Vito's
modus operandi and shrewd strategy got him to be the top Mafia Don
among others -
- Vito having two separate Capo regime Clemenza and Tessio which on the surface looked like his muscle was half strength than it really was
- The other Dons mistakenly believing Vito was under muscled compared to them
- Vito had the foresight to cultivate political / Police contacts [though Sollozzo had the New York Police Captain in his pocket!]
How come the other Dons couldn't even wet their beak!
Vito's great strength was
focus: He focused on alliances with politicians who could protect him, and on two rackets--gambling and unions--that were highly profitable and were easy for his politicians to go along with. Gambling was a "harmless vice," and unions provided (at Vito's direction) money and other support for politicians' election campaigns. That focus worked so well that Vito apparently monopolized all the influential politicians and judges in NYC, according to Barzini at the Commission meeting.
Prostitution – Tattaglia is a pimp
Drugs – dirty business
Vito's rackets -
- Gambling - the poor punters losing money they could ill-afford to, especially the odds stacked against them – No money to put food on the table for their family
- Unions – loan sharks? strong arm tactics including extortion
Tom to Woltz
You're gonna have some union problems, my client could make them disappear
I ain't no band leader! Yeah, I heard that story....
Vito's Rise and Rise -
focus: his “alliances with politicians who could protect him”
You are right “--gambling and unions--that were “highly profitable and were easy for his politicians to go along with” and 'in their mind' "harmless vice,"
Narcotics money discussion with Vito and Sonny before the Sollozzo meeting
Tom: Now we have the unions, we have the gambling and they're the best things to have [but narcotics is a thing of the future]
