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One year ago, the environment was entirely different. Before the national election, thoughtful citizens could acknowledge the nation's serious imperfections – its unfairness and inequality – however they continued to see it as the US. A democratic nation. A land where the rule of law carried weight. A nation headed by a respectable and decent public servant, despite his advanced age and increasing frailty.

Nowadays, as October 2025 ends, numerous citizens barely recognize the nation we reside in. Individuals suspected of being unauthorized foreigners are rounded up and pushed into vehicles, occasionally refused legal rights. The East Wing of the White House – is being torn down for a grotesque ballroom. The president is persecuting his opponents or perceived antagonists and requesting legal authorities hand over an enormous amount of citizen dollars. Uniformed troops are deployed to US urban areas with deceptive justifications. The defense headquarters, relabeled the Defense Ministry, has effectively liberated itself of day-to-day journalistic scrutiny as it spends possibly reaching almost one trillion dollars in public funds. Institutions, legal practices, journalism organizations are yielding due to presidential intimidation, and wealthy elites are handled as members of the royal family.

“America, shortly prior to its 250^th birthday as the world’s leading democracy, has fallen over the limit into autocracy and fascism,” Garrett Graff, stated recently. “In the end, swifter than I imagined possible, it transpired in America.”

One awakes with fresh terrors. And it's challenging to understand – and painful to realize – how severely declined we have become, and the speed at which it unfolded.

However, we understand that the leader was legitimately chosen. Even after his highly troubling first term and despite the warnings that came with the understanding of Project 2025 – following the leader directly declared plainly he would be a dictator only on the first day – sufficient voters chose him over his Democratic opponent.

As terrifying as the present situation may be, it's more daunting to realize that we have only been nine months under this leadership. Where will three more years of this deterioration leave us? And what if that period becomes a more extended duration, since there is not anyone to restrain this leader from opting that another term is essential, possibly for defense purposes?

Certainly, not everything is hopeless. There will be legislative votes next year that could create a new balance of power, if Democrats recapture the Senate or House of parliament. We have public servants who are trying to impose certain responsibility, for example lawmakers that are launching an investigation concerning the try to fund seizure from legal authorities.

And a presidential election in the next cycle could initiate the path toward restoration just as the prior selection set us on this unfortunate course.

We see millions of Americans demonstrating in urban areas throughout communities, like they performed recently during anti-authority protests.

An ex-cabinet member, commented this week that “the slumbering force of America is awakening”, exactly as before after the Communist witch-hunt era in the 1950s or amid the Vietnam war protests or during the Watergate scandal.

In those instances, the tilting vessel ultimately corrected itself.

The author states he knows the signs of that resurgence and sees it happening now. For proof, he points to the widespread marches, the extensive, multi-faction opposition against a personality's dismissal and the near-unanimous rejection by reporters to agree to the defense department’s demands they report only what is sanctioned.

“The slumbering entity perpetually exists asleep before certain corruption turns extremely harmful, some action so disrespectful of the common good, specific cruelty so noisy, that the giant is compelled other than to stir.”

It’s an optimistic take, and I appreciate his knowledgeable stance. Maybe he’ll prove to be right.

In the meantime, the major inquiries persist: can America ever recover? Is it possible to restore its status globally and its adherence to the rule of law?

Or should we recognize that the national endeavor succeeded temporarily, and then – abruptly, completely – collapsed?

My pessimistic brain suggests that the final scenario is correct; that everything could be finished. My hopeful heart, though, tells me that we need to strive, through all methods possible.

For me, as a media critic, that involves encouraging reporters to commit, more thoroughly, to their mission of scrutinizing authority. For some people, it might involve working on congressional campaigns, or coordinating protests, or discovering methods to protect electoral access.

Not even one year prior, we were in an alternate reality. In the future? Or in several years? The truth is, we cannot predict. The only option is to strive to continue fighting.

What Provides Me Hope Now

The interaction I have with students with young journalists, who are equally hopeful and practical, {always