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Twelve months back, the environment was completely separate. Prior to the American presidential vote, thoughtful Americans could acknowledge the country's significant faults – its unfairness and inequality – but they could still identify it as the United States. A free society. A country where legal governance meant something. A nation guided by a respectable and ethical official, even with his elderly years and increasing frailty.

These days, in late October 2025, numerous citizens hardly identify the country we live in. Persons alleged as undocumented migrants are detained and forced into vehicles, occasionally refused legal rights. The East Wing of the presidential residence – is being destroyed for an obscene dance hall. Donald Trump is harassing his opponents or alleged foes and requesting federal prosecutors transfer an enormous amount of public funds. Uniformed troops are being sent to US urban areas with deceptive justifications. The defense headquarters, rebranded the Department of War, has practically rid itself of day-to-day journalistic scrutiny as it spends what could amount to almost one trillion dollars in public funds. Institutions, attorney offices, journalism organizations are buckling from leader's menaces, and billionaires are treated like nobility.

“The United States, only a few months ahead of its 250-year mark as the world’s leading democracy, has fallen over the brink toward dictatorship and fascism,” Garrett Graff, wrote recently. “Ultimately, more quickly than I imagined possible, it occurred in America.”

Each day begins with fresh terrors. And it's challenging to understand – and distressing to accept – how deeply lost our nation is, and the rapid pace with which it has happened.

However, we understand that the president was legitimately chosen. Despite his deeply disturbing initial presidency and following the cautions that came with the understanding of Project 2025 – even after Trump himself stated openly he intended to be a dictator solely at the start – a majority of citizens chose him over his Democratic opponent.

Frightening as the present situation are, it’s even scarier to recognize that we have only been nine months into this administration. What will another 36 months of this decline leave us? And suppose the three years turns into an prolonged era, because there is nobody to restrain this ruler from opting that additional tenure is required, possibly for defense purposes?

Granted, all is not lost. There will be congressional elections the coming year which might establish an alternate political equilibrium, should Democrats retake the Senate or House of parliament. There are government representatives who are striving to apply some accountability, such as representatives that are launching an investigation regarding the effort to money grab from legal authorities.

And a leadership election in the next cycle could begin our journey toward restoration just as the previous vote put us on this disappointing trajectory.

There exist millions of Americans marching in the streets of their cities, similar to recent in the past days at democracy demonstrations.

A former official, stated lately that “the great sleeping giant of the nation is awakening”, similar to past following the Red Scare in that decade or throughout anti-war demonstrations or throughout the Nixon controversy.

During those times, the listing ship ultimately corrected itself.

Reich says he knows the signs of that awakening and notices it unfolding at present. As evidence, he references the widespread marches, the extensive, bipartisan pushback regarding a broadcaster's firing and the almost universal defiance by media to accept military mandates they only publish authorized information.

“The slumbering entity consistently stays inactive till some venality grows too toxic, an specific act so contemptuous toward public welfare, some brutality so disruptive, that the giant is forced except to rise.”

It’s an optimistic take, and I value his knowledgeable stance. Possibly he may prove to be right.

Meanwhile, the big questions persist: is the US able to ever recover? Is it possible to restore its status globally and its commitment to legal principles?

Or do we need to admit that the 250-year-old experiment succeeded temporarily, and then – abruptly, completely – collapsed?

My cynical mind suggests that the final scenario is true; that everything could be finished. My positive feelings, nevertheless, convinces me that we have to attempt, through all methods available.

In my case, working in journalism analysis, that involves urging journalists to adhere, more completely, to their mission of scrutinizing authority. For some people, it may be working on political races, or coordinating protests, or discovering methods to safeguard ballot privileges.

Not even one year prior, we lived in a very different place. In the future? Or after another term? The reality is, we cannot predict. All we can do is to strive to persevere.

What Provides Me Hope Now

The contact I encounter with students with young journalists, who are both visionary and grounded, {always