Some fun history

"One of the divisions consists of those, who from particular interest, from natural temper, or from the habits of life, are more partial to the opulent than to the other classes of society; and having debauched themselves into a persuasion that mankind are incapable of governing themselves, it follows with them, of course, that government can be carried on only by the pageantry of rank, the influence of money and emoluments, and the terror of military force. Men of these sentiments must naturally wish to point the measures of government less to the interest of the many than the few, and less to the reason of the many than to their weaknesses; hoping perhaps in proportion to the ardor of their zeal, that by giving such a turn to the administration, the government itself may by degrees be narrowed into fewer hands, and approximated to an hereditary form.

... the anti republican party... will be induced by the most obvious motives to strengthen themselves with the men of influence, particularly the moneyed, which is the most active and insinuating influence. It will be equally their true policy to weaken the opponents by ... taking advantage of all prejudices, local, political, and occupational, that may prevent or disturb a general coalition of sentiments."
[James Madison, National Gazette, 26 Sep 1792]

Madison wrote this screed against his Federalist opponents, led by Alexander Hamilton (and including George Washington). With some stylistic changes to reflect modern usage, it could have been written by an ardent Democrat today assaulting the tenets of the GOP!

I am beginning to believe that I can base most of my campaign on the writings of my political predecessors between 1776 and 1826.