Our own Catiline

Then that man [Catiline], in his burning rage, shouts out: "Since indeed I am surrounded on all sides by enemies and driven headlong, I will extinguish my own conflagration by pulling down everything in ruin."

--Sallust, Catiline 31.9 (Sallust was a Roman historian.)

Catiline was a Roman aristocrat with political ambitions. After failing in his bid for a consulship, he rallied the poor behind him and organized a conspiracy to overthrow the Republic. He was denounced in the Senate by Cicero, who was then one of Rome's two consuls. When Catiline saw himself losing support among the Senators, he responded with the above outburst -- if his career was to be ruined, he'd pull down the Roman Republic along with him.

History repeats itself, probably because human nature and lust for power remain constants.

Watch what's happening in Washington, D.C.; watch what happens over the next four months.