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One year ago, the environment was completely different. Ahead of the American presidential vote, thoughtful Americans could recognize the nation's deep flaws – its injustices and imbalance – but they continued to perceive it as the US. A free society. A country where legal governance held significance. A state headed by a respectable and decent leader, notwithstanding his elderly years and growing weakness.

These days, in late October 2025, many of us hardly identify the land we live in. Persons alleged as illegal immigrants are rounded up and pushed into vans, sometimes blocked from fair treatment. The East Wing of the presidential residence – is being torn down to build a lavish event space. The president is persecuting his adversaries or perceived antagonists and insisting the justice department transfer an enormous amount of public funds. Uniformed troops are deployed into American cities with deceptive justifications. The Pentagon, renamed the Department of War, has practically freed itself of routine media oversight while it uses what could amount to almost one trillion dollars from citizen taxes. Institutions, legal practices, journalism organizations are submitting under the president’s threats, and wealthy elites are handled as aristocracy.

“America, only a few months ahead of its 250-year mark as the world’s leading democracy, has tipped over the edge into authoritarianism and fascism,” Garrett Graff, wrote in August. “Ultimately, swifter than I thought feasible, it did happen in this country.”

Each day begins with fresh terrors. It is hard to comprehend – and agonizing to acknowledge – just how far gone we are, and the speed at which it unfolded.

Yet, it is known that the president was legitimately chosen. Following his deeply disturbing previous administration and even after the warnings linked to the understanding of the rightwing blueprint – following the leader directly declared plainly he would be a dictator just on day one – enough Americans selected him rather than the other candidate.

As terrifying as the current reality are, it’s even scarier to realize that we are just several months under this leadership. What will another 36 months of this decline find us? And if that timeframe becomes something even longer, since there is not anyone to stop this leader from determining that a third term is necessary, perhaps for security concerns?

Granted, not everything is hopeless. There will be midterm elections next year which might establish an alternate balance of power, in case Democrats regain either chamber of Congress. There are elected officials who are attempting to exert some accountability, for example lawmakers that are starting a probe regarding the effort to fund seizure from legal authorities.

And a presidential election in the next cycle could start us down the road to healing precisely as the previous vote placed us on this regrettable path.

There exist numerous residents demonstrating in urban areas throughout communities, as they did recently in the No Kings rallies.

An ex-cabinet member, stated lately that “the dormant powerhouse of the nation is rising”, exactly as before post-McCarthyism in that decade or throughout the sixties activism or during the Nixon controversy.

On those occasions, the tilting vessel finally returned to balance.

Reich says he recognizes the signs of that revival and observes it occurring now. As evidence, he references the widespread marches, the widespread, bipartisan pushback to a broadcaster's firing and the near-unanimous defiance by media to sign military mandates they solely cover what is sanctioned.

“The dormant force consistently stays asleep till certain corruption grows too toxic, an specific act so contemptuous of societal benefit, certain violence so noisy, that the giant is compelled except to rise.”

It's a positive outlook, and I respect his knowledgeable stance. Possibly he may turn out correct.

Meanwhile, the crucial issues persist: will the nation regain its footing? Can it reclaim its status internationally and its devotion to the rule of law?

Or do we need to admit that the 250-year-old experiment functioned for a period, and then – suddenly, utterly – failed?

My negative thoughts indicates that the second option is correct; that all may indeed be lost. My positive feelings, though, advises me that we have to attempt, through all methods we can.

In my case, as a media critic, that involves pushing media professionals to adhere, more completely, to their duty of scrutinizing authority. For some people, it could mean working on election efforts, or coordinating protests, or discovering methods to protect ballot privileges.

Less than a year ago, we lived in a very different place. Twelve months later? Or three years from now? The reality is, we are uncertain. Our sole course is to strive to continue fighting.

What Provides Me Hope Now

The engagement I have with students with young journalists, that are simultaneously visionary and grounded, {always