🔗 Share this article

In late October 2024, the environment was entirely separate. Prior to the American presidential vote, reflective citizens could acknowledge the nation's deep flaws – its unfairness and inequality – yet they could still see it as the United States. A democracy. A land where constitutional order carried weight. A country headed by a honorable and decent leader, despite his advanced age and declining health.

Nowadays, as October 2025 ends, many of us barely recognize the land we live in. People suspected of being unauthorized foreigners are detained and pushed into transport, at times blocked from fair treatment. The left side of the presidential residence – is undergoing demolition for an obscene event space. The leader is persecuting his adversaries or alleged foes and requesting the justice department hand over a huge total of public funds. Armed military personnel are dispatched across metropolitan centers with deceptive justifications. The military command, relabeled the Defense Ministry, has – in effect – rid itself of routine media oversight as it spends possibly reaching nearly $1tn from citizen taxes. Institutions, law firms, news companies are submitting under the president’s threats, and billionaires are handled as aristocracy.

“America, just months before its 250-year mark as the planet's foremost free society, has crossed the brink into autocracy and totalitarianism,” Garrett Graff, wrote in August. “Finally, more quickly than I imagined possible, it occurred here.”

Each day begins amid recent atrocities. And it's challenging to understand – and agonizing to acknowledge – how deeply lost we have become, and the rapid pace with which it has happened.

However, we know that the leader was legitimately chosen. Even after his profoundly alarming initial presidency and even after the cautions associated with the understanding of Project 2025 – even after Trump himself declared plainly he would act as an autocrat only on the first day – sufficient voters elected him over the other candidate.

As terrifying as the present situation may be, it's more frightening to realize that we have only been three-quarters of a year into this presidential term. How will three more years of this deterioration leave us? And what if the three years turns into an prolonged era, since there is not anyone to stop this president from opting that a third term is required, possibly for national security reasons?

Admittedly, all is not lost. We will have midterm elections in 2026 that may establish an alternate political equilibrium, should Democrats regain one or both houses of the legislature. There exist public servants who are attempting to impose some accountability, like representatives currently launching an investigation into the attempted cash appropriation from legal authorities.

And a presidential election three years from now could start our journey toward restoration exactly as the previous vote placed us on this regrettable path.

We see countless citizens protesting in urban areas of their cities, as they did last weekend at democracy demonstrations.

Robert Reich, wrote recently that “the great sleeping giant of the nation is awakening”, similar to past following the Red Scare in that decade or throughout the sixties activism or during the Watergate scandal.

During those times, the unstable nation ultimately corrected itself.

Reich says he recognizes the indicators of that awakening and sees it happening now. As evidence, he references the recent massive protests, the widespread, bipartisan pushback to a personality's dismissal and the near-unanimous defiance by media to agree to military mandates they solely cover authorized information.

“The slumbering entity always remains asleep till some venality turns extremely harmful, a particular deed so offensive toward public welfare, specific cruelty so loud, that it is forced other than to stir.”

It's a positive outlook, and I respect his knowledgeable stance. Maybe he’ll prove to be right.

In the meantime, the major inquiries persist: is the US able to return to normalcy? Can it retrieve its position in the world and its devotion to constitutional order?

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

My pessimistic brain tells me that the latter is true; that all may indeed be finished. My optimistic spirit, though, tells me that we need to strive, through all methods available.

In my case, as an observer of the press, that means encouraging reporters to adhere, more fully, to their mission of holding power to account. For some people, it may be participating in congressional campaigns, or coordinating protests, or finding ways to safeguard ballot privileges.

Less than a year ago, we existed in a separate situation. Twelve months later? Or after another term? The fact is, we don’t know. The only option is try to not give up.

What Provides Me Encouragement Today

The engagement I have with students with new media professionals, who are equally visionary and practical, {always