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Twelve months back, the landscape was completely distinct. Ahead of the US presidential election, reflective Americans could admit the nation's significant faults – its injustices and imbalance – yet they still could identify it as the United States. A free society. A country where constitutional order meant something. A country led by a honorable and decent public servant, despite his advanced age and declining health.

These days, as October 2025 ends, many of us hardly identify the nation we reside in. Individuals alleged as unauthorized foreigners are collected and shoved into transport, sometimes refused legal rights. The East Wing of the “people’s house” – is being torn down for a grotesque dance hall. Donald Trump is persecuting his opponents or alleged foes and requesting federal prosecutors transfer a massive sum of taxpayer money. Soldiers with weapons are deployed into American cities under fabricated reasons. The Pentagon, renamed the Department of War, has effectively rid itself of routine media oversight as it spends what could amount to nearly $1tn in public funds. Universities, attorney offices, media outlets are buckling from leader's menaces, and rich magnates are handled as aristocracy.

“The United States, only a few months ahead of its quarter-millennium anniversary as the world’s leading democracy, has tipped over the brink toward dictatorship and totalitarianism,” an American historian, stated this past summer. “Ultimately, faster than I imagined possible, it did happen in this country.”

Each day begins to new horrors. It is challenging to understand – and agonizing to acknowledge – just how far gone we have become, and the rapid pace with which it has happened.

Yet, we know that the leader was legitimately chosen. Following his deeply disturbing previous administration and despite the alerts linked to the awareness of Project 2025 – following the leader directly said publicly he intended to be a dictator solely at the start – sufficient voters elected him instead of Kamala Harris.

While alarming as the current reality is, it's more daunting to recognize that we have only been three-quarters of a year into this presidential term. How will an additional three years of this deterioration position us? And what if the three years transforms into something even longer, as there is no one to limit this president from deciding that a third term is essential, perhaps for security concerns?

Admittedly, there is still hope. There are congressional elections in 2026 that could establish an alternate balance of power, in case Democrats retake the Senate or House of Congress. There exist elected officials who are trying to exert a degree of oversight, for example lawmakers who are launching an investigation concerning the try to money grab by federal prosecutors.

And a national vote in 2028 could start us down the road to recovery just as the previous vote set us on this unfortunate course.

We see countless citizens demonstrating in public spaces across municipalities, similar to recent in the past days at democracy demonstrations.

A former official, commented this week that “the great sleeping giant of America is awakening”, similar to past after the Communist witch-hunt era in that decade or amid the sixties activism or throughout the Watergate scandal.

During those times, the tilting vessel ultimately corrected itself.

He claims he recognizes the signals of that revival and notices it unfolding now. As support, he cites the large-scale demonstrations, the broad, multi-faction opposition against a broadcaster's firing and the largely united defiance by media to accept military mandates they report only authorized information.

“The dormant force always remains dormant till some venality grows too toxic, an specific act so offensive of societal benefit, some brutality so disruptive, that it is forced other than to stir.”

It's a hopeful perspective, and I appreciate his knowledgeable stance. Possibly he may turn out correct.

In the meantime, the big questions endure: is the US able to regain its footing? Can it retrieve its position globally and its devotion to constitutional order?

Or must we acknowledge that the national endeavor functioned for a period, and then – abruptly, completely – collapsed?

My negative thoughts indicates that the second option is true; that everything might be lost. My hopeful heart, nevertheless, convinces me that we must try, through all methods we can.

For me, working in journalism analysis, that means urging journalists to commit, more fully, to their duty of scrutinizing authority. For others, it might involve working on election efforts, or coordinating protests, or finding ways to defend voting rights.

Under twelve months back, we were in an alternate reality. In the future? Or after another term? The fact is, we are uncertain. The only option is to attempt to not give up.

What’s Giving Me Optimism Currently

The engagement I experience during teaching with young journalists, that are simultaneously idealistic and realistic, {always