It looks exactly like what it is

Okay, here is a list of things:

1. Executive orders without legislation or discussion
2. National, federalized police force
3. Masked personnel carrying out raids
4. Deportations without due process
5. Ignoring Judicial authority when it is convenient
6. Destabilization of health services
7. Undermining scientific research
8. Reduced access to vaccinations
9. Mismanaging emergency management funding
10. Dismemberment of the education department 
11. Attacking higher education institutions
12. Attacks and targets on those who disagree with you
13. Little, to no, enforcement of laws protecting citizens’ rights
14. Reduction of codes and regulations restricting corporations 
15. Weakening of military morale
16. War rather than defense 
17. Diminishing global significance
18. Tariff policy (taxes) producing higher prices
19. Tax cuts for higher income earners
20. Gerrymandering districts
21. A shrinking middle class
22. New jobs created reaching epic lows 
23. Food prices soaring
24. Promise after promise made with few kept

There are so many more things that could be added to this list that show how we are not operating in a way that reflects practices that follow the rules of representative government. 

Alas, it is not just on the national level that we have these concerns.  When our local and state governments use fees for any kind of payment, they are hiding increases to our cost of living. When our local governments use excuses to explain the increase in out-of-pocket costs for our taxes, they are increasing our cost of living.  When our local governing authorities for education hoard millions of dollars while sending home fundraiser after fundraiser, they are increasing our cost of living.  When our cost of living is raised, there should be some honest dialogue about it.

There is not a lack of a need for services, nor is there a need for services to be thought of as some form of randomly free activity.  We all know that it will cost money to have our garbage collected, our streets paved, our lights to be working, our sewage to be processed, our children educated and our communities kept safe.  Truth be told, we want the best of all of these services carried out. What we do not need is being told something is not exactly what it appears to be.