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One year ago, the situation was utterly distinct. Before the national election, considerate citizens could admit America's significant faults – its inequities and disparity – yet they continued to see it as the United States. A democracy. A country where the rule of law held significance. A nation guided by a respectable and upright leader, despite his advanced age and increasing frailty.

These days, as October 2025 ends, countless Americans barely recognize the nation we reside in. People alleged as undocumented migrants are rounded up and shoved into vehicles, sometimes denied due process. The left side of the “people’s house” – is being torn down for an obscene ballroom. The leader is persecuting his opponents or perceived antagonists and insisting the justice department surrender a huge total of citizen dollars. Armed military personnel are dispatched across metropolitan centers on false pretexts. The defense headquarters, relabeled the Department of War, has practically liberated itself of routine media oversight while it uses what could amount to close to a trillion USD of taxpayer money. Institutions, law firms, media outlets are submitting from leader's menaces, and billionaires are regarded as nobility.

“America, only a few months ahead of its 250^th birthday as the planet's foremost free society, has crossed the limit into autocracy and fascism,” a noted author, commented in August. “Finally, swifter than I imagined possible, it did happen in this country.”

Each day begins with fresh terrors. It is hard to comprehend – and distressing to accept – just how far gone we are, and how quickly it occurred.

Yet, we know that Trump was duly elected. Following his highly troubling previous administration and despite the alerts that came with the awareness of Project 2025 – despite the president personally declared plainly he intended to rule as a tyrant only on the first day – sufficient voters chose him over his Democratic opponent.

While alarming as today's circumstances is, it's more daunting to recognize that we are just several months into this administration. How will three more years of this deterioration position us? And suppose that timeframe transforms into a more extended duration, because there is nobody to limit this ruler from deciding that a third term is required, possibly for defense purposes?

Granted, all is not lost. There are congressional elections the coming year that may create a new balance of power, in case Democrats regain either chamber of parliament. We have government representatives who are attempting to apply a degree of oversight, like Democratic congressmen that are initiating an inquiry into the attempted cash appropriation by federal prosecutors.

And a national vote three years from now could start the path toward restoration exactly as the previous vote set us on this unfortunate course.

There exist countless citizens protesting in the streets throughout communities, similar to recent recently in the No Kings rallies.

An ex-cabinet member, wrote recently that “the slumbering force of the nation is stirring”, exactly as before after the Communist witch-hunt era in the 1950s or amid the sixties activism or throughout the Nixon controversy.

During those times, the unstable nation finally returned to balance.

He claims he recognizes the signs of that revival and sees it happening now. As support, he cites the large-scale demonstrations, the broad, cross-party resistance regarding a personality's dismissal and the almost universal defiance by media to agree to government requirements they solely cover what is sanctioned.

“The dormant force consistently stays asleep till specific greed turns extremely harmful, some action so offensive of the common good, certain violence so loud, that he is compelled but to awaken.”

It’s an optimistic take, and I value Reich’s experienced view. Perhaps he will prove to be right.

In the meantime, the crucial issues remain: will the nation regain its footing? Can it reclaim its position internationally and its commitment to the rule of law?

Or should we recognize that the historical project functioned for a period, and then – suddenly, utterly – failed?

My pessimistic brain tells me that the latter is correct; that everything might be finished. My optimistic spirit, though, advises me that we have to attempt, in whatever ways available.

Personally, as an observer of the press, that involves encouraging reporters to commit, more thoroughly, to their mission of holding power to account. For different individuals, it might involve engaging with election efforts, or planning demonstrations, or finding ways to protect electoral access.

Not even one year prior, we lived in an alternate reality. A year from now? Or after another term? The truth is, we cannot predict. All we can do is to strive to persevere.

What’s Giving Me Optimism Currently

The contact I encounter during teaching with aspiring reporters, who are both hopeful and grounded, {always