Monday, September 13, 2021

Studying Machiavelli

Everyone should have a copy of The Prince to hand in their book collection. It embodies the essence of every managerial course you're apt to take to get your MBA except the accounting. Labor-Management relations, HR issues etc, etc. If you don't have one, run down to a used book store and pick one up. I got the paperback for $.10.


In one of my favorite chapters he discusses the methodology of doing distasteful things, which from time to time every manager is forced to do. One of the examples was that of a noble who had successfully engineered a “hostile takeover” of some neighboring territory, and was anxious to win the love of the people of the new lands. This would not be easy, as a hostile takeover in the 1500's was quite literally a hostile act involving armies and battles. Following a victory, the winner had to move quickly to minimize dissent and deal with potential rivals among his former enemies.


To this end, the victorious prince sent one of his ambitious underlings to govern the new lands with orders to crack down hard and make sure everyone understood that no dissent would be tolerated. High taxes and public executions became the order of the day. After 6 months of this, the new prince came to visit the former capitol city in person.


His first act was to greet his deputy, and lock him up. He then went about town asking how things were going, and was told of the harsh rule and high taxes. Terrible conditions. He then called a big gathering in the town square where he assured everyone that he never intended to be anything but Mr Nice Guy, and that the doings of his underling were outrageous and unwarranted. To prove he meant well and would tolerate no abuse of his new subjects, he had the underling, whose tongue had been cut out the night before, brought out and executed by chopping him in half. He also lowered taxes back to levels similar to what they had been and was immediately acclaimed to be a swell fellow by all.


Now move forward to 2020. The Dems win an election, tainted by suggestions of foul play, and elect a demented meat puppet by the greatest margin ever. He, or more properly, the committee running him, proceed to undo everything his predecessor did, alienating about half the country, opens the southern border to anyone, no questions asked, while issuing demands to regular citizens, and imposing huge tax increases and extending regulations to micromanage everyones lives. He gives one of our enemies $80B in military gear, and throws in a couple hundred hostages in case he forgot anything and makes loyalty to his party the big item to consider for military promotions.


Remember that Mr. Biden is NOT the prince here, he's the ambitious underling. The next step, after the worst of the damage is done is the public execution, which in the here and now, will be a low key thing. Also keep in mind that Mrs Harris is also NOT the prince either, and will be run by the same committee as her predecessor. She will be in the position to roll back some of the more egregious insults from Mr Biden, and win a great roar of approval from the adoring press and anyone who still believes anything they say. This is about 30% of the population, currently. With all this favorable coverage, we will be told that polls show overwhelming support for the party, and no one should be surprised to see Dems sweep the 2022 elections by about 5% everywhere. Voting is going on right now in California where Republicans are reporting that they are being told, when they show up to vote, that they have already voted. Anyone want to guess who they've already voted for? No?

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