The Emporers new and improved clothes

In 498B.C, Tarquin who had appointed himself the King of Rome was killed at Lake Regillus. He had lived a life fraught with murder and distrust. All opposing views were snuffed out, he trusted no one, he lived in fear and being surrounded by a legion of "yes men" made him weak and ultimately led to his defeat and death. He had created a culture where he would be told what he wanted to hear and nothing else.
Much like the famous children's story - the emperors new clothes - Tarquin enjoyed being told how good he looked and nice his new outfit was. Finally, like the child in the story, someone showed up and said No! All of a sudden everything crumbled.
The other side of that coin is this.....
I was amazed by something I noticed in the recent political debates. Time and again the candidates were asked for a simple yes or no answer and time and again they managed to talk around the answer and never really say "yes" or "no". (the only two possible answers)I found this avoidance to be really irritating and I couldn't help thinking how nice it would have been to hear someone say "No! And this is why......." or "Yes! Because......" That would have been refreshing and it certainly would have caught my interest. How you might ask are these two points connected. (Tarquin and Modern Day Politicians)

1. People like, no people need honest answers and offering them is refreshing to prospects.
2. People are tired of feeling like they are being told what they want to hear instead of what is true.
3. If being surrounded by "Yes Men" is a sure sign of weakness then surrounding yourself with differing views is a sign of strength ( a practice by the way of men like Abraham Lincoln and Winston Churchill)
4. Business people that surround themselves with yes men will be weak and eventually the culture they have created will result in their demise.
5. Learning to like the No and trying to uncover the reasons for the No will only lead to better understanding of the yes and the reasons for that.

Rome ultimately adopted a senate style republic and the very notion of having a King was distasteful to them. Ironically when the Roman Emperors became "king like" the empire crumbled as a result.