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Twelve months back, the environment was entirely different. Ahead of the US presidential election, reflective residents could admit the nation's deep flaws – its unfairness and inequality – however they could still perceive it as the US. A democracy. A country where constitutional order carried weight. A country guided by a honorable and ethical leader, even with his advanced age and declining health.

Nowadays, in late October 2025, numerous citizens scarcely know the land we reside in. Persons alleged as unauthorized foreigners are rounded up and shoved into vehicles, at times blocked from fair treatment. The left side of the presidential residence – is being destroyed for an obscene ballroom. Donald Trump is persecuting his political rivals or supposed enemies and requesting legal authorities hand over a huge total of citizen dollars. Soldiers with weapons are deployed into American cities with deceptive justifications. The defense headquarters, rebranded the Defense Ministry, has effectively liberated itself of routine media oversight as it spends possibly reaching nearly $1tn from citizen taxes. Universities, law firms, journalism organizations are yielding under the president’s threats, and wealthy elites are treated like aristocracy.

“America, shortly prior to its quarter-millennium anniversary as the world’s leading democracy, has fallen over the brink toward dictatorship and fascism,” Garrett Graff, wrote in August. “Finally, more quickly than I believed likely, it did happen in America.”

Each day begins with fresh terrors. It is challenging to understand – and painful to realize – how severely declined we have become, and the speed at which it unfolded.

Nevertheless, we understand that the leader was legitimately chosen. Even after his highly troubling initial presidency and despite the alerts linked to the awareness of the rightwing blueprint – following the leader directly declared plainly he intended to be a dictator just on day one – enough Americans elected him over Kamala Harris.

While alarming as today's circumstances is, it's more daunting to understand that we have only been nine months into this administration. What will another 36 months of this decline find us? And suppose that timeframe turns into something even longer, because there is not anyone to stop this leader from deciding that additional tenure is necessary, possibly for defense purposes?

Certainly, there is still hope. We will have midterm elections in 2026 that may create a new balance of power, if Democrats regain the Senate or House of parliament. There are government representatives who are striving to exert some accountability, like representatives who are initiating an inquiry concerning the try to money grab by federal prosecutors.

And a leadership election in the next cycle could start our journey to healing just as the prior selection set us on this regrettable path.

We see numerous residents protesting in the streets of their cities, like they performed last weekend at democracy demonstrations.

An ex-cabinet member, wrote recently that “the great sleeping giant of the US is awakening”, exactly as before after the Communist witch-hunt era in the 1950s or amid the Vietnam war protests or during the seventies crisis.

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

Reich says he understands the signs of that revival and notices it unfolding now. As support, he points to the large-scale demonstrations, the extensive, bipartisan pushback regarding a television host's removal and the near-unanimous rejection by reporters to sign government requirements they solely cover authorized information.

“The slumbering entity always remains inactive till some venality becomes so noxious, some action so offensive of the common good, specific cruelty so noisy, that he is forced except to rise.”

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

Meanwhile, the big questions persist: can America regain its footing? Can it reclaim its position internationally and its devotion to the rule of law?

Or should we recognize that the national endeavor worked for a while, and then – abruptly, completely – collapsed?

My pessimistic brain suggests that the latter is accurate; that everything might be gone. My hopeful heart, though, advises me that we have to attempt, by any means possible.

In my case, as an observer of the press, that involves pushing media professionals to adhere, more completely, to their mission of scrutinizing authority. For some people, it might involve participating in election efforts, or organizing rallies, or developing approaches to defend voting rights.

Less than a year ago, we were in an alternate reality. In the future? Or after another term? The truth is, we cannot predict. Our sole course is to attempt to persevere.

What Provides Me Hope Now

The interaction I experience during teaching with aspiring reporters, who are both idealistic and realistic, {always