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In late October 2024, the landscape was entirely distinct. Prior to the US presidential election, reflective citizens could recognize America's serious imperfections – its injustices and imbalance – yet they still could perceive it as the US. A free society. A land where legal governance carried weight. A nation headed by a dignified and upright public servant, even with his elderly years and increasing frailty.

These days, in late October 2025, numerous citizens hardly identify the country we inhabit. Persons believed to be undocumented migrants are collected and pushed into vans, at times refused legal rights. The East Wing of the presidential residence – is being destroyed to build a lavish ballroom. The president is harassing his political rivals or alleged foes and requesting legal authorities hand over a massive sum of taxpayer money. Armed military personnel are dispatched into American cities on false pretexts. The military command, rebranded the Defense Ministry, has – in effect – liberated itself of day-to-day journalistic scrutiny during its expenditure of possibly reaching close to a trillion USD from citizen taxes. Universities, legal practices, news companies are yielding from leader's menaces, and rich magnates are handled as aristocracy.

“America, just months before its 250^th birthday as the globe's top democratic nation, has tipped over the limit into authoritarianism and extremism,” an American historian, stated in August. “In the end, faster than I believed likely, it transpired in America.”

One awakes amid recent atrocities. And it's difficult to grasp – and painful to realize – just how far gone we are, and the rapid pace with which it unfolded.

Nevertheless, we understand that Trump was duly elected. Even after his deeply disturbing initial presidency and even after the cautions associated with the awareness of the rightwing blueprint – following the leader directly declared plainly he would be a dictator solely at the start – a majority of citizens selected him rather than Kamala Harris.

As terrifying as today's circumstances is, it’s even scarier to realize that we have only been nine months into this presidential term. What will an additional three years of this deterioration leave us? And suppose that timeframe becomes a more extended duration, since there is not anyone to stop this leader from opting that a third term is necessary, perhaps for security concerns?

Granted, not everything is hopeless. We will have legislative votes in 2026 that may establish an alternate governmental control, in case Democrats recapture the Senate or House of parliament. We have government representatives who are attempting to exert certain responsibility, for example representatives who are launching an investigation regarding the effort to cash appropriation from legal authorities.

And a national vote three years from now could start the path to recovery precisely as the previous vote put us on this regrettable path.

There are numerous residents marching in public spaces across municipalities, as they did recently in the No Kings rallies.

Robert Reich, stated lately that “the great sleeping giant of the nation is stirring”, similar to past after the Communist witch-hunt era in the 1950s or throughout the sixties activism or throughout the Nixon controversy.

On those occasions, the listing ship ultimately corrected itself.

Reich says he understands the signs of that revival and sees it happening currently. As evidence, he cites the widespread marches, the broad, bipartisan pushback to a broadcaster's firing and the largely united defiance by media to accept government requirements they only publish approved content.

“The sleeping giant perpetually exists inactive till certain corruption grows too toxic, a particular deed so contemptuous of the common good, some brutality so loud, that the giant is compelled except to rise.”

It's a hopeful perspective, and I respect Reich’s experienced view. Possibly he may prove to be right.

Meanwhile, the big questions remain: will the nation return to normalcy? Is it possible to restore its status internationally and its commitment to the rule of law?

Or must we acknowledge that the 250-year-old experiment succeeded temporarily, and then – suddenly, utterly – failed?

My negative thoughts tells me that the second option is true; that everything might be gone. My optimistic spirit, though, advises me that we need to strive, through all methods possible.

In my case, working in journalism analysis, that involves pushing media professionals to commit, more fully, to their duty of holding power to account. For some people, it might involve engaging with election efforts, or planning demonstrations, or discovering methods to defend electoral access.

Under twelve months back, we existed in a very different place. Twelve months later? Or in several years? The fact is, we cannot predict. All we can do is to strive to persevere.

What Provides Me Optimism Currently

The contact I have in the classroom with young journalists, who are both visionary and realistic, {always