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One year ago, the environment was utterly separate. Before the American presidential vote, reflective residents could admit America's deep flaws – its injustices and disparity – but they could still identify it as the US. A democracy. A land where legal governance held significance. A state led by a dignified and decent public servant, notwithstanding his older age and growing weakness.

Currently, in late October 2025, countless Americans barely recognize the country we reside in. People suspected of being unauthorized foreigners are collected and shoved into vehicles, sometimes denied due process. The eastern section of the White House – is undergoing demolition for a grotesque event space. The president is harassing his adversaries or alleged foes and requesting federal prosecutors hand over a massive sum of taxpayer money. Uniformed troops are being sent across metropolitan centers with deceptive justifications. The military command, relabeled the War Department, has – in effect – freed itself of day-to-day journalistic scrutiny during its expenditure of possibly reaching almost one trillion dollars from citizen taxes. Institutions, legal practices, news companies are buckling from leader's menaces, and rich magnates are regarded as members of the royal family.

“The United States, shortly prior to its 250-year mark as the globe's top democratic nation, has crossed the brink toward dictatorship and totalitarianism,” Garrett Graff, wrote recently. “Ultimately, faster than I believed likely, it occurred in this country.”

One awakes with fresh terrors. It is challenging to understand – and agonizing to acknowledge – just how far gone we have become, and how quickly it occurred.

Nevertheless, it is known that the president was duly elected. Even after his highly troubling first term and even after the cautions linked to the knowledge of Project 2025 – following the president personally stated openly he would act as an autocrat only on the first day – a majority of citizens selected him over Kamala Harris.

Frightening as the current reality is, it's more daunting to realize that we have only been several months into this administration. Where will another 36 months of this decline leave us? And if that timeframe turns into a more extended duration, as there is nobody to limit this ruler from determining that additional tenure is essential, perhaps for security concerns?

Granted, not everything is hopeless. There will be legislative votes the coming year which might create a new balance of power, in case Democrats retake the Senate or House of the legislature. We have government representatives who are attempting to exert certain responsibility, for example lawmakers that are initiating an inquiry regarding the effort to money grab from legal authorities.

And a national vote in 2028 could start the path to recovery exactly as the previous vote set us on this disappointing trajectory.

We see numerous residents marching in public spaces throughout communities, as they did in the past days in the No Kings rallies.

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 the 1950s or amid the sixties activism or throughout the seventies crisis.

On those occasions, the listing ship ultimately corrected itself.

The author states he recognizes the signs of that revival and observes it occurring at present. As evidence, he cites the recent massive protests, the extensive, cross-party resistance to a television host's removal and the largely united refusal by journalists to agree to the defense department’s demands they only publish what is sanctioned.

“The slumbering entity always remains asleep before certain corruption turns extremely harmful, a particular deed so disrespectful of the common good, specific cruelty so noisy, that the giant has no choice other than to stir.”

It's a positive outlook, and I value his knowledgeable stance. Possibly he may prove to be right.

In the meantime, the crucial issues persist: is the US able to regain its footing? Can it reclaim its standing globally and its commitment to legal principles?

Or should we recognize that the historical project functioned for a period, and then – swiftly, totally – ended?

My negative thoughts indicates that the latter is correct; that all may indeed be finished. My positive feelings, though, advises me that we must try, by any means possible.

In my case, as a media critic, that involves encouraging reporters to commit, more thoroughly, to their duty of holding power to account. For some people, it might involve participating in political races, or organizing rallies, or finding ways to protect ballot privileges.

Not even one year prior, we were in a very different place. Twelve months later? Or three years from now? The reality is, we are uncertain. All we can do is to strive to not give up.

What’s Giving Me Hope Now

The engagement I have during teaching with young journalists, who are equally idealistic and grounded, {always