COTUS- monarchical or republican ?

"Where a constitution, like ours, wears a mixed aspect of monarchy and republicanism, its citizens will naturally divide into two classes of sentiment, according as their tone of body or mind, their habits, connections and callings, induce them to wish to strengthen either the monarchical or the republican features of the constitution. Some will consider it as an elective monarchy, which had better be made hereditary, and therefore endeavor to lead towards that all the forms and principles of its administration. Others will view it as an energetic republic, turning in all its points on the pivot of free and frequent elections." --Thomas Jefferson to James Sullivan, 1797. ME 9:377

"The Constitution to which we are all attached was meant to be republican, and we believe to be republican according to every candid interpretation. Yet we have seen it so interpreted and administered, as to be truly what the French have called, a monarchie masque." --Thomas Jefferson to Robert R. Livingston, 1800. ME 10:177

http://etext.virginia.edu/jefferson/quotations/jeff1020.htm

Jefferson was all over the map. He once suggested that the Constitution should be re-worked every generation to meet the expectations of each succeeding generation. I suspect if that were the case we'd have a right to play X-Box games and download tunes to our mp3's with this generation. By which I mean that Jefferson was all over the map. Everybody claims him. He was personally inconsistent.

That competing would-be dynasties at the outset of the twenty-first century appear to be competing for a sixth consecutive term (in total) is just a coincidence. We're still a republic although one with a greater claim on the public treasury.