🔗 Share this article

One year ago, the situation was utterly separate. Prior to the national election, considerate citizens could admit the nation's deep flaws – its unfairness and imbalance – but they still could see it as the US. A democratic nation. A country where constitutional order meant something. A state led by a honorable and decent leader, even with his advanced age and growing weakness.

Currently, as October 2025 ends, many of us hardly identify the nation we inhabit. Persons alleged as undocumented migrants are rounded up and forced into vehicles, sometimes refused legal rights. The left side of the White House – is being torn down to build a lavish dance hall. The president is targeting his opponents or supposed enemies and requesting the justice department surrender a huge total of public funds. Armed military personnel are dispatched across metropolitan centers under fabricated reasons. The military command, relabeled the War Department, has – in effect – rid itself of routine media oversight while it uses what could amount to almost one trillion dollars in public funds. Colleges, legal practices, journalism organizations are buckling from leader's menaces, and rich magnates are regarded as aristocracy.

“The US, shortly prior to its quarter-millennium anniversary as the planet's foremost free society, has fallen over the edge into autocracy and fascism,” an American historian, stated in August. “In the end, more quickly than I imagined possible, it did happen here.”

Each day begins with fresh terrors. And it is difficult to grasp – and agonizing to acknowledge – how severely declined we are, and the speed at which it has happened.

However, it is known that Trump was properly voted in. Despite his deeply disturbing previous administration and despite the cautions linked to the knowledge of Project 2025 – even after the president personally said publicly he would be a dictator solely at the start – a majority of citizens chose him over Kamala Harris.

As terrifying as today's circumstances are, it's more frightening to recognize that we’re only nine months into this administration. Where will another 36 months of this deterioration position us? And if that timeframe becomes an prolonged era, since there is not anyone to limit this ruler from deciding that a third term is essential, maybe for defense purposes?

Admittedly, not everything is hopeless. We will have legislative votes the coming year that may create a new political equilibrium, if Democrats regain one or both houses of Congress. There exist government representatives who are attempting to exert a degree of oversight, like representatives currently launching an investigation regarding the effort to money grab from the justice department.

And a presidential election in the next cycle could begin us down the road toward restoration just as the prior selection placed us on this unfortunate course.

We see numerous residents demonstrating in the streets of their cities, as they did recently during anti-authority protests.

A former official, wrote recently that “the dormant powerhouse of the US is rising”, exactly as before after the Communist witch-hunt era in that decade or during anti-war demonstrations or in the Watergate scandal.

In those instances, the listing ship ultimately corrected itself.

He claims he understands the signs of that awakening and observes it occurring currently. As evidence, he points to the large-scale demonstrations, the widespread, multi-faction opposition against a television host's removal and the almost universal rejection by reporters to sign the defense department’s demands they only publish authorized information.

“The slumbering entity always remains inactive until specific greed grows too toxic, some action so disrespectful of societal benefit, some brutality so loud, that it is forced but to awaken.”

It's a positive outlook, and I respect Reich’s experienced view. Maybe he’ll turn out correct.

Meanwhile, the big questions endure: can America return to normalcy? Can it retrieve its position globally and its commitment to the rule of law?

Or should we recognize that the historical project functioned for a period, and then – swiftly, totally – ended?

My pessimistic brain indicates that the second option is correct; that all may indeed be gone. My optimistic spirit, nevertheless, advises me that we need to strive, by any means possible.

Personally, as a media critic, that’s about urging journalists to live up, more completely, to their duty of scrutinizing authority. For others, it could mean engaging with political races, or coordinating protests, or discovering methods to defend electoral access.

Not even one year prior, we were in a very different place. A year from now? Or in several years? The truth is, we cannot predict. Our sole course is to attempt to not give up.

What’s Giving Me Hope Now

The interaction I experience during teaching with new media professionals, that are simultaneously hopeful and realistic, {always