Quick note: This piece was originally intended to address conservation issues, hence the stories about humans and the environment. Also, I appreciate your sharing The Porcupine, as that has helped me increase my subscribers. Please share this link for easy sign up. And thank you as always for reading.
Each day of this presidency brings an example we would normally teach our kids not to practice at work or in life: lying as a way of living, showmanship over substance, fraud over facts, and bullying instead of betterment. His team is picked based upon their willingness to parrot his daily musings and the ability to obscure the rules of society for his own benefit. If things get too hot, he keeps just enough distance to always have a fall guy (last time it was Pence and Fauci. This time it will be Musk).
All of this makes more sense when one compares it to fictional crime families like the Sopranos and the Corleones, or a real one like the Gambinos. From his early days in New York real estate to his presidency, Trump's career has often mirrored the modus operandi of a Mafia godfather. This resemblance extends beyond superficial similarities, encompassing his style of management, expectation of undying loyalty, and methods of wielding power.
Take a close listen next time and you’ll hear his words often laced with thinly veiled threats and intimidation, reminiscent of mob speak. He has referred to witnesses who cooperate with investigations as "rats," a term straight out of mob culture. Examples of his aggressive rhetoric include saying, "I'd like to punch him in the face," and suggesting that opponents should be charged with treason. This combative approach serves to silence dissent and maintain control, much like a mob boss would use threats to keep underlings in line and outsiders off his turf. With the power of the executive branch, the current effort is extended to silence the authentic media, judiciary, and public services through expulsion, threats, and lawsuits.
Business and political leaders who have spoken out against him or failed to comply with his wishes have also faced threats. For example, CEOs who have criticized his policies have seen their companies targeted by his administration's regulatory actions. Others took note of this and lined up to donate funds to his inauguration or allow their papers to go dark on certain issues. Business first, democracy….maybe later.
Unlike other presidents, Trump has consistently attacked the credibility of investigators and the justice system itself, a tactic more akin to organized crime figures facing prosecution. At the same time, he speaks of himself in glowing terms, often exaggerating his achievements and abilities. This self-promotion is a hallmark of his narcissism, reflecting a psychological profile that craves admiration and attention, much like Al Capone, Bonnie & Clyde, or Pretty Boy Floyd (ironically, the president compared himself to Al Capone this week). His tendency to personalize power as a “stable genius” and consolidate authority around himself mirrors the autocratic tendencies of both political strongmen and organized crime leaders.
The first go-around with the Trump administration saw a splintering of “the family”, with many officials either resigning or being fired for not showing enough fanatical devotion. This culture of praise or predation has reshaped the political landscape, with many Republicans feeling compelled to fall in line or risk political exile, the mafia equivalent of “getting whacked”. The current effort includes bringing in outsiders like Musk to conduct special operations, much as a mafia family would use a hitman to do the dirty work.
The parallels between Trump's governance style and that of a Mafia boss are strikingly similar to how Vladimir Putin operates in Russia. Many describe Putin's regime as a "mafia state," prioritizing loyalty to the leader and punishing dissent severely, even with death. Putin uses a combination of intimidation, strategic alliances with organized crime, and manipulation of legal systems to maintain control. Trump's approach to governance is at least parallel by aligning with and promoting right-wing media, following the Project 2025 playbook by Christian zealots, and clearing out the judicial system of its most judicial voices. This suggests a desire to operate the U.S. government in a manner akin to a crime family.
This dangerous trend threatens the democratic fabric of the nation as it erodes trust in institutions and normalizes authoritarian tactics. The implications are profound, highlighting the need for vigilance and readiness when this style of governance tries to go full soviet on public institutions.
I wrote this piece to bring attention to the style of governance being deployed. The normalization of a mafia-style of decisionmaking is a cancer upon America. We are in the thick of it now and should remain cautious when threats and intimidation become a common daily tool in political discourse.
Public institutions such as the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Department of Environmental Protection are already being undermined to weaken the foundations of democracy. The federal government has seen nearly 63,000 public service employees let go in the first two months of 2025 alone. The administration's actions will further affect hundreds of thousands of American workers before they are stopped.
We are moving towards a deliberate recession to merge power under an authoritarian regime, a system where the opinions of the Godfather carry more weight than any fact or democratic principle. Like the mafia family, it will push boundaries or seek new territory until it meets resistance or falls apart from within. This is a system with a Boss instead of a President, where might is what makes right.
Recognize the signs of what is happening and act to prevent them. With the rise of protests, buying embargoes, boycotts, dumping of Tesla stock, ending subscriptions, and making ski trips and visits to the symphony uncomfortable, citizens are responding. Right now, there is some distance between us and those job losses, but it doesn’t mean the pain won’t eventually reach us, nor should we exist in a society that becomes callous to the pain of our neighbors.
Continue to practice democracy before things get worse or become permanent. Trump’s beef with public services are personal, not presidential. We are being taken for a ride, close to getting the concrete shoes.
QUICK NO BS Hits
This is how a democracy works. A bit of public shaming is necessary to avoid acts of violence.
Rene Girard’s I See Satan Fall Like Lightning is a deep but difficult book to read in these times. However, if you work to understand the connections, you’ll see it.
This is Russia three years ago. Is the same thing happening here?
How quickly things change when science becomes a casualty to hubris.
The current administration has used paper straws to throw a bone to those who think there’s a right to pollute. This is one of those issues that I think of way too much. We have spent a bit of time teaching our kids about recycling and reducing waste, especially plastic, but what I find is that almost everything we buy has some mix of plastic content. It is almost unavoidable. To that end, we need much stronger public policy to reduce the amount of plastic out there. Save it for medical and industrial-type uses, but start to move toward more environmentally safe alternatives.
When you hear talk about the cost of alternatives, just remember that we aren’t bearing the true cost now, though future generations will continue to pay for it. One other item of note: We Southerners have to stop being so proud of our ignorance. There is no southern state that has adopted responsible policies. If we truly want the freedom to pollute, we should be leading in industries that deal with the waste.
There is no higher calling than to get young Americans to see their connection to the Earth. I think it will go a long way to counter this feeling of being unmoored that I see and hear from them. Where do they turn for stability? Who passes for being authentic? Where does the buck stop?
A free and working market economy does not leave byproducts like this for the public to manage. I am gobsmacked that this has been a normal part of business and is one of hundreds of measures that leave us open to being hypocrites. On the bright side, the youth involved in something as hands-on as this will be the leaders of tomorrow. They see it, and they act. They get the connections. They take the adage If not us, then who? and put it into action.
While the circus is in full swing, these are the issues we should talk about. They are actual choices in a modern economy that include the cost of pollution. Some forests and some species of trees are excellent at storing carbon. If we continue to burn fuels that produce carbon, the simplest solution is to protect the natural systems that absorb it. We can’t be so afraid to adjust things we’ve done for decades in the light of a steady stream of data. That’s called progress. That’s what being woke means. It’s not a cultural identity hack job. It’s being real with the data and acting upon it.
In my last conservation position, and in Issue 25, I discussed the need to use coral as an indicator. Coral is extremely sensitive to pollution, so it is an excellent barometer for changes in climate. Phenomenal science is underway, raising and adapting coral in controlled environments for later reintroduction to the ocean. While that is occurring, efforts like this to stop the continual decline are remarkable and should cause us all to realize there is so much we do not know. Does sound affect coral? Can they “hear” the sound? There are some results here that say they can!
Very soon, science and AI is going to advance to a level where we are going to interact with species in ways that were once science fiction.
If we would stop falling backwards.
Using plastics is now a ancient issue, and much like we’ve seen in cases with tobacco, hazardous waste, DEI, and climate change, there is a concocted story, and then there’s the truth.
This is a big deal.
If corporations knew that what they were doing and saying were two different things, that’s a problem. We need education; we need good governance. This is a prevention and adaptation issue. The video is great because it covers the gamut of plastic in our lives, from bottle water usage (something we didn’t have two decades ago) to usage in the healthcare industry, where moving away from plastic/oil-based products may be more difficult. If we challenge this and make progress, there will be significant benefits not only to the planet but to human health and other industries and alternatives. Once again, this falls into the area of protecting the status quo vs. the land and future generations.
We have to develop our markets more for recycled content. Right now, it is a mixed bag of law and policy and industry goodwill initiatives. It is the exact reason you need some federal-level policies, especially if it makes it easier to do the right thing.
To keep my head and heart grounded, I tend to look for the birds. Typically, when I see a cardinal, I think of my father. A crow makes me think of mystery. Seeing an owl is still something special. One night years ago, I was able to call a curious one in and I heard him glide through the wind before I ever saw him.
This story is another one of those jaw-dropping findings that brings a lot of what we think into question. If some bird species can flap a gesture to another bird, to signal to them much as humans might use a middle finger or thumb, well, that opens up….a whole can of worms. It should put to rest the concept of having a bird brain as a sign of lower intelligence.
This will be another boom market on the way to combat climate change and get to a greener economy. Is it ripe for fraud? You betcha. And the way the credits are held accountable will be crucial to real environmental change. A state like Florida should be the leader in carbon credit markets. We already have a robust land conservation program and mitigation banks. This would be another piece of the puzzle as long as there is no double-dipping.
Almost any municipality could begin a voluntary carbon credit model now. Add it to utility bills and allow customers to decide whether they want to pay to offset the energy they used if it was sourced from burning solutions. Take that revenue and invest it into alternative energies until we get to 100% green energy.
It can be done. Not a gimmick. Real stuff.
And Now….
Keep practicing your democracy. All of your efforts to draw attention to the abuses of power, to cause a bit of discomfort for decision-makers removed from the effects of their decisions, to shift purchases and expenses to business and products that support democracy, to demand for the protection of public services that keep the nation living and ensure an open and competitive free market. These are the necessary steps and proper alternatives to violence. It’s what a mature democratic society does to save its freedoms.
There is nobody else.
Hope to see you next time. Keep reading, practice your gratefulness, and remember: Be a good human.