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One year ago, the environment was entirely distinct. Prior to the US presidential election, considerate Americans could recognize America's serious imperfections – its unfairness and inequality – but they still could perceive it as America. A democracy. A country where legal governance held significance. A nation led by a dignified and upright official, notwithstanding his older age and growing weakness.

Nowadays, as October 2025 ends, countless Americans scarcely know the nation we live in. Persons believed to be undocumented migrants are detained and shoved into transport, at times denied due process. The eastern section of the “people’s house” – is being destroyed for an obscene dance hall. The president is targeting his adversaries or alleged foes and demanding federal prosecutors transfer an enormous amount of taxpayer money. Armed military personnel are deployed across metropolitan centers with deceptive justifications. The Pentagon, relabeled the Defense Ministry, has practically liberated itself of day-to-day journalistic scrutiny during its expenditure of possibly reaching almost one trillion dollars of taxpayer money. Institutions, legal practices, media outlets are buckling under the president’s threats, and wealthy elites are treated like members of the royal family.

“The United States, shortly prior to its 250-year mark as the planet's foremost free society, has fallen over the brink into authoritarianism and totalitarianism,” a noted author, stated in August. “In the end, swifter than I thought feasible, it occurred here.”

Each day begins amid recent atrocities. And it is challenging to understand – and distressing to accept – how severely declined we are, and how quickly it has happened.

Nevertheless, it is known that Trump was duly elected. Despite his profoundly alarming previous administration and even after the alerts linked to the awareness of Project 2025 – following Trump himself said publicly he intended to be a dictator solely at the start – sufficient voters selected him rather than Kamala Harris.

Frightening as the present situation are, it's more frightening to understand that we’re only several months into this administration. What will another 36 months of this downfall find us? And if that period becomes something even longer, because there is nobody to stop this ruler from deciding that additional tenure is essential, possibly for defense purposes?

Admittedly, not everything is hopeless. There will be legislative votes in 2026 that may create a new governmental control, in case Democrats recapture either chamber of parliament. There are government representatives who are attempting to exert a degree of oversight, like Democratic congressmen that are launching an investigation regarding the effort to cash appropriation from the justice department.

And a leadership election in the next cycle could start the path toward restoration precisely as the prior selection put us on this unfortunate course.

There are millions of Americans marching in urban areas across municipalities, similar to recent last weekend during anti-authority protests.

An ex-cabinet member, wrote recently that “the slumbering force of the US is stirring”, exactly as before following the Red Scare in that decade or during anti-war demonstrations or in the seventies crisis.

In those instances, the tilting vessel finally returned to balance.

The author states he knows the indicators of that resurgence and notices it unfolding currently. As support, he cites the large-scale demonstrations, the widespread, cross-party resistance regarding a broadcaster's firing and the near-unanimous refusal by journalists to accept the defense department’s demands they only publish authorized information.

“The sleeping giant consistently stays inactive till certain corruption becomes so noxious, an specific act so offensive of the common good, specific cruelty so noisy, that he has no choice other than to stir.”

It’s an optimistic take, and I appreciate the author's seasoned opinion. Perhaps he will turn out correct.

Meanwhile, the major inquiries persist: can America return to normalcy? Can it reclaim its position internationally and its devotion to constitutional order?

Or do we need to admit that the historical project functioned for a period, and then – swiftly, totally – ended?

My negative thoughts suggests that the final scenario is correct; that all may indeed be lost. My positive feelings, though, tells me that we have to attempt, through all methods we can.

In my case, working in journalism analysis, that’s about urging journalists to commit, more thoroughly, to their duty of overseeing leadership. For some people, it could mean working on election efforts, or organizing rallies, or developing approaches to protect ballot privileges.

Under twelve months back, we lived in an alternate reality. Twelve months later? Or after another term? The fact is, we don’t know. Our sole course is to strive to continue fighting.

What’s Giving Me Hope Now

The engagement I have during teaching with aspiring reporters, who are equally visionary and realistic, {always