What do you mean “reduced”? Do you think he was ever more than a crook?

“Let them eat less cake”

Yes you can. There might be consequences, but that will always be the case. If obeying orders breaks the law, and disobeying orders breaks the law, then you’re a criminal either way. Might as well do what you agreed to do when you joined the military: risk your life to defend the constitution.

If the law disagrees, the law is wrong and should be broken. And if that leads to a punishment, just remember that someone is being ordered to punish you, and they can defy those orders too.