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A very wise University of Maine professor shared with me how autocrats come to power. First, they find a way to be legitimately elected. Then they neutralize the referees. Finally, they change the rules.

This scenario appears to be what is transforming our democracy towards an authoritarian form of government. Our president was legitimately elected. He has appointed judges and regulators who support his agenda and the overriding power of the executive branch. And now he is attempting to change long-established rules and policies that have protected our democracy against the executive branch seizing excessive power over our country.

The most recent example of this f

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