In his continuing campaign to subvert the Second Amendment, President Obama recently unveiled one of the oldest tricks in the demagogue playbook. Speaking in Colorado, he declared that since America is a democracy, people had no reason to fear “the government is going to come take my guns.” Mr. Obama explained: “The government is us. These officials are elected by you. I am elected by you. I am constrained, as they are constrained, by a system that our Founders put in place.”

Unfortunately, many Americans are lulled by such assertions. But almost 200 years ago, Sen. John Taylor, in a book titled “Tyranny Unmasked,” warned, “Self-government is flattered to destroy self-government.” Mr. Obama’s assertions fit a long pattern of presidents invoking democracy to sanction unleashing themselves to do as they please.