awesome analogies, people.

also, i noticed the way the Corleones operated at first using an "isolationist policy", similar to the policy of the United States in it's initial stages. Then later, they adopted an "expansionist" outlook, or what's known as, "American exceptionalism", where they looked to reach out as far as they could, beyond their borders, or the confines of just New York for example, or just the gambling business in order to pursue self-interests- eventually reaching the Vatican.
The family's strategy could be a great analogy to American foreign policy.
Maybe I'll write my thesis about it someday...

-pp