[5upplied_demand]

You asked for statements and I provided them. Now you are pivoting to "policy" as if authoritarians would release policy papers about how they want to end free and fair elections. Please cite some of those examples if you can find them.

One the other side, we have many historical examples of authoritarians claiming elections to be free and fair in order to cement power. The rest of the world knows Putin isn't receiving 88.5% of the vote in a free and fair election. Stalin and Mussolini also held elections. None were free, fair, or honest and that is the entire point.

> Politicians say lots of things to get elected, or to troll, or symptoms of senility, etc.

Why ask for the statements in the first place if they don't matter and can be waved away?

> The lack of more urgency or extreme counter action suggests to me that not enough people truly think that that is fact the goal.

This isn't about whether "enough people truly think it is the goal." It is about the stated claims and goals of the administration, which have been shared with you multiple times in this thread. Please stop with the red herrings.