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Twelve months back, the situation was completely different. Ahead of the US presidential election, reflective residents could recognize the country's serious imperfections – its unfairness and disparity – however they continued to perceive it as the United States. A democracy. A land where the rule of law held significance. A nation led by a dignified and upright official, notwithstanding his elderly years and declining health.

These days, in late October 2025, many of us hardly identify the country we reside in. Individuals believed to be undocumented migrants are collected and shoved into vans, sometimes blocked from fair treatment. The left side of the White House – is being torn down to build a lavish dance hall. Donald Trump is persecuting his political rivals or alleged foes and insisting legal authorities surrender an enormous amount of citizen dollars. Uniformed troops are deployed to US urban areas under fabricated reasons. The military command, renamed the Defense Ministry, has – in effect – liberated itself of routine media oversight while it uses potentially totaling nearly $1tn in public funds. Universities, law firms, media outlets are yielding under the president’s threats, and billionaires are regarded as aristocracy.

“The United States, shortly prior to its quarter-millennium anniversary as the planet's foremost free society, has crossed the brink into authoritarianism and totalitarianism,” an American historian, wrote in August. “In the end, more quickly than I imagined possible, it transpired in this country.”

One awakes amid recent atrocities. And it's hard to comprehend – and distressing to accept – how deeply lost we are, and the rapid pace with which it has happened.

Nevertheless, it is known that the leader was properly voted in. Despite his deeply disturbing initial presidency and even after the alerts that came with the awareness of Project 2025 – despite the president personally stated openly he would act as an autocrat solely at the start – sufficient voters chose him rather than the other candidate.

As terrifying as the present situation is, it's more frightening to realize that we are just nine months under this leadership. What will an additional three years of this decline leave us? And if that timeframe turns into an prolonged era, since there is no one to stop this president from deciding that a third term is necessary, possibly for national security reasons?

Admittedly, not everything is hopeless. We will have midterm elections next year that could establish an alternate political equilibrium, in case Democrats retake one or both houses of Congress. We have elected officials who are attempting to apply certain responsibility, for example Democratic congressmen who are launching an investigation concerning the try to fund seizure by federal prosecutors.

And a national vote in the next cycle could begin us down the road toward restoration precisely as the prior selection set us on this unfortunate course.

There are countless citizens demonstrating in public spaces across municipalities, as they did recently in the No Kings rallies.

An ex-cabinet member, stated lately that “the great sleeping giant of the nation is awakening”, just as it did after the Communist witch-hunt era during the fifties or amid anti-war demonstrations or during the seventies crisis.

On those occasions, the tilting vessel eventually was righted.

The author states he knows the signals of that awakening and sees it happening at present. As evidence, he cites the large-scale demonstrations, the widespread, multi-faction opposition regarding a personality's dismissal and the largely united refusal by journalists to accept military mandates they solely cover what is sanctioned.

“The slumbering entity perpetually exists asleep until some venality turns extremely harmful, an specific act so disrespectful toward public welfare, some brutality so disruptive, that the giant is compelled other than to stir.”

It's a hopeful perspective, and I respect the author's seasoned opinion. Maybe he’ll prove to be right.

In the meantime, the major inquiries persist: is the US able to return to normalcy? Can it reclaim its status internationally and its commitment to constitutional order?

Or must we acknowledge that the historical project worked for a while, and then – abruptly, completely – collapsed?

My cynical mind tells me that the latter is true; that everything might be finished. My positive feelings, though, tells me that we must try, through all methods available.

For me, working in journalism analysis, that’s about pushing media professionals to commit, more completely, to their mission of holding power to account. For some people, it might involve participating in congressional campaigns, or planning demonstrations, or developing approaches to protect voting rights.

Less than a year ago, we were in an alternate reality. A year from now? Or after another term? The fact is, we don’t know. Our sole course is try to continue fighting.

What Offers Me Encouragement Today

The interaction I encounter during teaching with new media professionals, that are simultaneously hopeful and practical, {always