Thomas Jefferson

"Does the President believe himself above the very union he swore to uphold? The exclusion of governors, duly elected by their states, smacks of the Alien and Sedition Acts, wherein dissent was deemed sedition and political rivals were silenced. The speed alone would have undone us; you appear merely inconvenienced. This instantaneous conveyance of news, this "social media," allows for the rapid dissemination of both truth and calumny, amplifying partisan fervor. While the desire to control the narrative is as old as government itself, the President must remember that the office demands a commitment to unity, even with those who oppose him. To use invitations as a tool of political leverage is a disservice to the nation."

Alexander Hamilton

"That factionalism would persist despite our best efforts is a galling truth, yet one I confess I anticipated. The President's actions, as reported, smack of the same partisan excess that fueled the Alien and Sedition Acts. While I concede the need for a firm executive, using invitations as political cudgels echoes the suppression of dissent I witnessed then. The speed with which such discord now spreads – this instantaneous distribution of intelligence – is a marvel, though one tempered by the realization that base passions travel even faster. Is this unity, then, to be held hostage to the whims of the moment, or can we still aspire to a government that transcends petty squabbles?"