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Twelve months back, the environment was utterly distinct. Before the US presidential election, considerate residents could recognize America's deep flaws – its inequities and imbalance – yet they could still identify it as the US. A democratic nation. A country where the rule of law held significance. A country led by a dignified and decent leader, despite his older age and increasing frailty.

Nowadays, as October 2025 ends, many of us barely recognize the nation we inhabit. Individuals believed to be illegal immigrants are rounded up and shoved into vehicles, occasionally denied due process. The East Wing of the White House – is undergoing demolition to build a lavish ballroom. Donald Trump is harassing his adversaries or alleged foes and requesting the justice department hand over an enormous amount of citizen dollars. Uniformed troops are deployed to US urban areas on false pretexts. The military command, rebranded the Department of War, has practically liberated itself of day-to-day journalistic scrutiny as it spends what could amount to almost one trillion dollars from citizen taxes. Colleges, legal practices, media outlets are buckling under the president’s threats, and rich magnates are regarded as nobility.

“The United States, only a few months ahead of its 250-year mark as the planet's foremost free society, has fallen over the brink toward dictatorship and extremism,” a noted author, wrote in August. “Ultimately, swifter than I believed likely, it did happen in this country.”

One awakes with fresh terrors. And it's challenging to understand – and painful to realize – how severely declined our nation is, and the rapid pace with which it occurred.

Yet, we understand that Trump was duly elected. Following his deeply disturbing first term and even after the alerts that came with the knowledge of Project 2025 – even after Trump himself said publicly he intended to be a dictator only on the first day – enough Americans selected him over his Democratic opponent.

Frightening as the present situation is, it's more daunting to realize that we are just three-quarters of a year into this presidential term. What will an additional three years of this deterioration leave us? And if that period turns into a more extended duration, since there is nobody to stop this president from deciding that a third term is required, possibly for defense purposes?

Admittedly, all is not lost. We will have congressional elections in 2026 which might create a new political equilibrium, should Democrats regain the Senate or House of parliament. There exist elected officials who are attempting to exert a degree of oversight, such as representatives who are launching an investigation regarding the effort to fund seizure from the justice department.

And a leadership election three years from now could begin our journey toward restoration just as last year’s election placed us on this disappointing trajectory.

We see millions of Americans demonstrating in urban areas throughout communities, similar to recent in the past days in the No Kings rallies.

An ex-cabinet member, stated lately that “the great sleeping giant of the US is stirring”, similar to past after the Communist witch-hunt era in that decade or amid anti-war demonstrations or throughout the Watergate scandal.

In those instances, the tilting vessel eventually was righted.

He claims he recognizes the indicators of that revival and sees it happening at present. As support, he references the large-scale demonstrations, the widespread, bipartisan pushback against a television host's removal and the almost universal defiance by media to accept the defense department’s demands they report only approved content.

“The sleeping giant perpetually exists dormant before certain corruption becomes so noxious, an specific act so disrespectful toward public welfare, specific cruelty so loud, that the giant is compelled except to rise.”

It's a hopeful perspective, and I respect Reich’s experienced view. Maybe he’ll be validated.

At the same time, the big questions endure: will the nation return to normalcy? Can it reclaim its status internationally and its devotion to legal principles?

Or must we acknowledge that the historical project succeeded temporarily, and then – abruptly, completely – collapsed?

My pessimistic brain suggests that the final scenario is true; that all may indeed be finished. My hopeful heart, though, convinces me that we have to attempt, through all methods available.

For me, as an observer of the press, that means encouraging reporters to commit, more fully, to their purpose of scrutinizing authority. For different individuals, it could mean working on political races, or planning demonstrations, or developing approaches to safeguard ballot privileges.

Less than a year ago, we were in an alternate reality. A year from now? Or after another term? The reality is, we cannot predict. The only option is to attempt to continue fighting.

What Offers Me Optimism Currently

The engagement I have during teaching with new media professionals, who are both hopeful and grounded, {always