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In late October 2024, the environment was utterly different. Prior to the US presidential election, considerate citizens could recognize the nation's deep flaws – its injustices and disparity – however they continued to perceive it as the US. A free society. A country where legal governance carried weight. A country guided by a honorable and ethical public servant, even with his elderly years and declining health.

Currently, as October 2025 ends, many of us hardly identify the nation we inhabit. Individuals alleged as undocumented migrants are collected and forced into vehicles, sometimes denied due process. The left side of the presidential residence – is being torn down to build a lavish dance hall. The leader is harassing his political rivals or alleged foes and requesting legal authorities surrender an enormous amount of citizen dollars. Armed military personnel are being sent across metropolitan centers on false pretexts. The Pentagon, relabeled the War Department, has effectively freed itself of routine media oversight while it uses what could amount to almost one trillion dollars in public funds. Colleges, law firms, journalism organizations are buckling from leader's menaces, and rich magnates are handled as members of the royal family.

“America, just months before its quarter-millennium anniversary as the world’s leading democracy, has tipped over the brink toward dictatorship and totalitarianism,” an American historian, commented recently. “Ultimately, more quickly than I imagined possible, it transpired in America.”

Every morning starts to new horrors. It is difficult to grasp – and distressing to accept – how deeply lost we have become, and how quickly it unfolded.

However, we understand that Trump was duly elected. Even after his highly troubling previous administration and despite the cautions linked to the knowledge of Project 2025 – following Trump himself declared plainly he would act as an autocrat only on the first day – a majority of citizens elected him over the other candidate.

Frightening as the present situation are, it's more daunting to recognize that we’re only nine months into this presidential term. What will another 36 months of this downfall find us? And suppose that timeframe turns into a more extended duration, because there is not anyone to restrain this leader from opting that another term is required, maybe for national security reasons?

Admittedly, not everything is hopeless. There are midterm elections next year that could establish an alternate political equilibrium, in case Democrats recapture one or both houses of the legislature. There exist public servants who are striving to exert some accountability, for example representatives currently launching an investigation regarding the effort to fund seizure from legal authorities.

And a national vote in the next cycle could initiate the path to healing just as the prior selection set us on this unfortunate course.

There are countless citizens demonstrating in public spaces of their cities, as they did in the past days at democracy demonstrations.

An ex-cabinet member, stated lately that “the dormant powerhouse of the nation is stirring”, similar to past after the Communist witch-hunt era during the fifties or amid the Vietnam war protests or throughout the Watergate scandal.

In those instances, the unstable nation ultimately corrected itself.

The author states he recognizes the signals of that revival and notices it unfolding at present. As support, he cites the recent massive protests, the extensive, cross-party resistance against a personality's dismissal and the near-unanimous rejection by reporters to accept military mandates they only publish what is sanctioned.

“The slumbering entity consistently stays asleep before some venality becomes so noxious, some action so offensive of the common good, certain violence so noisy, that it is forced other than to stir.”

It’s an optimistic take, and I value the author's seasoned opinion. Perhaps he will be validated.

Meanwhile, the crucial issues remain: can America return to normalcy? Is it possible to restore its status globally and its devotion to legal principles?

Or must we acknowledge that the 250-year-old experiment worked for a while, and then – abruptly, completely – collapsed?

My cynical mind tells me that the final scenario is true; that all may indeed be finished. My optimistic spirit, though, convinces me that we must try, through all methods available.

Personally, as an observer of the press, that means encouraging reporters to adhere, more thoroughly, to their duty of scrutinizing authority. For others, it might involve working on political races, or planning demonstrations, or developing approaches to safeguard voting rights.

Less than a year ago, we existed in a separate situation. A year from now? Or after another term? The fact is, we are uncertain. Our sole course is try to persevere.

What’s Giving Me Encouragement Today

The interaction I encounter with students with young journalists, that are simultaneously visionary and practical, {always