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One year ago, the environment was utterly separate. Before the American presidential vote, thoughtful citizens could admit America's significant faults – its injustices and imbalance – but they still could identify it as America. A free society. A land where constitutional order meant something. A country led by a respectable and ethical leader, despite his elderly years and growing weakness.

Currently, as October 2025 ends, many of us hardly identify the country we live in. Individuals alleged as illegal immigrants are rounded up and pushed into transport, sometimes denied due process. The eastern section of the presidential residence – is being torn down to build a lavish ballroom. The president is harassing his adversaries or alleged foes and insisting legal authorities surrender a huge total of taxpayer money. Uniformed troops are deployed to US urban areas on false pretexts. The military command, renamed the War Department, has effectively rid itself of regular press examination as it spends possibly reaching close to a trillion USD of taxpayer money. Institutions, legal practices, media outlets are submitting under the president’s threats, and wealthy elites are regarded as nobility.

“The US, only a few months ahead of its 250^th birthday as the world’s leading democracy, has fallen over the limit into autocracy and totalitarianism,” an American historian, commented in August. “Finally, faster than I imagined possible, it occurred in this country.”

Each day begins with fresh terrors. It is difficult to grasp – and painful to realize – how severely declined we have become, and how quickly it unfolded.

Nevertheless, we understand that Trump was duly elected. Even after his deeply disturbing initial presidency and following the alerts that came with the knowledge of the conservative plan – even after the president personally said publicly he planned to act as an autocrat solely at the start – sufficient voters selected him over Kamala Harris.

Frightening as the current reality are, it's more daunting to realize that we are just nine months under this leadership. Where will an additional three years of this decline position us? And what if that period becomes a more extended duration, because there is nobody to limit this leader from deciding that additional tenure is required, perhaps for defense purposes?

Granted, not everything is hopeless. There will be congressional elections the coming year which might create a new balance of power, should Democrats retake either chamber of Congress. There are elected officials who are attempting to exert some accountability, like lawmakers currently launching an investigation regarding the effort to fund seizure from legal authorities.

And a presidential election in the next cycle could initiate the path toward restoration precisely as the previous vote set us on this disappointing trajectory.

We see countless citizens protesting in public spaces across municipalities, similar to recent last weekend in the No Kings rallies.

An ex-cabinet member, stated lately that “the slumbering force of the nation is rising”, similar to past post-McCarthyism during the fifties or during the sixties activism or in the seventies crisis.

On those occasions, the listing ship ultimately corrected itself.

Reich says he understands the indicators of that awakening and sees it happening currently. As evidence, he cites the large-scale demonstrations, the extensive, cross-party resistance to a personality's dismissal and the almost universal defiance by media to sign government requirements they only publish approved content.

“The dormant force always remains asleep before certain corruption becomes so noxious, some action so contemptuous of the common good, some brutality so loud, that the giant is forced but to awaken.”

It's a hopeful perspective, and I respect the author's seasoned opinion. Perhaps he will be validated.

At the same time, the major inquiries remain: is the US able to ever recover? Can it retrieve its status internationally and its devotion to legal principles?

Or should we recognize that the historical project functioned for a period, and then – abruptly, completely – collapsed?

My negative thoughts suggests that the latter is correct; that everything might be lost. My positive feelings, however, tells me that we have to attempt, through all methods we can.

For me, as a media critic, that means urging journalists to adhere, more fully, to their purpose of holding power to account. For others, it might involve working on election efforts, or organizing rallies, or discovering methods to defend electoral access.

Under twelve months back, we were in an alternate reality. A year from now? Or three years from now? The truth is, we are uncertain. All we can do is try to continue fighting.

What Provides Me Encouragement Today

The engagement I experience in the classroom with new media professionals, who are both idealistic and practical, {always