Machiavelli-Like Lessons From the President-Elect Circle of “Friends”

Things we’re learning in the post election season likely to be passed on to the children.  It reads a little like Machiavelli’s The Prince:

If you constantly lie and berate people, others (like Paul Ryan) may refer to you, not as the con or cad that you are, but as “unconventional,” “unique” and a “get-things-done-kind-of-guy.”

Whatever it takes to get elected to the presidency is fine so long as you “dial it back” a bit when you get there.

Surround yourself with scoundrels, and a few not-so-bad guys to throw off the wolves. People with weak values (no matter how much they pounded their chests) will remain silent around the tent so long as they think you might invite them in some day.

Be sure to project your dishonesty and untrustworthiness on your opponent.  People will believe you.

“Once a liar, always a liar” appears to no longer be an insult.

You too can be Time’s “Person of The Year” no matter the awful things you say about minorities, women and the disabled.   Just have an impact.  Don’t worry about its awful affects on people. Time magazine doesn’t.

(More lessons learned to come)

P.S.  Thank goodness there are people like Chuck Jones, president of the United Steel Workers 1999, who Trump is now  twitter-berating merely for calling the president-elect out on a huge lie about saving jobs at Carrier that weren’t saved.  That lie hurt hundreds of people and their families while the president-elect gloated.