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Twelve months back, the situation was entirely different. Before the US presidential election, considerate citizens could recognize America's serious imperfections – its injustices and disparity – yet they continued to identify it as the United States. A democratic nation. A country where constitutional order meant something. A country guided by a honorable and decent public servant, despite his elderly years and growing weakness.

These days, in late October 2025, countless Americans barely recognize the country we live in. People believed to be illegal immigrants are collected and pushed into transport, occasionally denied due process. The eastern section of the “people’s house” – is undergoing demolition for an obscene ballroom. Donald Trump is persecuting his political rivals or supposed enemies and insisting legal authorities transfer an enormous amount of citizen dollars. Uniformed troops are dispatched to US urban areas under fabricated reasons. The defense headquarters, renamed the Defense Ministry, has practically rid itself of routine media oversight while it uses potentially totaling nearly $1tn of taxpayer money. Colleges, attorney offices, journalism organizations are buckling from leader's menaces, and billionaires are treated like aristocracy.

“America, just months before its 250-year mark as the planet's foremost free society, has tipped over the edge toward dictatorship and extremism,” an American historian, stated in August. “Finally, more quickly than I believed likely, it occurred in America.”

Each day begins amid recent atrocities. And it is hard to comprehend – and painful to realize – just how far gone our nation is, and how quickly it has happened.

Nevertheless, we know that Trump was duly elected. Despite his profoundly alarming previous administration and despite the warnings that came with the knowledge of Project 2025 – following the president personally said publicly he planned to be a dictator just on day one – a majority of citizens elected him rather than Kamala Harris.

As terrifying as the current reality is, it's more frightening to realize that we’re only several months into this administration. How will an additional three years of this decline find us? And suppose that timeframe turns into a more extended duration, since there is not anyone to restrain this ruler from deciding that a third term is required, possibly for national security reasons?

Granted, there is still hope. We will have legislative votes in 2026 which might create a new governmental control, should Democrats regain one or both houses of parliament. There are elected officials who are attempting to impose certain responsibility, for example Democratic congressmen currently initiating an inquiry into the attempted fund seizure from the justice department.

And a national vote in 2028 could initiate the path toward restoration precisely as the prior selection placed us on this disappointing trajectory.

There exist millions of Americans demonstrating in public spaces across municipalities, similar to recent recently during anti-authority protests.

Robert Reich, wrote recently that “the slumbering force of the nation is stirring”, just as it did following the Red Scare in the 1950s or throughout the Vietnam war protests or in the Watergate scandal.

During those times, the tilting vessel ultimately corrected itself.

He claims he recognizes the indicators of that awakening and sees it happening currently. As evidence, he points to the large-scale demonstrations, the extensive, multi-faction opposition regarding a broadcaster's firing and the largely united defiance by media to sign government requirements they report only what is sanctioned.

“The dormant force perpetually exists asleep until some venality becomes so noxious, an specific act so disrespectful of the common good, specific cruelty so loud, that the giant is forced other than to stir.”

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

In the meantime, the crucial issues remain: will the nation ever recover? Can it retrieve its position globally and its adherence to constitutional order?

Or should we recognize that the historical project functioned for a period, and then – swiftly, totally – ended?

My cynical mind indicates that the latter is correct; that all may indeed be finished. My positive feelings, however, tells me that we have to attempt, by any means we can.

For me, as a media critic, that involves urging journalists to commit, more completely, to their mission of overseeing leadership. For some people, it may be engaging with election efforts, or coordinating protests, or discovering methods to protect electoral access.

Not even one year prior, we were in an alternate reality. A year from now? Or after another term? The reality is, we don’t know. The only option is to attempt to persevere.

What’s Giving Me Optimism Currently

The contact I encounter with students with young journalists, that are simultaneously visionary and practical, {always