Who does this sound like ?

[California Kid]

Look at the orators in our republics; as long as they are poor, both state and people can only praise their uprightness; but once they are fattened on the public funds, they conceive a hatred for justice, plan intrigues against the people and attack the democracy.

Aristophanes

[Celerity]

1. Aristophanes ie Ἀριστοφάνης c. 446 - c. 386 BC

Bust of Aristophanes in the Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy. Head on a herm. 1st century AD.


Theatre of Dionysus, Athens – in Aristophanes's time, the audience probably sat on wooden benches with earth foundations.

[usonian]

2. Psychology 101. Human nature never changes.

Lord Acton, expressed this opinion in a letter to Bishop Mandell Creighton in 1887:

“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men.”

Speaking of Psych 101,

How (and Why) Power Corrupts People
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/cutting-edge-leadership/202402/how-and-why-power-corrupts-people
Here’s why powerful people think they are above the law.

With Power Comes Privilege
Powerful people have plentiful resources that can be used to their benefit. This allows the powerful to achieve or experience things that evade less powerful people. They get special treatment. It can also lead to corruption because powerful people can "buy themselves out" of trouble. In our two-tier system of justice, powerful individuals can hire the best lawyers, bail themselves out of trouble financially, and simply throw money at the problem to make it go away.

People with power can also threaten and intimidate ("Don't you know who I am?" ) Less powerful people will often back down when confronted. Or, they align themselves with the powerful person and benefit from association—becoming powerful (and potentially corrupt) themselves.

I make a point of unearned privilege. It's the poor slob's idea of power. Like being white, son of a rich bastard, or some nationalist or religious bigot.

[erronis]

3. I'll bet you can find similar examples in our primate relatives and ancestors.

So has it been, so it will be - forever.

[markodochartaigh]

4. Certainly this is as true today as ever.

And certainly there have been politicians as corrupt, petty, or self-agrandizing as Trump.

But I think that Trump, and the US, are perhaps unique in how stupid and incurious our president is. Very few such people would ever rise to the status where they would be considered for the highest position in the country. Such a person would have to be born to great wealth. And even of people of great wealth it is astonishing to find someone so devoid of intellect put in that position by one third of the electorate and the majority of the 0.1%.