Neither more nor less

Painted by Titian in 1545 or 1546 , this unfinished picture , a psychological revelation in paint of the relation of Pope Paul III to two of his grandsons ; Ottavio of Parma , a duke , and Alessandro Farnese , a cardinal-nephew ; we present as a depiction of a man whose life as a Pope of the Roman Catholic Church , we suggest , should be considered as an example of political action and decorum to be emulated in this New Year by our politicians and our wealthy , privileged and powerful political families .

Pope Paul III was reportedly a friend of humanists and artists , at least in the earlier part of his life . As Pope he presented the papal bull Sublimus Dei which proscribed the enslavement of native peoples in the New World . He recognized Loyola's Society of Jesus , the Jesuits . He also fought Christian heretics , protestant princes and apostates by leading the counter-reformation and by creating the Holy Office and the Roman Inquisition . He strengthened and enrichened his family while increasing and consolidating his power by giving positions of political significance to favoured family members .

Alessandro Farnese--whose mother , Giovanna Caetani , descended from the family that produced Pope Boniface VIII-- who became Pope Paul III in 1534 took pains to support and empower the Farnese family and thus strengthen his political position by among other actions making his illegitimate son , Pier Luigi , Duke of Parma and by making 3 of his grandsons , Alessandro Farnese, Guido Ascania Sforza and Ranuccio Farnese , Cardinals at the respective ages of 14 , 16 and 15 .

This coming year let the Kennedys , Clintons , Jacksons , Bidens , Cuomos , Bushes , Bloombergs , Quinns , Lauders , Obama and others , today standing on their mere feet of clay , get some class . Let this underachieving , pedestrian and rather uninteresting ruling elite learn something here of the superior political style and effectiveness of a successful , crafty and calculating Renaissance politician from this old pope's exalted example in this New Year of 2009.