Republicans are talking about freedom again. Here is what I have to say about freedom:
Freedom comes from knowing that there are people within the federal government who ensure that the products and services we consume are safe and that companies are held accountable for keeping our air and water clean.
Freedom comes from knowing that scientific research is being done to ensure we never have to live through another pandemic and that needed medicines are being developed (not just those that make Big Pharma rich).
Freedom comes from knowing that federal employees keep their eyes on the sky and manage our airways.
Freedom comes from knowing we have strong allies and are willing to stand against aggression and dictatorship.
Freedom comes from having health care so I can work with my talents and dreams and not be a slave to a job for benefits.
Freedom comes from knowing that, collectively, we are taking care of one another, for we never know when we may find ourselves in hard times.
Freedom comes from knowing that no one is above the law and that law and order are essential for any democratic society.
Freedom comes from knowing that we have a workforce able to meet the day’s demands. Freedom comes from knowing we have an educated and free society where people can worship as they choose and love who they love.
Freedom comes from pooling my tax dollars with my fellow citizens so that we all may live in a just and safe society.
Freedom isn’t a few more dollars in my pocket; it’s a better world where we all live well by contributing our fair share. Freedom comes when we have publicly funded elections, campaigns, and media so that no one can use money as a weapon against the truth.
Let’s not be fooled; the Republican leadership has made deep cuts, but these cuts are not savings. They are cuts to the fabric of a democratic society that has afforded us the freedom to live as we choose without worrying about being taken advantage of, being poisoned by corporate greed, or being threatened by foreign powers.
These “cuts” will make the middle class bleed to death while the richest soak up all our freedoms.
About the author: Emily Kurtz Neal, a lifelong Iowan, has spent her entire career as an educator at both the high school and college levels. She lives with her family in Decorah and is serving her second term on the Decorah City Council.
