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Twelve months back, the environment was completely distinct. Ahead of the national election, reflective residents could recognize the country's serious imperfections – its unfairness and disparity – however they still could perceive it as the United States. A democracy. A country where constitutional order held significance. A country guided by a respectable and upright public servant, despite his older age and increasing frailty.

Nowadays, as October 2025 ends, countless Americans scarcely know the nation we inhabit. Individuals believed to be unauthorized foreigners are detained and shoved into vehicles, at times refused legal rights. The left side of the White House – is being destroyed to build a lavish dance hall. The president is persecuting his opponents or alleged foes and requesting legal authorities hand over a massive sum of taxpayer money. Soldiers with weapons are deployed to US urban areas on false pretexts. The Pentagon, rebranded the War Department, has – in effect – freed itself of regular press examination during its expenditure of what could amount to almost one trillion dollars of taxpayer money. Universities, law firms, media outlets are submitting due to presidential intimidation, and billionaires are regarded as nobility.

“The US, just months before its 250-year mark as the planet's foremost free society, has fallen over the brink into autocracy and fascism,” Garrett Graff, wrote in August. “Ultimately, swifter than I believed likely, it occurred here.”

One awakes amid recent atrocities. And it's challenging to understand – and painful to realize – just how far gone we have become, and the speed at which it has happened.

Nevertheless, we know that the leader was properly voted in. Even after his highly troubling first term and despite the alerts that came with the awareness of Project 2025 – following Trump himself stated openly he would act as an autocrat solely at the start – enough Americans selected him rather than the other candidate.

As terrifying as today's circumstances is, it's more frightening to understand that we’re only three-quarters of a year under this leadership. What will an additional three years of this decline leave us? And suppose that period becomes something even longer, because there is not anyone to limit this leader from determining that a third term is required, maybe for national security reasons?

Granted, there is still hope. There are legislative votes the coming year that could create a new balance of power, if Democrats recapture either chamber of parliament. We have public servants who are striving to apply some accountability, like Democratic congressmen currently launching an investigation concerning the try to cash appropriation from the justice department.

And a presidential election in 2028 could begin us down the road to recovery precisely as the prior selection placed us on this unfortunate course.

There exist countless citizens marching in urban areas throughout communities, as they did recently during anti-authority protests.

An ex-cabinet member, stated lately that “the dormant powerhouse of the nation is stirring”, just as it did after the Communist witch-hunt era during the fifties or throughout the Vietnam war protests or during the seventies crisis.

In those instances, the tilting vessel ultimately corrected itself.

Reich says he recognizes the signs of that revival and sees it happening now. As evidence, he references the large-scale demonstrations, the extensive, bipartisan pushback regarding a broadcaster's firing and the near-unanimous rejection by reporters to agree to military mandates they solely cover approved content.

“The dormant force consistently stays asleep till specific greed becomes so noxious, a particular deed so offensive toward public welfare, certain violence so loud, that he has no choice but to awaken.”

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

At the same time, the big questions remain: will the nation return to normalcy? Can it retrieve its standing globally and its commitment to legal principles?

Or must we acknowledge that the national endeavor succeeded temporarily, and then – suddenly, utterly – failed?

My cynical mind indicates that the latter is correct; that everything could be gone. My optimistic spirit, however, convinces me that we must try, by any means we can.

In my case, as an observer of the press, that’s about pushing media professionals to adhere, more thoroughly, to their purpose of scrutinizing authority. For others, it may be participating in election efforts, or organizing rallies, or developing approaches to protect voting rights.

Not even one year prior, we lived in an alternate reality. In the future? Or in several years? The fact is, we cannot predict. Our sole course is to attempt to persevere.

What Offers Me Optimism Currently

The interaction I encounter during teaching with new media professionals, who are both visionary and practical, {always