If I was a petty Tyrant

I would do the following to weaken the country and prevent the plebs from rising up against me.

Dumb down the Education system to weaken their minds so they were so confused 1+1+1 was not 3 it was 1024. I would also confuse the two sexes are really 12+ to keep them distracted.  Punish achievers and over achievers will celebrating mediocrity. Convince them fiat is better than actual money (precious metals).

Taint the food supply system thru years of direct and indirect poison, so testosterone levels are drastically lower decreasing sperm counts and thus native births. Keep them fat and out of shape so they can't form a standing army and defend their nation.

I would also poison the water supply to impact brain development and thus keep them confused (recall Farmers use Fluoride in water to keep cows dumb and calm). Also claim to be the guardian of the water supply and always looking the other way when chemicals are illegally dumped over a period of years and suddenly 50% of the water supply has forever chemicals in it.

Distract them with drugs (both illicit and legal) - pump them with Anti-Depressants that actually lower the brains ability to fight off depression making it a bigger problem. Or keep them hopped up and hooked so they can't handle basic tasks.

I would restrict free speech unless it was about prompting me and my agenda's. I would punish whistleblowers exposing all levels of my corruption! The more the better, the beatings will continue until moral improves!

Falsely report Employment rates meanwhile in reality town, 105M unemployed or under employed out of 355M, the country can't sustain itself.

Ignore or slow walk infrastructure maintenance and upgrades not allowing the economy to run at or near capacity. Also preventing a standing army from seizing the rulers castle. 

Healthcare - I would require citizens to pay for sub-par healthcare coverage while I gave it free to the illegals crossing the border.

Thanks for taking this fictional journey of all conspiracy theories with me. Glad none of this is happening here in Amerika! Don't forget to vote early and often!  On the brighter side here is an honest MSM article on how fitness makes you fascist! Good ole investigative journalism at its finest. https://www.zerohedge.com/medical/msnbcs-fitnessfascism-article-resurfaces-rogan-and-musk-tweet-it-out

Unsolicited advice, get out of their systems!