A Devastating Transformation Just One Year Has Brought in America

One year ago, the environment was entirely different. Ahead of the national election, considerate citizens could admit America's deep flaws – its injustices and disparity – yet they could still see it as the United States. A free society. A place where the rule of law held significance. A country headed by a respectable and upright leader, even with his older age and growing weakness.

Nowadays, as October 2025 ends, numerous citizens barely recognize the country we live in. Persons suspected of being illegal immigrants are detained and shoved into transport, occasionally refused legal rights. The eastern section of the White House – is being destroyed for an obscene dance hall. The president is targeting his adversaries or alleged foes and requesting legal authorities surrender an enormous amount of citizen dollars. Armed military personnel are being sent into American cities under fabricated reasons. The Pentagon, rebranded the Department of War, has practically rid itself of day-to-day journalistic scrutiny during its expenditure of what could amount to nearly $1tn in public funds. Universities, attorney offices, media outlets are yielding due to presidential intimidation, and rich magnates are treated like aristocracy.

“The US, shortly prior to its 250-year mark as the world’s leading democracy, has crossed the edge into autocracy and fascism,” a noted author, stated in August. “In the end, more quickly than I imagined possible, it did happen in America.”

Every morning starts amid recent atrocities. And it's challenging to understand – and painful to realize – how deeply lost we are, and the speed at which it occurred.

Nevertheless, we understand that Trump was properly voted in. Even after his highly troubling initial presidency and even after the alerts associated with the knowledge of Project 2025 – even after the president personally stated openly he intended to rule as a tyrant only on the first day – sufficient voters chose him rather than Kamala Harris.

As terrifying as the present situation is, it's more frightening to realize that we have only been nine months into this presidential term. How will an additional three years of this downfall leave us? And if the three years turns into a more extended duration, as there is not anyone to limit this leader from opting that additional tenure is essential, maybe for defense purposes?

Granted, all is not lost. We will have congressional elections the coming year that could bring a different political equilibrium, in case Democrats regain the Senate or House of parliament. There exist elected officials who are striving to apply certain responsibility, like lawmakers that are initiating an inquiry concerning the try to cash appropriation from the justice department.

And a national vote three years from now could initiate our journey to recovery just as last year’s election placed us on this disappointing trajectory.

We see numerous residents protesting in the streets of their cities, similar to recent last weekend during anti-authority protests.

Robert Reich, wrote recently that “the great sleeping giant of the US is rising”, exactly as before after the Communist witch-hunt era in that decade or throughout the Vietnam war protests or throughout the Nixon controversy.

On those occasions, the listing ship finally returned to balance.

The author states he knows the indicators of that awakening and sees it happening currently. For proof, he points to the widespread marches, the broad, multi-faction opposition against a television host's removal and the near-unanimous rejection by reporters to agree to military mandates they only publish what is sanctioned.

“The dormant force consistently stays asleep before specific greed grows too toxic, some action so contemptuous toward public welfare, certain violence so disruptive, that the giant has no choice except to rise.”

It's a hopeful perspective, and I respect Reich’s experienced view. Possibly he may be validated.

In the meantime, the big questions endure: is the US able to regain its footing? Can it retrieve its position internationally 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 pessimistic brain tells me that the latter is accurate; that everything might be finished. My optimistic spirit, however, advises me that we must try, by any means available.

For me, as a media critic, that means urging journalists to live up, more thoroughly, to their purpose of overseeing leadership. For some people, it could mean engaging with political races, or planning demonstrations, or discovering methods to safeguard ballot privileges.

Less than a year ago, we were in a separate situation. In the future? Or after another term? The fact is, we are uncertain. All we can do is to attempt to continue fighting.

What Offers Me Encouragement Today

The contact I encounter in the classroom with new media professionals, that are simultaneously visionary and practical, {always