The more things change, the more they stay the same

The more things change, the more they stay the same:

Americans too often teach their children to despise those who hold unpopular opinions. We teach them to regard as traitors, and hold in aversion and contempt, such as do not shout with the crowd, and so here in our democracy we are cheering a thing which of all things is most foreign to it and out of place - the delivery of our political conscience into somebody else's keeping. This is patriotism on the Russian plan. - Mark Twain

I found that quote at the end of an article by Digby on the Republicans artfule use of Ritual Defamation to cow the Democrats time and time again. The whole article is well worth a read.