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The WMail Newsletter Essays
Volume VII - Issue #58 - April 2006
There is a classic study of animal herds and bird flocks which found that the herd would move – toward water, over a hill, across a stream – whenever 51% were facing in that direc¬tion. Camera footage showed repeatedly that individual animals would graze in random directions, but after a time each would ultimately point themselves in a particular direction. The study found that as soon as 51% (by head count) was facing or drifting in the same direction, then the herd or flock as an entity would move in concert toward the new goal.
The principle also applies to humans, and can be used to cause the 'herd' to shift as wanted. In business, in the world of commerce, skip ads in national magazines or other media and promote to niche publications and target the people within walking distance of your store or potential customers in your city or neighborhood.
Intra-corporation, when working on some project, skip the bureaucracy and chain of command and enroll relevant depart-ments: the guys on the loading dock, in the plant, in accounting or sales.
In politics, where there are often narrow election races, the principle provides a natural strategy for causing success. Working to convince The Voters that OUR candidate is better may be a difficult task, especially if one is on the side of, say, Justice and in opposition to the overfunded, underhanded, anti-truth machinery of the Oligarchy. Forget TV and radio broad-casts; time and effort are better spent working on enlightening the undecided or the misinformed.
The Oligarchy controls 60% of this nation's wealth, but the herd cannot move when blinded by the anti-Reason propa-ganda spewed by the Oligarchy-owned media monopolies. The goal is to get 51% of voters heading in the direction of individual rights and a world that works for the People. Said another way, the game is getting the attention of 51% of voters off of propa-ganda and toward a return to government of the people and for the people and by the people.
If the voter polls show 45% or so for the Good Guys, then pre-election activity should not be directed to convince the 'other side' en masse, but toward locating and connecting with some small sub-group of several percent (or several such) and negotiate a coalition which would tip the 'herd' into voting for the Good Guys.
Local campaign professionals of any worth will be able to 'cherry pick' potential groups and bring them aboard such a coalition and then direct targeted enrollment conversations to individual members that communicate the benefits of moving together along a common path, such as ethical government, better schools, a clean environment, and local jobs.
CASE TWO
I listen on the internet to Air America Radio, and since Albuquerque's outlet has no internet bandwidth for online broad-cast, I lately connect online to the San Diego station.
A special election there was just held for replacement of imprisoned G.O.P. Congressman Randy 'Duke' Cunningham, with Francine Busby – http://www.busbyforcongress.com/ – as the main Democratic candidate and several males running for the Republican side. If Busby had gotten 50.1%, she would have served out the remainder of Cunningham's term, and then run in November as the incumbent. But she got only 44%, which is quite a feat for that very red 50th District. The next event is the June primary, where she is facing former Congressman Brian Bilbray (multimillionaire Eric Roach placed third).
Applying the 51% Solution, such as alignment with labor or some other local political bloc, can easily put Busby over the next 50.1% requirement, while the G.O.P. goofs fight each other and spend megabucks to capture more of the existing base than the other. They can attack Busby, and the national G.O.P. will likely go to the trouble, but if she keeps her existing 44% and adds a local bloc or two, the primary may be a success for the Constitution.
The basis of the 51% Solution is very grass roots. If you have the task of moving a real herd of animals, you need to gain the attention of 51% of the individual members of the flock or herd, and then attract them toward you.
Standard operating procedure for most herders is to evoke fear and push the herd toward the pens (or whatever), which does indeed work for the Oligarchy – but the usual destination for such activity is always the slaughterhouse. Which is exactly how the fear-mongering Culture-Structure utilizes the principle – the mantra of "September 11th plus Al Qaeda equals more war!" has worked quite well for five years with the sheep of America.
The enlightened activist is the one who guides the herd toward progressive ends, such as liberty and equality and ethical responsibility.
We can do this. We must do this.
The alternative is the slaughterhouse of the Oligarchy.
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