

The Republican Party seems to have declared war on everybody who isn’t a lock-step, rigid, right wing conservative flack. They have declared on women by opposing the right of a woman to control her own body, to have equal pay, to have easy access to contraception, and to have access to health care. But that is only one war the Republicans have declared on American citizens.

Republicans have also declared war on the working class by opposing the very existence of minimum wage, let alone any increases in it, by opposing and trying to destroy unions, by suppressing wages for workers while profits soar for the owners, by opposing safety laws in the workplace, by refusing to extend unemployment benefits, by supporting the outsourcing of jobs, and by opposing all efforts to pass a job creation program by government. These things may do harm to millions of Americans, but they benefit the Republican’s corporate masters.

The GOP is waging a war on the environment, by supporting the increased and continued use of carbon-based fuels, by allowing energy producers to avoid complying with environmental laws, by opposing any effort to curb global climate change, by supporting “fracking” to produce more natural gas, by cutting funds for the EPA’s enforcement of laws, by supporting corporate use and exploitation of government land, and by making it easy for corporations to continue to pollute the country’s water and air.

They have declared war on the poor and elderly, by attempting to abolish Medicare, by trying to privatize Social Security or cut its benefits, by opposing the very concept of decent health care for all, by cutting food stamp programs, and by slashing funding for every single program that helps poor, disadvantaged, or disabled Americans.

But probably the most heartless of all the GOP wars is the one they have declared on America’s children. As you can see in the graphic above, the latest version of the Ryan Plan would cut funds to give free school lunches for children, would reduce or eliminate food stamp assistance for about 22 million children, would cut tax credits for low-wage families with another 5.5 million children, would cut money for child care, would cut funds for protective services and abuse prevention for children, and would cut funds for the foster care of children.

And this doesn’t include the substantial cuts for education both at the federal and state level. Or the further cuts in social programs made by all states with Republican leadership. By cutting food, care, and education for children, they are putting the very future of our nation at risk.

Why would the Republicans wage all these wars, plus the wars on minorities, immigrants, homosexuals, and the middle class? It’s simply because the Republicans don’t care about anyone but the rich and the corporations. As long as this year’s bottom line is profitable for the rich and corporations, and they don’t have to pay their fair share of taxes on it, that is all they care about. They don’t even think about the future, the country, or its citizens.

The Republicans talk a lot about democracy, but they really don’t want it. What they want, and are constantly striving for, is plutocracy, rule by the wealthy class. And they are very close to achieving it. They talk of class warfare, but there is no such thing happening. It needs to happen though. The public needs to defend themselves against all the wars the Republicans have declared on the vast majority of American citizens.