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Twelve months back, the landscape was completely separate. Ahead of the US presidential election, thoughtful Americans could acknowledge America's serious imperfections – its inequities and inequality – yet they could still perceive it as the United States. A democracy. A land where constitutional order carried weight. A country headed by a dignified and ethical public servant, notwithstanding his elderly years and increasing frailty.

These days, in late October 2025, many of us barely recognize the country we reside in. People alleged as illegal immigrants are detained and pushed into transport, sometimes denied due process. The East Wing of the “people’s house” – is being destroyed to build a lavish ballroom. The president is harassing his political rivals or alleged foes and requesting the justice department transfer an enormous amount of public funds. Uniformed troops are being sent into American cities with deceptive justifications. The defense headquarters, rebranded the Defense Ministry, has effectively liberated itself of routine media oversight as it spends what could amount to almost one trillion dollars of taxpayer money. Universities, attorney offices, journalism organizations are buckling under the president’s threats, and billionaires are treated like nobility.

“America, shortly prior to its quarter-millennium anniversary as the globe's top democratic nation, has fallen over the limit into authoritarianism and extremism,” Garrett Graff, commented in August. “In the end, faster than I imagined possible, it did happen in this country.”

One awakes amid recent atrocities. And it is hard to comprehend – and painful to realize – how deeply lost we are, and the rapid pace with which it has happened.

However, we understand that the leader was duly elected. Despite his highly troubling previous administration and following the alerts associated with the knowledge of the conservative plan – following the president personally stated openly he intended to rule as a tyrant solely at the start – a majority of citizens elected him over Kamala Harris.

While alarming as today's circumstances are, it's more daunting to recognize that we are just nine months into this presidential term. How will another 36 months of this deterioration find us? And if that period becomes an prolonged era, as there is nobody to stop this president from opting that a third term is required, perhaps for security concerns?

Admittedly, all is not lost. There will be legislative votes next year that may create a new balance of power, should Democrats retake one or both houses of parliament. There are government representatives who are striving to impose a degree of oversight, like Democratic congressmen currently starting a probe regarding the effort to money grab from legal authorities.

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

There exist numerous residents protesting in the streets across municipalities, similar to recent recently at democracy demonstrations.

A former official, stated lately that “the great sleeping giant of America is awakening”, exactly as before following the Red Scare in the 1950s or throughout anti-war demonstrations or during the seventies crisis.

On those occasions, the tilting vessel eventually was righted.

Reich says he knows the signals of that resurgence and observes it occurring now. As evidence, he points to the large-scale demonstrations, the broad, cross-party resistance to a broadcaster's firing and the near-unanimous defiance by media to agree to the defense department’s demands they report only approved content.

“The slumbering entity always remains inactive before some venality turns extremely harmful, an specific act so offensive of the common good, certain violence so disruptive, that it is forced other than to stir.”

It's a hopeful perspective, and I respect Reich’s experienced view. Perhaps he will be validated.

Meanwhile, the crucial issues endure: is the US able to return to normalcy? Can it reclaim its position internationally and its devotion to constitutional order?

Or must we acknowledge that the national endeavor worked for a while, and then – swiftly, totally – ended?

My negative thoughts suggests that the final scenario is correct; that all may indeed be finished. My positive feelings, nevertheless, convinces me that we need to strive, by any means available.

For me, as an observer of the press, that involves urging journalists to adhere, more fully, to their duty of overseeing leadership. For different individuals, it could mean working on political races, or planning demonstrations, or discovering methods to defend voting rights.

Under twelve months back, we existed in an alternate reality. Twelve months later? Or three years from now? The truth is, we cannot predict. The only option is to strive to not give up.

What Offers Me Encouragement Today

The engagement I have in the classroom with new media professionals, that are simultaneously visionary and realistic, {always