We are a commune of inquiring, skeptical, politically centrist, capitalist, anglophile, traditionalist New England Yankee humans, humanoids, and animals with many interests beyond and above politics. Each of us has had a high-school education (or GED), but all had ADD so didn't pay attention very well, especially the dogs. Each one of us does "try my best to be just like I am," and none of us enjoys working for others, including for Maggie, from whom we receive neither a nickel nor a dime. Freedom from nags, cranks, government, do-gooders, control-freaks and idiots is all that we ask for.
I think you're right, Barrister, but I think the real reason is that they don't want any dissenting voices. It is incompatible with their ultimate goal.
In the end, they are no different from Castro, Lenin, Stalin, Mao, Chavez, etc. in what they want. The government is the ruler and we are the ruled (for our own good, of course). Governemt is no longer the protector of our freedoms and rights. It is the definer of our freedoms and rights. Dissent can not be allowed under those circumstances as Gorbachev found out when he tried to thread the needle of allowing a little freedom while keeping Communism.