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In late October 2024, the environment was completely different. Prior to the national election, reflective Americans could acknowledge the nation's significant faults – its unfairness and imbalance – but they could still identify it as America. A democratic nation. A place where legal governance held significance. A nation guided by a honorable and ethical public servant, even with his older age and declining health.

Nowadays, as October 2025 ends, numerous citizens hardly identify the land we reside in. People believed to be unauthorized foreigners are collected and pushed into vehicles, occasionally refused legal rights. The left side of the presidential residence – is undergoing demolition for a grotesque event space. Donald Trump is persecuting his adversaries or supposed enemies and insisting the justice department hand over an enormous amount of citizen dollars. Uniformed troops are dispatched across metropolitan centers with deceptive justifications. The defense headquarters, relabeled the War Department, has – in effect – freed itself of day-to-day journalistic scrutiny during its expenditure of possibly reaching nearly $1tn from citizen taxes. Universities, law firms, news companies are submitting due to presidential intimidation, and wealthy elites are handled as members of the royal family.

“America, just months before its quarter-millennium anniversary as the world’s leading democracy, has fallen over the limit into autocracy and totalitarianism,” Garrett Graff, commented this past summer. “Finally, faster than I believed likely, it did happen in America.”

One awakes to new horrors. And it is challenging to understand – and agonizing to acknowledge – just how far gone we have become, and the rapid pace with which it has happened.

Nevertheless, we understand that the president was duly elected. Even after his deeply disturbing previous administration and following the warnings associated with the knowledge of the conservative plan – even after the leader directly declared plainly he would be a dictator only on the first day – sufficient voters chose him rather than the other candidate.

As terrifying as the present situation is, it’s even scarier to understand that we have only been several months under this leadership. What will three more years of this downfall leave us? And suppose that timeframe becomes an prolonged era, since there is not anyone to limit this president from opting that another term is required, possibly for national security reasons?

Admittedly, all is not lost. There are midterm elections the coming year that could establish an alternate governmental control, in case Democrats retake the Senate or House of the legislature. There exist government representatives who are attempting to exert a degree of oversight, like Democratic congressmen that are initiating an inquiry regarding the effort to money grab by federal prosecutors.

And a leadership election in 2028 could start us down the road to healing just as last year’s election put us on this unfortunate course.

We see countless citizens demonstrating in public spaces of their cities, as they did recently at democracy demonstrations.

A former official, wrote recently that “the slumbering force of America is rising”, similar to past following the Red Scare in that decade or during the Vietnam war protests or during the Watergate scandal.

On those occasions, the listing ship finally returned to balance.

Reich says he recognizes the indicators of that resurgence and sees it happening at present. As support, he points to the widespread marches, the broad, cross-party resistance against a broadcaster's firing and the largely united rejection by reporters to sign government requirements they only publish approved content.

“The slumbering entity always remains asleep till specific greed becomes so noxious, some action so disrespectful toward public welfare, some brutality so disruptive, that he is forced other than to stir.”

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

At the same time, the big questions remain: can America regain its footing? Can it reclaim its position internationally and its devotion to the rule of law?

Or do we need to admit that the 250-year-old experiment functioned for a period, and then – swiftly, totally – ended?

My negative thoughts indicates that the second option is correct; that all may indeed be gone. My optimistic spirit, nevertheless, convinces me that we must try, by any means possible.

For me, working in journalism analysis, that’s about pushing media professionals to commit, more fully, to their purpose of scrutinizing authority. For different individuals, it may be working on congressional campaigns, or organizing rallies, or developing approaches to safeguard electoral access.

Under twelve months back, we existed in an alternate reality. A year from now? Or after another term? The fact is, we don’t know. The only option is to attempt to not give up.

What Offers Me Encouragement Today

The engagement I have during teaching with aspiring reporters, that are simultaneously hopeful and grounded, {always