Confrontational Politics

by H.L. Richardson

A series of lessons how the often hard-pressed conservative minority was able to win victory after victory on issues like the death penalty, gun control, and removing liberal judges. "The central theme of this book is the methodology both sides use. Being 'right' is not enough"

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction

128 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 1998

About the author

H.L. Richardson, a former advertising executive, served in the California Senate for 22 years and wrote a weekly column published by more than 200 newspapers and broadcast on 50 radio stations. A Christian leader and avid outdoorsman, he has lectured around the nation for three decades, written dozens of magazine features, and is the author of the books Slightly to the Right, What Makes You Think We Read the Bills?, and The Devil's Eye.

Reviews

[John · Rating 2 out of 5]

The underlying logic of Senator Richardson's 'Confrontational Politics'-

1. Human beings can only have a moral compass if they are Christian.
2. Someone can only be a true Christian if they are a conservative American.
3. As a result of 1 & 2 only Conservative American's have morals, everyone else is evil.
4. This country is dominated by evil people like "homosexuals, treehuggers, feminists, unions, and bureaucrats"
5. They use confrontational politics to win power
6. Conservatives are morally good and therefore have resisted using confrontational politics.
7. Because of 6, conservatives are losing the battle for the soul of the United States.
8. Because of 7, conservatives must embrace the same tools that evil people use, but in a Christian way.

The tools:
-Utilize your resources to their maximum effectiveness - Target the correct voting population and the correct power-holders (Ch. 6, 7, 8)
-Don't run on your mission, run on a hot button issue. If you want to shrink the budget, but abortion is your area's key issue, never stop talking about abortion. (Ch. 9, Ch. 12)
-Attack your opponents every chance you get, don't feel bad about it, they're evil (Ch. 10, Ch. 11)
-Don't act alone, work with the party (Ch 13)
-Non-conservative Americans are evil (Ch 14)
-Enjoy their anger, smile when they yell at you. They forced you to do this. (Ch. 15)


This is a book of hate speech written by a U.S. senator. It terrifies me that a large segment of our population can believe that the rest of the world is evil.

[Sebastian Castro · Rating 5 out of 5]

California State Senator Richardson goes over inefficient strategies that leaves conservatives in a perpetual state of defense. He advocates for confrontation/offense and explains in detail what that entails.
Good read.

[Stephen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Confrontational Politics is a self-help manual for the serious political conservative. If the tired tactics of defeat and Pyrrhic victory are to be rolled back, and the allies of the good are to win, there are several important steps that need to be taken:
1. Tactics:
a. Do not respond to a liberal the way you are taught to respond to your superiors, even if they are your superior as your rep, or elder
b. Be confrontational. Don’t let the years of your ethical training get in the way during a debate with a liberal.
c. Know you enemy as well as yourself. Know what tricks they are going to pull and how to respond to them. Play ball with their tactics so that they don’t run roughshod over you.
2. The enemy:
a. Know who the enemy is, and how they hide under the title of “humanist” and other false images.
b. Understand that you possess the truth and be unafraid to state it effectively, always understanding that the enemy is going to try and drown you in lies.
c. Liberals will lie cheat and steal, the only rule with them that they cannot break, is that they cannot get caught.
d. There is no overarching ethical code for the liberal, they will use morality to suit their purposes and then dispose of it when the need arises.
3. Conflict:
a. Conflict should be expected, welcomed, and analyzed and used to forward my goal.
b. Don’t misread the liberal agenda, they advance so that they can win by retreating. Tradis often sigh with relief when they get liberals to stop an advance and thus contribute to the problem by not playing their own advanced game.
c. We are on the opposite polls of life, either we win or they win, there is no middle ground on the issues that matter most to the minds and hearts of Americans.
4. Organization:
a. There are several important criteria for any “front group” to exist:
i. Sizable universe of followers
ii. A hardened core of trained leaders and spokespersons
iii. Sufficient pool of seed money
iv. Ongoing fulltime management to keep propaganda in front of the people.
v. Media outlets useful for rallying the public.
b. The Liberal only backs off when he needs to, he retreats only when necessary.
c. The most common method of advance is when the Liberal after pushing for hard left programs suddenly takes a step dialectically backwards, at this moment the Conservatives must continue to press and keep on the heat.
5. The Power of One.
a. A small core team of committed and organized individuals is far more effective than an unwieldy and large organization. Find 10 individuals train them very well, and then have them run their own spheres so that you can be the most effective as a coordinator.
b. Less than 5% of registered voters actually participate in the fabric of the political process, these individuals get to decide who votes because they decide who the candidates will be.
c. Organized minorities always elected those in power, no the majorities.
d. Congressional Election Breakdown
i. Constituents: 600,000
ii. Eligible to Register: 400,000
iii. Actually Registered: 235,000
iv. Primary Election turnout: 120,000
v. Republican ballots cast: 70,000
vi. Winner received: 16,000 (considered a land slide)
e. People do leave the rest of their ballots blank when they go to vote, it is an unfortunate reality, keep those who you want to vote informed and not the enemy.
f. Money, Management, Manpower, and Moxie (knowing when and where).
g. Pound the data to figure out what can be ascertained in regard to who should be talked to.
h. Liberals win by systematically and methodically organizing segments of the population to vote for single issues, that is what we must do.
6. Public Opinion
a. Public opinion is often manufactured to set the state for political action on the left, don’t find comfort in poll numbers, it will never be there.
b. Poll numbers can be useful but only in the last few weeks of the election, January excitement cannot often last until December
c. You will never win running a direct campaign.
d. The persistent voters have leverage: their one ballot counts for as many as five non-votes.
e. Knowing when to leverage is also leveraging
f. Politics is a world where perceptions become reality.
7. Hot Button Issues (HB)
a. People by nature are divided by issues, not by class, use this.
b. Yellow dogs should be fed the scraps they need to vote accordingly, don’t feed their yellow dogs.
c. Turn out the HB voters even if their issue is of no concern to your campaign directly.
d. Play the game of categorizing people and then win at it.
e. Knowledge is power if translated into behavior
f. When it comes to coordinating with other groups, understand the enemy of my enemy paradigm.
8. Leftist Dems and “moderate” Reps pass Liberal agendas
a. Frame your issues in the best light to avoid giving the left free ammo against you.
b. Elect candidates on issues other than their own, you goals are and will be supported in such a coalition.
c. The sophistication of a political organization is measured in how many candidates it gets elected on other issues.
d. Do not betray your principles, simply analyze the audience, and turn your brain on before your mouth.
9. Confronting Lawmakers
a. The welfare business will flood the capital with old people in wheel chairs on the day that the budget is being discussed if they want to be represented successfully.
b. Third party advertising keeps the candidate clean and not proud looking
c. Don’t waste time fighting against the entire Dem party, or against liberalism, pick one topic and fight at it long term, and effectively.
10. Accountability:
a. If you support any candidate in office, make your presence known.
b. Don’t trust in the non-experience of a candidate, people will always pick the man or woman with more legislative experience.
c. Burn the tails off anyone who steps out of line on your issue, so that when there are defectors, you scare off other weak candidates.
d. Debate is for public consumption, don’t watch it and get riled up.
e. Actions speak louder than words
f. Be a giver of ulcers not a receiver.
11. Attitude:
a. Don’t hang out with losers. One-Downmanship is the ultimate way to loose in a campaign, and feel depressed while you are doing it.
b. You need to believe that you are going to win, mentally see the win every day.
c. Don’t watch the enemy 24/7, make him watch you, be the center of his world and his focus, don’t let him be yours
d. Animosity and Ad Hominem attacks are the surest sign of imminent victory.
e. Be the smiling confident Conservative who won’t let himself be bogged down even when he is on the defensive, pretend through the pain, the smile will save you time in fighting.
f. Inflict pain and profit on who support or oppose you.
g. Third party candidates are for the unsophisticated and politically gullible.

[Rachael Dudley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. H.L. Richardson's Confrontational Politics shed a great amount of light on what it means to be a conservative in our world today. Much like Douglas Hyde's Dedication and Leadership, Richardson shows how we can best confront the growing mass of liberal thought, but his is able to write from a bit more contemporary view which only enhances the basis of the argument that both men make. In reading this book, I was able to see many of the similarities as well as difference between the Hyde and Richardson, their points of view, and their styles of writing.

As I said, the very basis of Hyde and Richardson's books are essentially the same. Both take the persepective that there is a great deal which we as Christian politicians can learn from our opponenets. They would argue that we can utilize some of the same methods as the liberals (or in the case of Hyde, Communists) so as to create a more even playing ground and eventually win more battles on our side.

Both men are obviously quite tenacious as well, which is something that I think both men would value in political activist. Yet in my understanding of each (at least what I can infer from the way they wrote their respective books), I might be inclined to say that Richardson values tenacity and passion even moreso than Hyde. Hyde takes a very methodological approach to utilizing the techniques of the Communists; rarely do we see him insert a great amount of opinion into his text which, granted, is exactly the method with which he wished to convey his material.

Another way in which they differ is that Richardson presents the material in his book a bit more playfully than Hyde and by no means does this discredit his position. On the contrary, I believe that Richardson intentionally wrote in a a lighthearted manner so as to tailor his message for a specific crowd- our modern society. By doing this he was able to reach larger masses of people that perhaps would not have been interested in what he had to say otherwise. Hyde may have been more stoic in his work for a number of reasons, but one would definitely have to admit that the audiences which each man was trying to reach with their respective book were drastically different.

I think that if anyone is serious about contemporary politics, and in particular conservative politics, then they should pick up this book. It is an easy read because Richardson swiftly and effectively sums up his point in clear and concise terms.

[C.E. Thornton · Rating 1 out of 5]

Richardson would do well to take the log out of his own eye before calling out the speck in the eye of his political opponents. What few reasonable and potentially agreeable points he made regarding effectiveness in the political sphere were lost in the deluge of arrogant rhetoric. It was all I could do to finish this book and it’s only about 100 pages long. FYI you can skip the first 50 of those pages because he doesn’t actually talk strategy until the second half of the book. Seriously, if this was published without all the vitriol and highfalutin self praise this would have made a reasonable 20 page brochure.

[Val Finnell, MD, MPH · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Classic

This book should be required reading for all conservatives. It isn’t enough to just be right and have the right arguments. Conservatives must leverage political technology in order to win. Politics is the art of confrontation, not compromise, and this book is the roadmap on the political techniques to achieve victory.

[James Petzke · Rating 2 out of 5]

While I am pretty strongly conservative, this book outlines an approach to politics that I find disgusting. It should be about debating policy, helping people, and designing positive government systems. This book is all about creating division, weaponizing single issues, and a bunch more tactics of the most extreme idealists of our time.

[Kenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Este libro no llamó mi atención por su portada, de hecho no quería leerlo, pero luego de empezar no pude parar. Lo subrayé y marqué por todos lados porque solo dice verdades.

Se lo recomiendo a cualquiera que esté interesado en la política estadounidense yo como realmente poner en práctica estrategias para obtener el éxito.

[Jon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this book up at one of the Leadership Institute trainings at the Independence Institute in Denver when Christopher Doss came to the Independence Institute. I am currently reading this book, and I am in the 2nd chapter.

[Paige Gordon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone should read this book. It will give you a much greater understanding of the conflict between conservatives and liberals and what changes conservatives need to make to make in order to become more effective in the fight we face every day. Highly recommended!

[Dawn Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

A transformational book. I will never view politics the same way again. Still digesting all the sage advice.

[Katie Ussery · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was very good! It had quite interesting political insights and I am glad I read it.

[지훈 · Rating 3 out of 5]

if progressives/Dems did half of what Richardson thinks they do in this book, we'd live in a progressive utopian America right now.. as it stands, I think he makes many keen observations about political expediency marred only, albeit critically, by his abject theism and insistence on Christianity as the necessary crux of all behaviors.

it is curious that this was published in 1998, given the full swing of Gingrich's Contract with America and Republican transformation of politics into a raw partisan blood sport. Richardson died in 2020, so I can only assume he lived to be thoroughly pleased with the depraved, lying, confrontational nature of Republican politics as they exist in the post-Tea Party, post-Trump era we now unfortunately find ourselves in, as well as with the demise of McCain Republican integrity. I would be less surprised for this to be published in the 1960s compared to the 90s.

nonetheless, it's a worthwhile couple-hour read. progressives ought to live up to the very brash and mean-spirited name Richardson has crafted here but I have many doubts they will.

[Sebastian Campos · Rating 2 out of 5]

While a lot of the book makes good points about being optimistic about the future, as well as how to play politics, I think the focus on politics and playing clean are idiotic.

Politics will not save us. Trump will not save you. DeSantis won’t save you. Paul isn’t going to save you.

Paul played clean and look where that got him.

Politics are a futile game; the right should focus on culture and finding ways to operate outside the bounds of government.

[Ben · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit dated and overly simplistic with its dichotomous view of political movements, but an interesting guide with some helpful practical insights for a conservative who wants to make a difference in public affairs, either as a candidate or as an issue activist.

[Katie Smith · Rating 1 out of 5]

If I could give it zero stars, I would. The “principles” discussed in this book are everything that is wrong with politics today. As a Christian, I’m disappointed that the author makes a point of identifying as such. The rhetoric within does not align with the Christian faith.

[Jane Fournier · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have had this book on my "to read shelf" for over a year. I finally decided to just do it. I find this book very true and VERY upsetting. It defines and encourages the continuation of disagreement between the two parties: Democrats And Republicans. They are so confrontational and unreasonable and the people who elected them are suffering and confused . I would like to read a book that would help understanding and a way to solve this huge problem in our government. I would like each representative and senator in office to stand up and be heard in a reasonable, non-confrontational way and re-unite our country under co-operation and maybe even trial and error.
Can't we just get along. Haven't you heard that before????? I'm done.

[Dillon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Confrontational Politics is a well thought out treatise on how to bring national politics back from the precipice of the Left. As an Australian I do no agree with everything that Richardson does (such as his love of guns), but that's okay. The format of government is not relevant to us here but the basics are the same, and the advice he provides is very helpful and useful. It's very refreshing to find someone experienced in politics who also acknowledges God and the importance of Godly values - we definitely need more of that. Overall, I found the book to be easy to read. He is passionate, has a sense of humour and lots of practical knowledge to share. Recommended!

[James Heffernan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Like a lot of us, I found the 2020 presidential election a traumatic experience. My choice won, but that I was so out of step with so much of the country hurt me deeply.

Nothing explains how our national politics has gotten to this point as this work of fiction written by a long-time California State Senator.

With no factual basis, he dismisses anyone to the left of him as pagan, dishonest, and evil. From that point on, everything is fair play.

[Jim Heffernan · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is a perfect explanation of how our nation and our politics are such a terrible state.

Hubert Richardson basically fills the book with venom. He starts by saying conservatives are good, holy, honest, and righteous and those on the left are the opposite.

Once you've got everyone in an "Us" and "Them" camp, everything is fair as long as you can win.

[Deborah Wells · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good short book that helps you understand how things are "done". Provides some insight into how to work the system.

[Kyle]

Single issue voters is all we do. Nuance is for the liberals. It’s a book about how to no true Scotsmen politics and it’s how we now live in the dumbest culture war