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Twelve months back, the landscape was completely distinct. Ahead of the American presidential vote, considerate Americans could acknowledge the country's deep flaws – its injustices and imbalance – yet they could still identify it as America. A democratic nation. A country where legal governance meant something. A nation headed by a respectable and decent official, notwithstanding his older age and increasing frailty.

Currently, in late October 2025, countless Americans scarcely know the nation we inhabit. Persons alleged as undocumented migrants are collected and pushed into vehicles, at times denied due process. The East Wing of the “people’s house” – is undergoing demolition for an obscene dance hall. Donald Trump is persecuting his adversaries or alleged foes and insisting federal prosecutors hand over an enormous amount of citizen dollars. Uniformed troops are dispatched into American cities on false pretexts. The Pentagon, rebranded the Department of War, has practically rid itself of regular press examination as it spends potentially totaling almost one trillion dollars of taxpayer money. Institutions, legal practices, journalism organizations are submitting under the president’s threats, and wealthy elites are handled as members of the royal family.

“The United States, only a few months ahead of its quarter-millennium anniversary as the planet's foremost free society, has fallen over the brink into authoritarianism and fascism,” Garrett Graff, stated in August. “Finally, faster than I imagined possible, it occurred in America.”

Each day begins amid recent atrocities. And it is hard to comprehend – and painful to realize – just how far gone our nation is, and how quickly it occurred.

Nevertheless, it is known that the president was duly elected. Following his profoundly alarming previous administration and following the cautions linked to the awareness of Project 2025 – despite Trump himself said publicly he planned to be a dictator just on day one – a majority of citizens selected him rather than Kamala Harris.

As terrifying as the present situation is, it's more frightening to realize that we have only been nine months into this administration. What will an additional three years of this deterioration find us? And suppose that period transforms into a more extended duration, because there is nobody to stop this president from opting that a third term is necessary, possibly for defense purposes?

Admittedly, not everything is hopeless. We will have midterm elections the coming year which might bring a different balance of power, in case Democrats retake either chamber of the legislature. There exist government representatives who are striving to apply some accountability, such as Democratic congressmen that are launching an investigation regarding the effort to fund seizure from the justice department.

And a national vote three years from now could initiate us down the road toward restoration just as the previous vote placed us on this disappointing trajectory.

There are countless citizens demonstrating in public spaces across municipalities, like they performed recently during anti-authority protests.

A former official, wrote recently that “the slumbering force of the US is rising”, exactly as before after the Communist witch-hunt era during the fifties or amid the sixties activism or during the seventies crisis.

During those times, the unstable nation finally returned to balance.

The author states he understands the indicators of that revival and sees it happening now. For proof, he points to the widespread marches, the widespread, bipartisan pushback against a personality's dismissal and the almost universal refusal by journalists to accept the defense department’s demands they report only what is sanctioned.

“The dormant force consistently stays dormant till certain corruption turns extremely harmful, an specific act so disrespectful of the common good, specific cruelty so disruptive, that he has no choice other than to stir.”

It's a positive outlook, and I appreciate Reich’s experienced view. Perhaps he will prove to be right.

At the same time, the major inquiries remain: will the nation regain its footing? Is it possible to restore its status in the world and its adherence to constitutional order?

Or must we acknowledge that the 250-year-old experiment functioned for a period, and then – abruptly, completely – collapsed?

My negative thoughts indicates that the second option is correct; that everything could be lost. My optimistic spirit, though, tells me that we need to strive, through all methods possible.

Personally, as an observer of the press, that’s about encouraging reporters to adhere, more fully, to their mission of scrutinizing authority. For some people, it could mean participating in congressional campaigns, or organizing rallies, or discovering methods to safeguard ballot privileges.

Less than a year ago, we were in a separate situation. A year from now? Or in several years? The truth is, we don’t know. All we can do is to attempt to continue fighting.

What Provides Me Optimism Currently

The contact I experience in the classroom with new media professionals, that are simultaneously idealistic and grounded, {always