🔗 Share this article

One year ago, the environment was entirely distinct. Prior to the US presidential election, reflective citizens could recognize America's deep flaws – its inequities and imbalance – but they continued to perceive it as the United States. A free society. A country where the rule of law meant something. A country led by a honorable and upright public servant, despite his older age and declining health.

Nowadays, in late October 2025, countless Americans barely recognize the country we live in. Individuals suspected of being unauthorized foreigners are detained and forced into transport, sometimes blocked from fair treatment. The East Wing of the White House – is being torn down for a grotesque dance hall. Donald Trump is persecuting his political rivals or perceived antagonists and requesting legal authorities hand over a huge total of public funds. Uniformed troops are deployed into American cities with deceptive justifications. The military command, rebranded the Department of War, has – in effect – liberated itself of regular press examination while it uses possibly reaching close to a trillion USD from citizen taxes. Institutions, law firms, journalism organizations are submitting due to presidential intimidation, and rich magnates are treated like members of the royal family.

“The United States, shortly prior to its 250-year mark as the world’s leading democracy, has tipped over the limit into authoritarianism and fascism,” a noted author, wrote in August. “In the end, more quickly than I believed likely, it transpired here.”

Every morning starts with fresh terrors. And it is hard to comprehend – and distressing to accept – how deeply lost we are, and the speed at which it occurred.

Yet, we know that Trump was properly voted in. Despite his deeply disturbing first term and even after the warnings associated with the knowledge of the rightwing blueprint – despite Trump himself declared plainly he would be a dictator only on the first day – a majority of citizens chose him over Kamala Harris.

As terrifying as the present situation are, it's more daunting to realize that we’re only nine months into this administration. What will an additional three years of this deterioration position us? And suppose the three years becomes a more extended duration, because there is not anyone to restrain this ruler from determining that a third term is required, perhaps for national security reasons?

Certainly, all is not lost. We will have legislative votes the coming year which might create a new political equilibrium, if Democrats retake one or both houses of the legislature. There exist public servants who are trying to apply certain responsibility, such as lawmakers currently starting a probe regarding the effort to money grab from the justice department.

And a national vote in 2028 could initiate our journey toward restoration exactly as the previous vote placed us on this disappointing trajectory.

There are countless citizens demonstrating in the streets across municipalities, as they did in the past days in the No Kings rallies.

Robert Reich, wrote recently that “the dormant powerhouse of America is rising”, similar to past after the Communist witch-hunt era in the 1950s or during the sixties activism or in the Nixon controversy.

In those instances, the unstable nation ultimately corrected itself.

The author states he knows the signals of that revival and sees it happening at present. As evidence, he points to the widespread marches, the extensive, multi-faction opposition to a television host's removal and the almost universal refusal by journalists to agree to government requirements they report only approved content.

“The dormant force consistently stays dormant till certain corruption turns extremely harmful, an specific act so offensive of societal benefit, specific cruelty so noisy, that he is forced except to rise.”

It's a hopeful perspective, and I appreciate Reich’s experienced view. Possibly he may prove to be right.

In the meantime, the major inquiries endure: can America ever recover? Can it reclaim its status internationally and its devotion to the rule of law?

Or must we acknowledge that the historical project worked for a while, and then – suddenly, utterly – failed?

My cynical mind tells me that the second option is correct; that all may indeed be finished. My hopeful heart, nevertheless, convinces me that we need to strive, by any means possible.

For me, working in journalism analysis, that’s about pushing media professionals to live up, more fully, to their mission of scrutinizing authority. For others, it may be engaging with election efforts, or planning demonstrations, or discovering methods to defend electoral access.

Under twelve months back, we existed in an alternate reality. In the future? Or in several years? The reality is, we don’t know. The only option is try to not give up.

What’s Giving Me Encouragement Today

The engagement I experience in the classroom with aspiring reporters, who are equally hopeful and realistic, {always