The Enlightenment figures (Voltaire, Rousseau, Franklin, Hume, Locke,et al) declared that humans possessed inalienable rights- just because they breathed air and stood on two legs.

The current administration and their Vichy allies believe that any and all rights that a citizen may have are merely bestowed upon them by the whim of the government.

This is a decisive break with about 250 years of tradition.