Republicans will likely do for Connecticut what they have done for other states and at national level: namely, cut taxes for their wealthy donors, make it harder to vote, make abortion inaccessible, reduce public employee pensions, promote private schools and vouchers, bust unions, loosen gun controls, allow discrimination again, break down the wall between church and State, cut social programs including health care, but ramp up corporate welfare.

By electing Republicans, any attempt at reform, such as Ranked Choice Voting, mitigating big money in elections, requiring tax returns to vet candidates, or restoring net neutrality will be off the table. Republican court picks assure that any reform will be almost impossible, and government will be even more unresponsive to the people.

When Eisenhower was in office the top marginal tax rate was over 90 percent, but Republican tax cuts and corporate welfare have resulted in big deficits, decaying infrastructure, skyrocketing tuition and student debt. They deliberately undermine health care, and other social programs for the vulnerable, removing the burden from the wealthy onto the sinking middle class. However, taxpayers will get the worlds largest military, an expanded nuclear arsenal, and a glorious military parade in Washington for an authoritarian leader.

Robert Vogel lives in East Lyme.