Wisdom of the ages

In 1837 Daniel Webster recognized the character of manipulative men in power when he said:

There are men, in all ages, who mean to exercise power usefully; but they mean to exercise it. They mean to govern well; but they mean to govern. They promise to be kind masters; but they mean to be masters. They think there need be but little restraint upon themselves. Their notion of the public interest is apt to be quite closely connected with their own exercise of authority. They may not, indeed, always understand their own motives. The love of power may sink too deep in their own hearts even for their own scrutiny, and may pass with themselves for mere patriotism and benevolence.
 

And from Todd Conrad in April of 2013:

 Let us hope that the internet and the free flow of ideas about freedom continue to hamper the planners and world-savers who intend to remake the world in their image and reduce us all under absolute tyranny.