This quote from Alexander Hamilton never gets old
The truth unquestionably is, that the only path to a subversion of the republican system of the Country is, by flattering the prejudices of the people, and exciting their jealousies and apprehensions, to throw affairs into confusion, and bring on civil commotion. . . . When a man unprincipled in private life desperate in his fortune, bold in his temper, possessed of considerable talents, having the advantage of military habitsdespotic in his ordinary demeanourknown to have scoffed in private at the principles of libertywhen such a man is seen to mount the hobby horse of popularityto join in the cry of danger to libertyto take every opportunity of embarrassing the General Government & bringing it under suspicionto flatter and fall in with all the nonsense of the zealots of the dayIt may justly be suspected that his object is to throw things into confusion that he may ride the storm and direct the whirlwind.