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Twelve months back, the landscape was utterly separate. Before the American presidential vote, reflective Americans could acknowledge the nation's significant faults – its unfairness and imbalance – however they could still identify it as the United States. A democracy. A land where the rule of law carried weight. A nation led by a honorable and decent leader, even with his elderly years and increasing frailty.

These days, as October 2025 ends, numerous citizens scarcely know the nation we inhabit. Persons believed to be unauthorized foreigners are collected and forced into vehicles, at times refused legal rights. The East Wing of the White House – is undergoing demolition to build a lavish ballroom. Donald Trump is targeting his adversaries or perceived antagonists and demanding federal prosecutors surrender a huge total of public funds. Soldiers with weapons are deployed across metropolitan centers under fabricated reasons. The defense headquarters, relabeled the War Department, has practically rid itself of regular press examination as it spends what could amount to close to a trillion USD from citizen taxes. Universities, attorney offices, media outlets are submitting from leader's menaces, and wealthy elites are handled as members of the royal family.

“The United States, just months before its 250^th birthday as the globe's top democratic nation, has fallen over the limit into autocracy and extremism,” Garrett Graff, stated recently. “Finally, faster than I thought feasible, it transpired here.”

One awakes with fresh terrors. It is difficult to grasp – and distressing to accept – just how far gone our nation is, and the rapid pace with which it occurred.

Yet, we know that the leader was properly voted in. Despite his profoundly alarming previous administration and following the cautions that came with the understanding of Project 2025 – even after the president personally stated openly he would be a dictator solely at the start – a majority of citizens elected him rather than Kamala Harris.

As terrifying as the present situation may be, it’s even scarier to understand that we have only been several months into this presidential term. Where will an additional three years of this downfall position us? And if that timeframe turns into something even longer, because there is not anyone to stop this president from opting that additional tenure is necessary, maybe for defense purposes?

Certainly, there is still hope. There will be congressional elections the coming year that may create a new political equilibrium, in case Democrats regain either chamber of parliament. There exist elected officials who are striving to apply some accountability, for example representatives currently starting a probe regarding the effort to fund seizure from legal authorities.

And a national vote in the next cycle could begin the path to recovery exactly as last year’s election placed us on this regrettable path.

We see numerous residents marching in urban areas throughout communities, as they did recently during anti-authority protests.

An ex-cabinet member, wrote recently that “the slumbering force of America is stirring”, similar to past after the Communist witch-hunt era in the 1950s or during the sixties activism or in the Watergate scandal.

During those times, the unstable nation finally returned to balance.

Reich says he recognizes the signs of that revival and notices it unfolding now. As evidence, he points to the recent massive protests, the extensive, cross-party resistance against a personality's dismissal and the almost universal rejection by reporters to sign the defense department’s demands they only publish approved content.

“The slumbering entity consistently stays inactive until specific greed grows too toxic, an specific act so disrespectful of societal benefit, specific cruelty so noisy, that it is forced other than to stir.”

It’s an optimistic take, and I respect Reich’s experienced view. Perhaps he will turn out correct.

Meanwhile, the major inquiries remain: is the US able to ever recover? Can it retrieve its position in the world and its commitment to legal principles?

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

My pessimistic brain indicates that the latter is correct; that everything might be finished. My positive feelings, however, advises me that we need to strive, by any means we can.

For me, as a media critic, that means pushing media professionals to live up, more completely, to their duty of overseeing leadership. For some people, it might involve engaging with election efforts, or coordinating protests, or developing approaches to safeguard electoral access.

Less than a year ago, we were in a separate situation. In the future? Or after another term? The fact is, we cannot predict. All we can do is to strive to persevere.

What Provides Me Hope Now

The contact I have with students with aspiring reporters, who are equally visionary and realistic, {always