1. The republicans granted the government greater freedom to bug our homes and wire- tap our conversations without cause.
2. The republicans granted the government greater freedom to use the most invasive forms of body search and privacy violations ― particularly at airports.
3. The republicans are granting the government permission to subject the middle class (to which I belong) to the unfair burden of paying the national debt without any help from the richest one percent of Americans. Apparently, the republicans believe that the richest one percent of Americans need money ― more than the rest of us.
4. The republicans granted themselves permission to keep some of us (the ones who are likely to vote democratic) from voting, by requiring a voter identification.
5. The republicans granted themselves permission to gerrymander or redraw the districts in such a manner that it will guarantee the reelection of their majority, in local, state, and national elections.
6. The republicans granted corporate America permission to help them determine the election outcomes, by allowing them to spend as much money as they desire on attack ads against democratic candidates.
7. The republicans have made it more difficult for us to seek justice against a corporation that has done harm to our families and us.
8. The republicans have passed laws that permits conceal carry of fire arms. This means that it is more probable that we will encounter more individuals, with low-boiling points, that are drunk, drugged- out, unstable, or hallucinating and “armed to the teeth.”
9. The republicans are destroying our rights to collectively bargain for fair wages, reasonable working conditions, and appropriate benefits. The republicans know that individuals, without the collect strength of other union members, can be easily frightened, defenseless, browbeaten, and force to accept longer working hours at lower wages, and less benefits at higher costs.
10. The republicans are intentionally destroying the last remnants of civility, corporation, empathy, equality, and fairness that we have in this country. The United States no longer feels like a friendly place of unity, where disagreement is permitted. Instead, it feels like a hostile place of disagreement, where unity is not permitted.
Of course, I can add many more freedoms that the republicans have taken away to this list, including a woman’s reproductive rights, gay marriages, search and seizure, profiling, rights to a speedy trial . . .
While it is true that providing a safety net for the poor, providing universal health care for everyone, and providing stimulus money for the purpose of creating jobs are socialist ideas that the democrats embrace, it is equally true that the denial of individual rights, restrictions on freedom of speech and expression, freedom of assembly, and concealed dictatorship are socialist ideas that the republicans are embracing.
