Monday, April 15, AD 2019 3:41pm

“Unlike most conservatives, Trump understands he is in a war and who the enemies are in that war.”

I agree there. I’ll say that much for Trump. At least he understands that.

Foxfier
Admin
Monday, April 15, AD 2019 3:45pm

Please don’t apply words to me that I never wrote. I never said it was worse for illegals.

Then please explain how it is “At the expense of the illegal.” Generally, that phrase is used to express that an action ‘costs’ a person– that is, it is bad for them.

I’m saying that people are being used by both sides now as pawns in a political war.

How? By not cooperating with the Dems’ power-moves?
Frankly, anything short of enforcing the law– which would mean deportation– is ‘playing politics,’ attempting not to seem heartless. The difference is that some recognize that the behavior of the illegals has a cost worth noticing, while the other tries to insist it does not. Those insisting it does not are currently outraged that the theoretically not-worth-noticing cost might be shifted into their area.

Foxfier
Admin
Monday, April 15, AD 2019 3:47pm

Ernest Schreiber-
he did something even scarier. He made vague, quiet, official noises about considering actually applying the standards used to designate terrorist groups to the cartels.

If the administration actually goes through with that… oh, my word.

Michael Dowd
Michael Dowd
Tuesday, April 16, AD 2019 2:11am

Trump has a great idea. Provide more immigrants to the places where they will be protected.

Mary De Voe
Tuesday, April 16, AD 2019 2:39am

Thank you, Foxfier. Your thoughts are my thoughts.
The illegal invaders are not being used as pawns…yet. Only the threat of moving the illegals to sanctuary cities is being used. Right now, the American taxpayers are being used as pawns
Legal immigrants must have a sponsor.
Let those who embrace illegal invaders give the invaders their citizenship, their homes and their benefits, especially and including the USCCB.

OrdinaryCatholic
OrdinaryCatholic
Tuesday, April 16, AD 2019 7:19am

” “At the expense of the illegal.” Generally, that phrase is used to express that an action ‘costs’ a person– that is, it is bad for them.”

It does ‘costs’ a person but not so much in material costs. The immigrants will be given what they need. We know that but that does not mean “using” people for political gain has no ‘cost’. There is ‘cost’ in the lack of respect and dignity from being used and that is what I mean by ‘at their expense’ no matter if they are here illegally.

I don’t care if using people for political gain has been around forever, it doesn’t make it right no matter who does it. You may be fine with using people in this way but I’m not. Using people for political gain is not recognizing a person as due respect and dignity. Sorry.

OrdinaryCatholic
OrdinaryCatholic
Tuesday, April 16, AD 2019 7:28am

I can’t be anymore clearer than that. I’m moving on. Have a good day.

Foxfier
Admin
Tuesday, April 16, AD 2019 8:19am

Ah. So that is why you accused me of attributing words to you that you ‘never wrote’, when I directly quoted you; because you knew that you were prone to doing so.

You insist on assuming bad faith in all who don’t do what you wish. That is quite clear, it’s just not productive or worth engaging. You doom yourself to disappointment, and being counterproductive to what you claim to want.

Mary De Voe
Tuesday, April 16, AD 2019 9:41am

“I don’t care if using people for political gain has been around forever, it doesn’t make it right no matter who does it. You may be fine with using people in this way but I’m not. Using people for political gain is not recognizing a person as due respect and dignity. Sorry.”
You must mean innocent people. Illegal invaders are outlaws. Otherwise we, the people cannot execute murderers because of their dignity. That is what Pope Francis said.
If the individual does not respect himself and his dignity, how is he to learn what resect and dignity is?

Penguins Fan
Penguins Fan
Tuesday, April 16, AD 2019 6:34pm

The US Government has never pressured Mexico and our other southern neighbors to clean up their acts and stop pushing their poor onto us. The US Chamber of Commerce loves cheap and illegal labor and the Democrats love votes.

Immigration is big business for the bishops. What bishop doesn’t have a Catholic Charities chapter? They get money from Congress to resettle Third Would people into the US – but Federal law prevents them from mentioning God to these people. No matter. I once had a book about Congressional spending. Former Senator Bob Packwood, a liberal Oregon Republican, said that if congress gave the Bishops money they would shut up about abortion – and they have.

The Christian Teacher
The Christian Teacher
Tuesday, April 16, AD 2019 8:14pm

Ordinary Catholic-re: your expressed sentiments that Trump is using illegals as political pawns.

No he isn’t. He has to take them & release them somewhere. What in the Hell is wrong with taking them to these very wealthy sanctuary cities & people who will support them. Nothing. It is better than taking them to middle America which isn’t wealthy & to places where people do not support them. If you don’t like Trump’s solution, what is your solution–short term & long term–on top of your suggested prayer?

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