Machiavellian Politics at the Public’s Expense

A Machiavellian tactic refers to a strategy rooted in cunning, manipulation, and pragmatic (often ruthless) pursuit of power, as outlined by Niccolò Machiavelli in The Prince.

One of the oldest political maneuvers — a truly Machiavellian tactic — is to divide people against each other in order to consolidate control. This is what the Fascist Four members of the Board of Supervisors, in particular Mr. Jamieson, are doing by reallocating funds meant for the library to other community services that have been underfunded. Instead of working together for the good of all, we’re made to argue over which essential service deserves to survive.

That’s not leadership, it’s manipulation. It’s despicable, and it comes at the expense of our community as a whole.

My conclusion is simple: Stop playing power games with our lives. Fully fund every essential service, including our library.

Cara Aldridge Young
Front Royal, VA

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