Let's say I want to establish a totalitarian police state. And let's say I want to do it right here in the USA.
What would I need to do?
Well, first of all I would need a bunch of pals to help me. Let's call them the corporations and the GOP, for lack of better word. They'd have to have a permanent majority in both houses of congress and a servile supreme court. Check.
How do I make the majority permanent? Well, I can think of three ways:
Rigged Elections, suspended elections (national emergency, etc) or elections so unreliable they can't be certified, leaving incumbents in power.
How would I deal with dissent? Secret Arrests. Check. Secret Prisons. Check. Intimidation. Check. Torture. Check. I'd also infiltrate the opposition party with a few subservient lackeys who'd give my personal priorities the imprimature of bipartisanship. I'd put a few "opposition people" in my own party, who would cave in to my demands after putting on a show for the sheeple. Check.
How do I stifle the press and keep the silly sheeple in line? Well, I'd intimidate the press by calling them biased and occasionally arresting a reporter. Check.
I'd set up my own press organ to dispute whatever they find, demonize my opponents and generally crush the truth. Check.
Pretty soon, since perception is reality and the stupid people of the US have never actually read the documents that established their country, I'd have them on board, cheering me on.
If things get too dicey, I can always threaten the sheeple with bioweapons, nukes, dispersed terra attacks or even dispersed acts of insurrection. If they don't happen on their own, I can stage them. Check.
Shit. This stuff ain't so hard. All it takes is money, position and an utter lack of either scruples or compassion. Check.