Bugsy, the Mafia Bagman

and other contemporary con-men

It’s clear by now that so-called politics is just mafia rule, with its two branches of government: Bribery and Blackmail. Corruption, coercion, as old as the game itself. Survivor, writ large.

On any salient issue—say, whether future humans will be able to eat meat—forces are in play to, well, force the issue. Case lot in point, Megafarmer Gates and his …