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One year ago, the situation was utterly different. Before the national election, reflective citizens could admit the nation's significant faults – its injustices and disparity – however they could still perceive it as the US. A democracy. A country where legal governance carried weight. A country guided by a dignified and ethical leader, notwithstanding his older age and growing weakness.

These days, in late October 2025, many of us barely recognize the country we inhabit. People alleged as undocumented migrants are detained and pushed into vans, at times denied due process. The left side of the presidential residence – is undergoing demolition for an obscene event space. Donald Trump is persecuting his opponents or alleged foes and insisting legal authorities transfer a massive sum of public funds. Armed military personnel are being sent to US urban areas with deceptive justifications. The Pentagon, rebranded the Department of War, has – in effect – liberated itself of regular press examination as it spends potentially totaling close to a trillion USD in public funds. Institutions, legal practices, journalism organizations are yielding due to presidential intimidation, and wealthy elites are regarded as members of the royal family.

“The United States, shortly prior to its 250^th birthday as the world’s leading democracy, has tipped over the edge into authoritarianism and totalitarianism,” an American historian, stated this past summer. “Ultimately, faster than I imagined possible, it did happen in this country.”

Each day begins with fresh terrors. And it is hard to comprehend – and painful to realize – how deeply lost we have become, and the rapid pace with which it occurred.

Nevertheless, it is known that the leader was properly voted in. Even after his highly troubling initial presidency and following the warnings associated with the understanding of the rightwing blueprint – even after the leader directly declared plainly he planned to act as an autocrat only on the first day – sufficient voters selected him rather than the other candidate.

Frightening as the present situation are, it's more frightening to recognize that we’re only several months under this leadership. How will another 36 months of this decline position us? And suppose that timeframe becomes something even longer, since there is nobody to stop this president from determining that another term is essential, maybe for defense purposes?

Granted, not everything is hopeless. There are midterm elections in 2026 that could bring a different balance of power, should Democrats recapture the Senate or House of parliament. There exist government representatives who are attempting to impose some accountability, such as Democratic congressmen that are initiating an inquiry into the attempted fund seizure from legal authorities.

And a leadership election in 2028 could initiate us down the road to healing just as the previous vote placed us on this unfortunate course.

There are countless citizens demonstrating in urban areas across municipalities, as they did in the past days during anti-authority protests.

A former official, commented this week that “the slumbering force of the nation is awakening”, similar to past post-McCarthyism in that decade or during the Vietnam war protests or in the Nixon controversy.

On those occasions, the tilting vessel eventually was righted.

The author states he knows the signals of that resurgence and notices it unfolding now. As support, he points to the large-scale demonstrations, the extensive, multi-faction opposition against a personality's dismissal and the near-unanimous rejection by reporters to sign government requirements they only publish authorized information.

“The sleeping giant consistently stays dormant till specific greed becomes so noxious, an specific act so disrespectful of societal benefit, specific cruelty so loud, that the giant is compelled except to rise.”

It’s an optimistic take, and I appreciate his knowledgeable stance. Maybe he’ll prove to be right.

Meanwhile, the crucial issues persist: can America ever recover? Can it retrieve its standing internationally and its adherence to constitutional order?

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

My pessimistic brain indicates that the second option is true; that everything could be gone. My hopeful heart, though, convinces me that we must try, in whatever ways possible.

For me, working in journalism analysis, that involves urging journalists to commit, more completely, to their duty of scrutinizing authority. For others, it could mean working on political races, or organizing rallies, or finding ways to defend ballot privileges.

Less than a year ago, we were in an alternate reality. Twelve months later? Or in several years? The reality is, we don’t know. Our sole course is to attempt to continue fighting.

What Provides Me Hope Now

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