This answer may be inappropriately sincere, but here goes:
It breaks my heart to see a democracy I believed in as a child being eviscerated. I studied history...wasn't a great student, but learned a lot about how governments change when people think change is not possible. Governments collapse when people feel secure. This is such an old story. All the checks and balances we were taught existed to prevent authoritarian rule...what good are they if people don't understand them? If people don't care about them? In the end, no matter how a government is designed, it is only as good, as secure as the people we entrust it to.
In this case, it is not just legislators and leaders who are letting us down. It is the public, a people ready to believe false promises, false rumors. People who don't realize what they may be giving up.
It's not too late. The courts may save the process. Leaders may step forward yet and correct the course. But, as you say, uncertain times ahead.