🔗 Share this article

In late October 2024, the environment was completely separate. Ahead of the American presidential vote, reflective citizens could acknowledge the nation's deep flaws – its unfairness and disparity – however they could still identify it as the United States. A democratic nation. A country where the rule of law meant something. A state led by a respectable and decent leader, despite his elderly years and growing weakness.

These days, in late October 2025, countless Americans scarcely know the country we inhabit. Persons alleged as illegal immigrants are detained and forced into vehicles, sometimes blocked from fair treatment. The eastern section of the “people’s house” – is undergoing demolition for an obscene dance hall. The leader is persecuting his opponents or alleged foes and insisting the justice department surrender a massive sum of taxpayer money. Armed military personnel are deployed across metropolitan centers under fabricated reasons. The military command, rebranded the Defense Ministry, has practically liberated itself of regular press examination during its expenditure of possibly reaching almost one trillion dollars in public funds. Colleges, legal practices, news companies are buckling under the president’s threats, and billionaires are treated like members of the royal family.

“America, just months before its 250^th birthday as the planet's foremost free society, has tipped over the edge into authoritarianism and totalitarianism,” Garrett Graff, wrote this past summer. “Finally, swifter than I thought feasible, it occurred in America.”

Each day begins with fresh terrors. It is hard to comprehend – and agonizing to acknowledge – how deeply lost we have become, and how quickly it unfolded.

Yet, it is known that the president was properly voted in. Despite his highly troubling previous administration and even after the cautions linked to the understanding of Project 2025 – following the president personally stated openly he planned to be a dictator solely at the start – enough Americans chose him over his Democratic opponent.

While alarming as today's circumstances are, it’s even scarier to recognize that we are just nine months into this presidential term. Where will another 36 months of this downfall position us? And suppose the three years turns into an prolonged era, because there is not anyone to limit this president from opting that another term is necessary, possibly for defense purposes?

Certainly, not everything is hopeless. There are midterm elections the coming year that may establish an alternate balance of power, in case Democrats retake either chamber of the legislature. We have elected officials who are attempting to apply certain responsibility, such as lawmakers currently initiating an inquiry regarding the effort to cash appropriation from legal authorities.

And a presidential election three years from now could initiate our journey to healing precisely as last year’s election set us on this unfortunate course.

We see millions of Americans demonstrating in public spaces of their cities, as they did in the past days in the No Kings rallies.

A former official, wrote recently that “the great sleeping giant of the nation is stirring”, just as it did following the Red Scare in that decade or during anti-war demonstrations or in the Nixon controversy.

During those times, the listing ship finally returned to balance.

The author states he knows the indicators of that awakening and observes it occurring now. For proof, he references the large-scale demonstrations, the broad, cross-party resistance to a television host's removal and the almost universal rejection by reporters to sign the defense department’s demands they solely cover authorized information.

“The slumbering entity always remains inactive before certain corruption becomes so noxious, an specific act so offensive of the common good, certain violence so noisy, that the giant is forced but to awaken.”

It's a hopeful perspective, and I value the author's seasoned opinion. Possibly he may prove to be right.

In the meantime, the major inquiries remain: can America return to normalcy? Can it reclaim its position globally and its adherence to the rule of law?

Or do we need to admit that the 250-year-old experiment worked for a while, and then – swiftly, totally – ended?

My pessimistic brain indicates that the final scenario is correct; that everything could be lost. My hopeful heart, nevertheless, advises me that we have to attempt, through all methods possible.

Personally, as an observer of the press, that means encouraging reporters to commit, more completely, to their duty of holding power to account. For some people, it may be participating in congressional campaigns, or organizing rallies, or developing approaches to defend electoral access.

Less than a year ago, we lived in a separate situation. A year from now? Or after another term? The reality is, we don’t know. All we can do is to attempt to not give up.

What Provides Me Hope Now

The interaction I encounter with students with young journalists, that are simultaneously idealistic and realistic, {always