To the editor:

The Sting: The 1973 movie by that name is a classic tale of a successful long con starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford. It’s a great movie!

It takes genius to pull off a long con. America’s current con man isn’t one. The long con artist should never enroll players who have to rely on getting reelected to achieve completion. A con man should know that the pledge of allegiance to the con is only as long as the reelection cycle.

As a result of his error, this con man must rush the time necessary to gain the confidence of the mark. It’s too much, too fast. The mark begins to get nervous and asks questions about why reality doesn’t jive with the con man’s speak?

At this point, the con artist cuts their losses and strikes the set. But not this con man. His narcissism runs too deep. He speeds up the con with more lies, diversions, and denials all failing to reassure either the players or the mark. I’m guessing that the players’ attention is now focused on running their own cons to get reelected and not getting entangled in one that is doomed.

I’m betting that Americans, obviously the mark in this case, are smarter than the con man. But the Lord knows I’ve been wrong before. Please Americans, please let me be right this time.

Stephen Albright

Baldwin City