The Heartbreaking Shift a Single Year Has Brought in the US

In late October 2024, the situation was entirely distinct. Prior to the US presidential election, considerate citizens could recognize America's deep flaws – its injustices and disparity – yet they continued to identify it as America. A democracy. A place where legal governance held significance. A nation led by a dignified and upright public servant, despite his older age and increasing frailty.

Nowadays, as October 2025 ends, many of us barely recognize the land we reside in. Individuals suspected of being unauthorized foreigners are collected and shoved into vehicles, occasionally blocked from fair treatment. The East Wing of the “people’s house” – is undergoing demolition to build a lavish ballroom. Donald Trump is targeting his political rivals or alleged foes and demanding legal authorities transfer a huge total of public funds. Soldiers with weapons are being sent across metropolitan centers under fabricated reasons. The military command, relabeled the War Department, has – in effect – rid itself of day-to-day journalistic scrutiny as it spends what could amount to close to a trillion USD in public funds. Universities, law firms, journalism organizations are yielding from leader's menaces, and wealthy elites are regarded as members of the royal family.

“The US, only a few months ahead of its 250^th birthday as the globe's top democratic nation, has crossed the edge into authoritarianism and extremism,” an American historian, wrote recently. “In the end, swifter than I imagined possible, it transpired in America.”

Each day begins with fresh terrors. And it is hard to comprehend – and painful to realize – just how far gone we have become, and the speed at which it occurred.

However, we understand that the president was legitimately chosen. Despite his profoundly alarming first term and even after the cautions linked to the understanding of Project 2025 – even after the leader directly said publicly he would act as an autocrat just on day one – sufficient voters chose him rather than Kamala Harris.

While alarming as the present situation is, it's more daunting to realize that we have only been three-quarters of a year into this presidential term. What will three more years of this downfall find us? And suppose the three years turns into a more extended duration, because there is not anyone to stop this leader from deciding that a third term is required, maybe for security concerns?

Certainly, not everything is hopeless. There will be legislative votes the coming year that could establish an alternate political equilibrium, in case Democrats retake one or both houses of Congress. There are public servants who are trying to exert some accountability, for example Democratic congressmen that are starting a probe regarding the effort to fund seizure from the justice department.

And a leadership election three years from now could start us down the road to recovery exactly as the prior selection set us on this regrettable path.

We see millions of Americans protesting in the streets across municipalities, as they did last weekend at democracy demonstrations.

An ex-cabinet member, wrote recently that “the great sleeping giant of the US is stirring”, just as it did following the Red Scare during the fifties or amid the Vietnam war protests or throughout the Watergate scandal.

During those times, the tilting vessel ultimately corrected itself.

Reich says he understands the signs of that revival and observes it occurring at present. As support, he references the recent massive protests, the broad, multi-faction opposition to a television host's removal and the almost universal rejection by reporters to agree to the defense department’s demands they solely cover what is sanctioned.

“The slumbering entity perpetually exists dormant until some venality grows too toxic, some action so contemptuous of societal benefit, some brutality so disruptive, that it is forced other than to stir.”

It's a positive outlook, and I appreciate the author's seasoned opinion. Maybe he’ll be validated.

In the meantime, the crucial issues persist: will the nation ever recover? Can it reclaim its standing in the world and its adherence to constitutional order?

Or must we acknowledge that the 250-year-old experiment succeeded temporarily, and then – abruptly, completely – collapsed?

My cynical mind tells me that the final scenario is correct; that all may indeed be gone. My optimistic spirit, nevertheless, tells me that we have to attempt, through all methods we can.

For me, working in journalism analysis, that involves pushing media professionals to commit, more fully, to their duty of holding power to account. For others, it could mean participating in congressional campaigns, or organizing rallies, or finding ways to protect voting rights.

Not even one year prior, we lived in an alternate reality. In the future? Or in several years? The truth is, we cannot predict. All we can do is to strive to not give up.

What’s Giving Me Optimism Currently

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