No Kings in Woodstock

There were thousands of local demonstrations yesterday for “No Kings” Day. The emphasis this year was on encouraging people to vote.

Americans, of course, are well aware that we do not have a king. Here they are using the term to mean dictator or tyrant.

Let’s look back to our Constitutional Convention and the discussions that went on and on as a constitution was hammered out.

“Americans are like other men in similar situations… posterity will find that great power connected with ambition, luxury, and flattery, will as readily produce a Caesar, Caligula, Nero, and Domitian in America, as the same causes did in the Roman empire.” – Cato, 1787. Cato was a pen name of a writer arguing against a Federalist approach to the constitution. He is often assumed to be New York Governor George Clinton.

“History will teach us…those men who have overturned the liberties of republics the greatest number have begun their career, by paying an obsequious court to the people, commencing Demagogues and ending Tyrants.” – Alexander Hamilton, 1787.