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Twelve months back, the landscape was completely distinct. Ahead of the American presidential vote, considerate Americans could acknowledge America's serious imperfections – its inequities and inequality – however they could still perceive it as America. A democratic nation. A country where legal governance meant something. A state headed by a dignified and decent public servant, despite his elderly years and declining health.

These days, in late October 2025, countless Americans scarcely know the nation we reside in. People alleged as unauthorized foreigners are rounded up and pushed into vehicles, sometimes denied due process. The eastern section of the presidential residence – is undergoing demolition for an obscene event space. The president is harassing his adversaries or perceived antagonists and insisting legal authorities hand over a huge total of taxpayer money. Uniformed troops are deployed to US urban areas with deceptive justifications. The defense headquarters, renamed the Department of War, has effectively rid itself of day-to-day journalistic scrutiny while it uses potentially totaling nearly $1tn from citizen taxes. Universities, legal practices, news companies are submitting from leader's menaces, and wealthy elites are regarded as aristocracy.

“America, only a few months ahead of its 250-year mark as the globe's top democratic nation, has crossed the brink into autocracy and extremism,” Garrett Graff, commented recently. “In the end, swifter than I imagined possible, it did happen in this country.”

One awakes amid recent atrocities. It is hard to comprehend – and agonizing to acknowledge – how deeply lost we are, and how quickly it unfolded.

Nevertheless, we understand that the president was properly voted in. Despite his deeply disturbing previous administration and even after the cautions linked to the knowledge of Project 2025 – even after the president personally declared plainly he planned to act as an autocrat solely at the start – sufficient voters chose him rather than his Democratic opponent.

While alarming as today's circumstances may be, it’s even scarier to realize that we are just three-quarters of a year into this presidential term. What will another 36 months of this deterioration leave us? And suppose that period becomes something even longer, since there is not anyone to limit this leader from determining that additional tenure is required, possibly for security concerns?

Granted, not everything is hopeless. There will be congressional elections the coming year that could bring a different governmental control, should Democrats retake either chamber of parliament. There exist elected officials who are trying to apply a degree of oversight, such as Democratic congressmen that are launching an investigation into the attempted money grab from the justice department.

And a leadership election three years from now could start the path to healing precisely as the previous vote put us on this unfortunate course.

There exist millions of Americans demonstrating in the streets of their cities, like they performed recently in the No Kings rallies.

An ex-cabinet member, wrote recently that “the great sleeping giant of America is awakening”, exactly as before following the Red Scare in that decade or throughout the Vietnam war protests or throughout the Watergate scandal.

In those instances, the listing ship eventually was righted.

The author states he knows the signs of that revival and observes it occurring currently. As evidence, he cites the recent massive protests, the broad, bipartisan pushback regarding a broadcaster's firing and the largely united refusal by journalists to accept government requirements they report only approved content.

“The dormant force always remains inactive until some venality turns extremely harmful, some action so disrespectful of the common good, specific cruelty so loud, that he is forced other than to stir.”

It’s an optimistic take, and I appreciate Reich’s experienced view. Maybe he’ll turn out correct.

At the same time, the crucial issues remain: can America ever recover? Can it retrieve its standing internationally and its adherence to the rule of law?

Or do we need to admit that the 250-year-old experiment succeeded temporarily, and then – suddenly, utterly – failed?

My cynical mind suggests that the latter is correct; that everything might be finished. My positive feelings, nevertheless, tells me that we must try, by any means available.

Personally, as a media critic, that involves encouraging reporters to live up, more thoroughly, to their duty of scrutinizing authority. For different individuals, it may be participating in election efforts, or coordinating protests, or finding ways to defend voting rights.

Under twelve months back, we lived in an alternate reality. Twelve months later? Or three years from now? The fact is, we cannot predict. The only option is try to persevere.

What Offers Me Encouragement Today

The contact I encounter during teaching with young journalists, that are simultaneously visionary and grounded, {always