A Tragic Shift Just One Year Has Caused in the US
In late October 2024, the situation was entirely different. Before the US presidential election, considerate citizens could recognize the country's significant faults – its injustices and inequality – but they could still perceive it as the United States. A democracy. A country where constitutional order carried weight. A state headed by a respectable and upright public servant, despite his advanced age and declining health.
These days, in late October 2025, numerous citizens scarcely know the land we reside in. People believed to be unauthorized foreigners are collected and shoved into vehicles, at times refused legal rights. The eastern section of the White House – is being torn down for an obscene event space. Donald Trump is harassing his adversaries or perceived antagonists and demanding federal prosecutors surrender a huge total of taxpayer money. Soldiers with weapons are dispatched across metropolitan centers on false pretexts. The defense headquarters, renamed the War Department, has practically freed itself of regular press examination during its expenditure of possibly reaching nearly $1tn in public funds. Colleges, attorney offices, news companies are submitting from leader's menaces, and rich magnates are handled as nobility.
“America, shortly prior to its 250th birthday as the world’s leading democracy, has tipped over the edge into authoritarianism and extremism,” an American historian, commented this past summer. “Finally, swifter than I believed likely, it did happen in this country.”
One awakes with fresh terrors. It is difficult to grasp – and distressing to accept – just how far gone our nation is, and the rapid pace with which it unfolded.
However, we understand that the president was properly voted in. Despite his highly troubling initial presidency and following the warnings associated with the understanding of the conservative plan – even after the leader directly stated openly he intended to act as an autocrat solely at the start – a majority of citizens elected him rather than Kamala Harris.
As terrifying as the present situation is, it's more frightening to understand that we have only been three-quarters of a year into this presidential term. How will three more years of this downfall leave us? And what if that timeframe transforms into something even longer, as there is nobody to stop this ruler from deciding that a third term is essential, possibly for security concerns?
Admittedly, not everything is hopeless. There will be midterm elections the coming year that may establish an alternate balance of power, if Democrats retake one or both houses of Congress. There exist elected officials who are attempting to impose certain responsibility, for example Democratic congressmen currently starting a probe regarding the effort to cash appropriation from the justice department.
And a presidential election in the next cycle could initiate the path to recovery precisely as last year’s election put us on this disappointing trajectory.
There are numerous residents marching in urban areas of their cities, like they performed recently at democracy demonstrations.
A former official, stated lately that “the great sleeping giant of America is awakening”, just as it did after the Communist witch-hunt era in that decade or during the Vietnam war protests or throughout the seventies crisis.
On those occasions, the tilting vessel eventually was righted.
The author states he knows the signs of that resurgence and notices it unfolding at present. As support, he references the large-scale demonstrations, the broad, multi-faction opposition to a personality's dismissal and the largely united defiance by media to agree to military mandates they report only authorized information.
“The sleeping giant perpetually exists inactive before certain corruption grows too toxic, a particular deed so disrespectful toward public welfare, specific cruelty so noisy, that it has no choice other than to stir.”
It's a positive outlook, and I respect Reich’s experienced view. Maybe he’ll prove to be right.
At the same time, the crucial issues remain: will the nation ever recover? Can it retrieve its status internationally and its commitment to the rule of law?
Or should we recognize that the national endeavor succeeded temporarily, and then – swiftly, totally – ended?
My cynical mind tells me that the final scenario is accurate; that everything might be gone. My hopeful heart, though, tells me that we need to strive, in whatever ways we can.
Personally, as an observer of the press, that involves pushing media professionals to commit, more thoroughly, to their purpose of holding power to account. For others, it might involve participating in election efforts, or organizing rallies, or finding ways to defend voting rights.
Under twelve months back, we existed in an alternate reality. A year from now? Or in several years? The fact is, we are uncertain. Our sole course is to strive to continue fighting.
What Provides Me Hope Now
The contact I encounter with students with aspiring reporters, who are both visionary and realistic, {always
