If Giuliani really wants to beat the pack he should emphasize his “connections” to organized crime. If he could simply renounce Satan in the same way as Michael Corleone while dispatching his enemies we would find that more admirable than any pretense of “faith” pure as the driven snow. In “The Godfather” you can have the mystery of religion and your faith while at the same time dealing ruthlessly with your enemies and a ruthless world that rewards the strong and penalizes the weak. Vladimir Putin certainly recognizes this, and it may be the reason Time Magazine chose him as “Person of the Year,” something I construe as a message to the present crop of presidential contenders.

I don’t believe America can survive another president that believes God tells them what to do and needs no other advisor, and perhaps like those at Time I believe we need someone that can conduct the business of America and promote what is best for America on the basis of reality, not “faith.” And if faith is to be involved, it had better be that of Don Corleone. But alas for Giuliani, he is at best only a caricature of Don Corleone without any of the redeeming virtues such as an emphasis on personal family values. Unlike Don Corleone, Giuliani is only a politician.

While the arguments ebb and flow about politics my opinion remains that of Emerson, Thoreau, and Sam Clemens, that of contempt for the whole breed. I continue to believe no one becomes a politician with a view to anything but to serve their own selfish purposes and interests. If I find any redeeming attribute in one and put my finger on it, like a balloon if I push that point it returns to its natural state once I remove my finger. The ancient philosophical question, what is the nature of a thing, what is it in and of itself is easily understood when it comes to politicians. A politician is a creature you can depend on and understand as only serving their own selfish interests.

The Godfather saga dealt realistically with the world of organized crime, with religion and politics, recognizing the same human failures and weaknesses in both criminals and politicians. And Michael’s point to Kay that it is naïve to believe organized crime is any different than a corrupt organized government continues to be a point well taken. And no matter how the trilogy ended for Michael, the point remained. And that point no matter how you attempt to refine or excuse it with political correctness is We the People would rather have a Vito Corleone as president than any of the contenders for the Oval Office.

Unfortunately for America, there is no Vito Corleone in the running, not even a Vladimir Putin. What we are being offered is a crop of politicians pandering for the “faith” vote, the Latino and Negro vote, some wanting the homosexual vote, but none of them honest enough to speak the truth that America needs someone that will deal realistically with the enemies of America, most of all the greatest enemy that of our own federal government! What we are facing is “choices” that will continue to be as corrupt as any they are attempting to replace without any of the redeeming virtues of Vito Corleone, but on the contrary will doubtless continue to act as though they were above the laws they demand We the People to obey!

But We the People are not stupid, we realize our federal government is rife with the lawless who are shielded by wealth, power and privilege, and on that basis refuse accountability to ordinary America citizens. None of us expect a president that will secure our borders and put the interests of America ahead of their selfish greed for profits and slave labor, ahead of globalization and the interests of Mexico and China for the sake of profits.

There is no honor among politicians that rise to power on the basis of wealth. And so long as wealth dictates who can even run for elected office, those that choose politics as a profession can only be depended on to lie, cheat, and steal in order to be elected and stay elected. That such wealth is gained by tactics little different than that of Don Corleone is only given the appearance of not being criminal; the more “civilized” all the while ignoring “inconvenient” laws and the buying of politicians and judges goes on apace. This is the system under which We the People are being enslaved. And whether you are Republican or Democrat, the only “choices” being offered is the lesser of evils depending on your own point of view.

For my part, I would vote for Don Corleone or Vladimir Putin if I were only given such a choice. At least then I would know who and what I was voting for. I don’t believe we are being offered any such choice now. But I do know when someone is playing We the People for fools. And while I fear for America because of the rampant corruption in government, the lack of leadership we can trust, I resent being taken for a fool.