A Tragic Change Just One Year Has Caused in the US
In late October 2024, the landscape was completely different. Prior to the national election, thoughtful residents could recognize America's serious imperfections – its unfairness and imbalance – however they continued to see it as the US. A democracy. A land where the rule of law held significance. A country guided by a respectable and decent leader, notwithstanding his advanced age and increasing frailty.
Currently, as October 2025 ends, many of us hardly identify the nation we reside in. Individuals believed to be undocumented migrants are rounded up and forced into transport, occasionally refused legal rights. The eastern section of the “people’s house” – is being torn down for a grotesque dance hall. The leader is persecuting his political rivals or perceived antagonists and demanding legal authorities transfer a massive sum of public funds. Uniformed troops are deployed into American cities on false pretexts. The defense headquarters, relabeled the War Department, has effectively freed itself of day-to-day journalistic scrutiny as it spends possibly reaching close to a trillion USD of taxpayer money. Institutions, legal practices, news companies are submitting due to presidential intimidation, and wealthy elites are handled as aristocracy.
“The US, only a few months ahead of its 250-year mark as the world’s leading democracy, has fallen over the brink into authoritarianism and totalitarianism,” a noted author, commented in August. “Finally, faster than I thought feasible, it did happen here.”
Each day begins amid recent atrocities. And it's challenging to understand – and distressing to accept – how deeply lost we have become, and the rapid pace with which it has happened.
Nevertheless, it is known that the president was properly voted in. Following his deeply disturbing initial presidency and even after the alerts linked to the understanding of Project 2025 – following the president personally declared plainly he intended to rule as a tyrant solely at the start – a majority of citizens elected him over the other candidate.
While alarming as the present situation are, it's more frightening to understand that we are just three-quarters of a year into this administration. Where will another 36 months of this decline find us? And if that period transforms into an prolonged era, since there is not anyone to stop this ruler from deciding that a third term is required, maybe for security concerns?
Certainly, not everything is hopeless. There are midterm elections in 2026 that could bring a different political equilibrium, in case Democrats retake one or both houses of Congress. There are elected officials who are attempting to apply a degree of oversight, such as Democratic congressmen currently launching an investigation concerning the try to fund seizure from legal authorities.
And a presidential election in the next cycle could initiate us down the road to healing exactly as last year’s election set us on this regrettable path.
There are countless citizens demonstrating in the streets of their cities, as they did recently in the No Kings rallies.
An ex-cabinet member, commented this week that “the dormant powerhouse of the nation is awakening”, exactly as before post-McCarthyism in the 1950s or during the Vietnam war protests or in the seventies crisis.
In those instances, the tilting vessel ultimately corrected itself.
Reich says he understands the signs of that awakening and observes it occurring now. As evidence, he cites the large-scale demonstrations, the extensive, multi-faction opposition regarding a television host's removal and the largely united refusal by journalists to sign the defense department’s demands they report only what is sanctioned.
“The dormant force always remains inactive before specific greed turns extremely harmful, a particular deed so contemptuous of the common good, specific cruelty so loud, that it is forced but to awaken.”
It's a positive outlook, and I appreciate his knowledgeable stance. Perhaps he will turn out correct.
Meanwhile, the crucial issues persist: will the nation return to normalcy? Can it retrieve its status in the world and its commitment to legal principles?
Or do we need to admit that the historical project succeeded temporarily, and then – suddenly, utterly – failed?
My cynical mind suggests that the latter is correct; that everything might be lost. My hopeful heart, though, convinces me that we need to strive, through all methods we can.
For me, working in journalism analysis, that means pushing media professionals to adhere, more completely, to their duty of holding power to account. For different individuals, it may be engaging with congressional campaigns, or planning demonstrations, or finding ways to defend electoral access.
Not even one year prior, we existed in a separate situation. Twelve months later? Or after another term? The fact is, we are uncertain. Our sole course is to strive to persevere.
What Provides Me Optimism Currently
The interaction I have during teaching with new media professionals, who are equally idealistic and realistic, {always
