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One year ago, the situation was completely different. Before the national election, thoughtful citizens could admit the country's significant faults – its unfairness and inequality – but they could still identify it as the US. A democracy. A land where constitutional order meant something. A country headed by a honorable and ethical leader, notwithstanding his elderly years and growing weakness.

Nowadays, as October 2025 ends, many of us hardly identify the land we reside in. Individuals suspected of being unauthorized foreigners are rounded up and shoved into vans, occasionally blocked from fair treatment. The left side of the presidential residence – is being destroyed to build a lavish dance hall. The president is persecuting his political rivals or alleged foes and insisting the justice department transfer a massive sum of public funds. Uniformed troops are dispatched across metropolitan centers under fabricated reasons. The military command, rebranded the War Department, has – in effect – freed itself of day-to-day journalistic scrutiny as it spends possibly reaching close to a trillion USD of taxpayer money. Institutions, legal practices, media outlets are buckling under the president’s threats, and billionaires are treated like aristocracy.

“The US, shortly prior to its quarter-millennium anniversary as the globe's top democratic nation, has tipped over the edge into authoritarianism and fascism,” an American historian, stated in August. “Ultimately, swifter than I imagined possible, it transpired in America.”

Every morning starts to new horrors. And it is difficult to grasp – and painful to realize – just how far gone we have become, and the speed at which it unfolded.

However, it is known that the leader was duly elected. Following his deeply disturbing initial presidency and despite the warnings that came with the awareness of the rightwing blueprint – following the president personally said publicly he would act as an autocrat solely at the start – sufficient voters selected him instead of the other candidate.

Frightening as the present situation are, it's more frightening to realize that we are just several months into this administration. What will another 36 months of this decline leave us? And if that timeframe transforms into something even longer, since there is not anyone to restrain this leader from deciding that another term is essential, perhaps for defense purposes?

Admittedly, all is not lost. There are midterm elections the coming year which might create a new political equilibrium, in case Democrats regain one or both houses of parliament. We have public servants who are trying to impose certain responsibility, such as representatives who are starting a probe regarding the effort to cash appropriation from the justice department.

And a leadership election in the next cycle could start the path to healing just as the prior selection placed us on this disappointing trajectory.

There exist millions of Americans demonstrating in the streets throughout communities, similar to recent recently during anti-authority protests.

Robert Reich, stated lately that “the slumbering force of the US is awakening”, just as it did following the Red Scare in that decade or during the sixties activism or throughout the seventies crisis.

In those instances, the listing ship eventually was righted.

He claims he knows the signals of that resurgence and observes it occurring now. As evidence, he cites the large-scale demonstrations, the extensive, multi-faction opposition against a personality's dismissal and the almost universal rejection by reporters to agree to military mandates they only publish what is sanctioned.

“The slumbering entity always remains asleep before some venality turns extremely harmful, some action so disrespectful of the common good, specific cruelty so loud, that he has no choice except to rise.”

It's a positive outlook, and I appreciate Reich’s experienced view. Perhaps he will be validated.

At the same time, the major inquiries remain: will the nation regain its footing? Is it possible to restore its status internationally and its devotion to legal principles?

Or should we recognize that the historical project functioned for a period, and then – suddenly, utterly – failed?

My pessimistic brain suggests that the latter is true; that all may indeed be finished. My optimistic spirit, nevertheless, convinces me that we need to strive, through all methods we can.

Personally, as an observer of the press, that’s about urging journalists to adhere, more fully, to their purpose of overseeing leadership. For different individuals, it could mean engaging with congressional campaigns, or planning demonstrations, or discovering methods to defend ballot privileges.

Not even one year prior, we lived in an alternate reality. Twelve months later? Or after another term? The truth is, we don’t know. All we can do is to attempt to persevere.

What Provides Me Encouragement Today

The contact I experience in the classroom with new media professionals, who are equally visionary and realistic, {always