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Twelve months back, the situation was completely different. Prior to the US presidential election, considerate citizens could recognize America's significant faults – its injustices and inequality – but they could still see it as the United States. A democratic nation. A place where constitutional order meant something. A nation headed by a dignified and upright leader, notwithstanding his older age and growing weakness.

These days, as October 2025 ends, many of us scarcely know the country we reside in. People alleged as undocumented migrants are detained and forced into vehicles, occasionally refused legal rights. The left side of the presidential residence – is being destroyed for an obscene ballroom. The leader is persecuting his political rivals or supposed enemies and insisting legal authorities transfer an enormous amount of citizen dollars. Uniformed troops are deployed into American cities with deceptive justifications. The military command, rebranded the Defense Ministry, has – in effect – rid itself of regular press examination while it uses possibly reaching nearly $1tn from citizen taxes. Universities, legal practices, journalism organizations are submitting from leader's menaces, and rich magnates are treated like nobility.

“The US, shortly prior to its 250-year mark as the world’s leading democracy, has fallen over the brink toward dictatorship and fascism,” a noted author, commented in August. “In the end, faster than I imagined possible, it occurred in this country.”

Each day begins with fresh terrors. And it is difficult to grasp – and distressing to accept – how deeply lost we have become, and the speed at which it occurred.

However, we know that Trump was legitimately chosen. Even after his highly troubling first term and following the alerts associated with the awareness of the rightwing blueprint – even after Trump himself stated openly he intended to rule as a tyrant solely at the start – sufficient voters elected him instead of Kamala Harris.

As terrifying as today's circumstances is, it's more frightening to realize that we’re only nine months under this leadership. How will another 36 months of this downfall position us? And what if the three years transforms into something even longer, because there is no one to limit this leader from deciding that additional tenure is essential, perhaps for national security reasons?

Granted, all is not lost. There are legislative votes the coming year that may establish an alternate governmental control, should Democrats recapture the Senate or House of parliament. There exist public servants who are trying to impose certain responsibility, like Democratic congressmen that are initiating an inquiry regarding the effort to money grab from legal authorities.

And a leadership election in 2028 could initiate us down the road toward restoration precisely as last year’s election placed us on this regrettable path.

There exist numerous residents marching in public spaces throughout communities, similar to recent in the past days during anti-authority protests.

An ex-cabinet member, stated lately that “the great sleeping giant of the nation is rising”, similar to past post-McCarthyism in that decade or during the sixties activism or throughout the Watergate scandal.

During those times, the tilting vessel ultimately corrected itself.

He claims he knows the signals of that awakening and sees it happening now. For proof, he cites the large-scale demonstrations, the broad, cross-party resistance against a broadcaster's firing and the near-unanimous refusal by journalists to sign government requirements they report only approved content.

“The dormant force consistently stays asleep till specific greed becomes so noxious, a particular deed so offensive toward public welfare, some brutality so loud, that the giant has no choice other than to stir.”

It’s an optimistic take, and I appreciate Reich’s experienced view. Possibly he may prove to be right.

Meanwhile, the crucial issues persist: can America return to normalcy? Can it reclaim its status internationally and its devotion to constitutional order?

Or do we need to admit that the historical project functioned for a period, and then – abruptly, completely – collapsed?

My negative thoughts suggests that the latter is true; that everything could be finished. My optimistic spirit, however, tells me that we need to strive, in whatever ways we can.

In my case, working in journalism analysis, that means pushing media professionals to live up, more fully, to their duty of holding power to account. For different individuals, it may be participating in congressional campaigns, or coordinating protests, or discovering methods to defend electoral access.

Less than a year ago, we existed in an alternate reality. Twelve months later? Or after another term? The fact is, we don’t know. The only option is to strive to continue fighting.

What’s Giving Me Encouragement Today

The engagement I encounter with students with new media professionals, that are simultaneously visionary and practical, {always