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One year ago, the landscape was completely separate. Prior to the American presidential vote, thoughtful citizens could recognize America's deep flaws – its inequities and disparity – however they still could identify it as the United States. A democratic nation. A land where constitutional order carried weight. A state headed by a honorable and upright public servant, notwithstanding his elderly years and growing weakness.

Currently, as October 2025 ends, countless Americans hardly identify the nation we live in. Individuals suspected of being unauthorized foreigners are collected and forced into transport, sometimes blocked from fair treatment. The left side of the “people’s house” – is being destroyed for an obscene dance hall. The leader is harassing his opponents or supposed enemies and requesting the justice department hand over a massive sum of public funds. Soldiers with weapons are deployed across metropolitan centers with deceptive justifications. The defense headquarters, renamed the Department of War, has practically freed itself of day-to-day journalistic scrutiny during its expenditure of possibly reaching close to a trillion USD of taxpayer money. Universities, legal practices, news companies are submitting from leader's menaces, and billionaires are regarded as members of the royal family.

“America, shortly prior to its quarter-millennium anniversary as the planet's foremost free society, has tipped over the edge into authoritarianism and extremism,” a noted author, wrote recently. “Ultimately, swifter than I thought feasible, it occurred here.”

One awakes to new horrors. It is hard to comprehend – and distressing to accept – how severely declined we have become, and the rapid pace with which it unfolded.

However, we know that the leader was legitimately chosen. Despite his profoundly alarming previous administration and even after the warnings associated with the knowledge of the conservative plan – following the leader directly said publicly he would rule as a tyrant solely at the start – sufficient voters elected him rather than Kamala Harris.

Frightening as today's circumstances may be, it's more frightening to recognize that we have only been several months into this administration. What will another 36 months of this deterioration position us? And if that period transforms into something even longer, because there is no one to limit this ruler from determining that a third term is essential, perhaps for defense purposes?

Granted, all is not lost. There will be congressional elections in 2026 which might establish an alternate political equilibrium, if Democrats regain one or both houses of Congress. There are government representatives who are striving to impose a degree of oversight, such as lawmakers currently initiating an inquiry concerning the try to money grab by federal prosecutors.

And a national vote in the next cycle could initiate our journey to healing precisely as the previous vote set us on this regrettable path.

There exist countless citizens demonstrating in the streets throughout communities, similar to recent recently during anti-authority protests.

A former official, commented this week that “the dormant powerhouse of America is awakening”, exactly as before following the Red Scare during the fifties or during the Vietnam war protests or throughout the Watergate scandal.

On those occasions, the unstable nation eventually was righted.

Reich says he knows the signals of that resurgence and sees it happening now. As support, he references the recent massive protests, the extensive, cross-party resistance against a television host's removal and the largely united defiance by media to accept government requirements they report only approved content.

“The sleeping giant perpetually exists dormant till some venality turns extremely harmful, a particular deed so disrespectful of the common good, specific cruelty so noisy, that the giant is forced except to rise.”

It's a hopeful perspective, and I value Reich’s experienced view. Possibly he may prove to be right.

Meanwhile, the big questions remain: will the nation ever recover? Can it reclaim its standing internationally and its devotion to constitutional order?

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

My cynical mind tells me that the second option is accurate; that all may indeed be finished. My positive feelings, however, convinces me that we need to strive, by any means possible.

For me, as an observer of the press, that means encouraging reporters to live up, more thoroughly, to their purpose of overseeing leadership. For different individuals, it may be participating in political races, or coordinating protests, or discovering methods to protect ballot privileges.

Under twelve months back, we lived in a very different place. In the future? Or in several years? The truth is, we don’t know. All we can do is try to not give up.

What’s Giving Me Optimism Currently

The interaction I encounter during teaching with young journalists, who are equally idealistic and practical, {always