If you can keep it

How Trump plans to dig in, cement power, and crush competition

Preserving electoral competition is about more than elections
While many complex challenges lie ahead, preventing entrenchment and preserving electoral competition and the ability to challenge autocrats in fair and free elections in the future should be a top priority.

Preserving electoral competition means more than going through the motions of holding elections. After all, authoritarian states regularly conduct ceremonial elections to maintain the appearance that their citizens live in a democracy. The giveaway is that incumbents almost never lose — which isn’t happenstance. Their elections are inconsequential because citizens are unable to muster any serious opposition.