McCain, The Prince and Macchieveli

Macchieveli wrote a really methodical - many would say mean - essay about politics which describes the art of ruling a state by a prince (a ruler). Needless to say, most of his precepts are still applicable today. I am going to sum up some of it while comparing them to Republican behaviours.

I The kingdom and how to get it, II The inheritance principles: In my personal opinion, Repulicans feel they are bourgeoise. Since the Democrats can not be eliminated out of the equation and they are going to change laws the only possibility Macchieveli offers is tax cuts ... isn't that exactly what the Democrats promised?

V How to rule cities with their own laws prior the conquest. More than one choice in this chapter, one of them is lead them to bankrupt and then reinforce tax and law control... Oh! Wait! Isn't what happens when you decide to lead big wars on the other side of the world?

XVII Cruelty and Mercy, better to be loved or to be feared? Maquiavel points out that it's better to be feared and loved simultaneously, which is actually easy to do... Just get the vice president to do the dirty work and you'll be above good and bad... as in God itself! Have you heart Sarah Palin lately?

XVIII Prince's fidelity to the given word. The concept says the prince have to appear as somebody who never lies, but it doesn't matter if he does. So if you tell a lie, just stick to it no matter if everybody knows you are lying. "There is mass destruction weapons in Iraq".

Machiavelli dixit.

Picture from The Boston Herald.