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In late October 2024, the environment was entirely different. Prior to the US presidential election, reflective Americans could admit the nation's significant faults – its injustices and imbalance – however they could still see it as America. A democratic nation. A country where the rule of law carried weight. A state led by a honorable and upright official, despite his elderly years and increasing frailty.

These days, in late October 2025, countless Americans hardly identify the nation we inhabit. Persons alleged as illegal immigrants are collected and forced into transport, sometimes denied due process. The East Wing of the “people’s house” – is being destroyed to build a lavish ballroom. The president is persecuting his adversaries or supposed enemies and requesting the justice department surrender a huge total of citizen dollars. Armed military personnel are being sent across metropolitan centers on false pretexts. The Pentagon, relabeled the Department of War, has effectively freed itself of regular press examination during its expenditure of potentially totaling almost one trillion dollars of taxpayer money. Institutions, attorney offices, news companies are submitting due to presidential intimidation, and wealthy elites are regarded as nobility.

“The US, only a few months ahead of its 250-year mark as the globe's top democratic nation, has crossed the edge into autocracy and extremism,” Garrett Graff, stated in August. “Ultimately, more quickly than I believed likely, it transpired in America.”

One awakes with fresh terrors. And it is hard to comprehend – and painful to realize – how deeply lost we are, and how quickly it unfolded.

However, we know that the leader was legitimately chosen. Despite his deeply disturbing initial presidency and following the cautions associated with the understanding of the rightwing blueprint – even after Trump himself declared plainly he planned to rule as a tyrant just on day one – enough Americans chose him instead of his Democratic opponent.

Frightening as today's circumstances are, it's more frightening to realize that we have only been nine months into this administration. How will three more years of this decline find us? And if the three years becomes an prolonged era, since there is not anyone to restrain this leader from deciding that another term is required, possibly for national security reasons?

Admittedly, all is not lost. There will be legislative votes next year which might establish an alternate balance of power, in case Democrats retake the Senate or House of Congress. There are public servants who are trying to exert some accountability, such as lawmakers that are initiating an inquiry concerning the try to fund seizure from the justice department.

And a national vote three years from now could begin our journey to healing just as last year’s election put us on this regrettable path.

We see countless citizens marching in the streets across municipalities, like they performed in the past days at democracy demonstrations.

An ex-cabinet member, commented this week that “the dormant powerhouse of the nation is awakening”, similar to past following the Red Scare in the 1950s or amid anti-war demonstrations or during the seventies crisis.

In those instances, the unstable nation ultimately corrected itself.

The author states he recognizes the signs of that awakening and observes it occurring currently. As evidence, he references the recent massive protests, the widespread, cross-party resistance regarding a personality's dismissal and the largely united rejection by reporters to agree to the defense department’s demands they report only what is sanctioned.

“The sleeping giant perpetually exists inactive till some venality turns extremely harmful, an specific act so offensive of societal benefit, specific cruelty so loud, that the giant has no choice other than to stir.”

It’s an optimistic take, and I appreciate the author's seasoned opinion. Perhaps he will turn out correct.

Meanwhile, the major inquiries endure: will the nation ever recover? Is it possible to restore its standing in the world and its devotion to constitutional order?

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

My pessimistic brain indicates that the final scenario is true; that everything might be finished. My optimistic spirit, nevertheless, tells me that we have to attempt, by any means we can.

For me, as a media critic, that’s about urging journalists to commit, more completely, to their duty of scrutinizing authority. For others, it might involve participating in election efforts, or planning demonstrations, or developing approaches to safeguard ballot privileges.

Under twelve months back, we were in a very different place. Twelve months later? Or in several years? The reality is, we are uncertain. Our sole course is to attempt to not give up.

What Provides Me Hope Now

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