Of course Johnny played Paulie like a fiddle. Which made him meeting Carmine Sr and knowing that Johnny was playing him for a sucker and that Carmine didn't even know who Paulie was. "Carmine thinks the world of you" "Carmine doesn't know who you are".

That was Johnny sack. He used Carmine and his knowledge of people or lack thereof as this big powerful tool. Carmine did indeed know Ralph and would have gladly taken in Ralphie into the family. Johnny didn't want that knowing how Ralph could be, his friendship with Tony etc even if Ralphie was one of the biggest earners in Cosa Nostra period. Ralphie was like a Gravano, Crea, Bellomo type earner..just massive. Of course the boss knows about the capo in charge of their joint construction. He wouldn't know the capo of the glorified crew who was a terrible earner, Carmine cared about $. Paulie couldn't earn for shit, so why would Carmine know or care about him