The Devastating Change Only 12 Months Has Made in the US
One year ago, the landscape was completely separate. Prior to the American presidential vote, considerate citizens could recognize the country's significant faults – its unfairness and inequality – yet they could still perceive it as the United States. A free society. A land where the rule of law held significance. A nation guided by a dignified and decent leader, even with his elderly years and declining health.
These days, as October 2025 ends, numerous citizens hardly identify the country we inhabit. Persons believed to be unauthorized foreigners are detained and forced into vehicles, at times denied due process. The East Wing of the presidential residence – is undergoing demolition for a grotesque ballroom. The leader is persecuting his opponents or supposed enemies and demanding federal prosecutors hand over a massive sum of citizen dollars. Armed military personnel are deployed to US urban areas on false pretexts. The Pentagon, rebranded the Department of War, has practically freed itself of routine media oversight during its expenditure of what could amount to almost one trillion dollars from citizen taxes. Universities, law firms, journalism organizations are buckling from leader's menaces, and billionaires are treated like nobility.
“The United States, shortly prior to its 250th birthday as the world’s leading democracy, has crossed the brink into autocracy and fascism,” Garrett Graff, stated in August. “Ultimately, more quickly than I imagined possible, it occurred in this country.”
One awakes amid recent atrocities. And it is challenging to understand – and distressing to accept – how deeply lost we have become, and how quickly it occurred.
Nevertheless, we understand that Trump was properly voted in. Despite his profoundly alarming previous administration and even after the cautions linked to the knowledge of Project 2025 – even after Trump himself said publicly he planned to act as an autocrat solely at the start – a majority of citizens selected him over Kamala Harris.
As terrifying as the present situation may be, it's more daunting to understand that we have only been three-quarters of a year into this presidential term. How will an additional three years of this deterioration leave us? And what if the three years transforms into an prolonged era, since there is no one to limit this leader from determining that another term is necessary, possibly for national security reasons?
Granted, not everything is hopeless. We will have congressional elections next year which might bring a different governmental control, if Democrats regain one or both houses of Congress. There exist government representatives who are attempting to impose certain responsibility, for example Democratic congressmen who are launching an investigation into the attempted fund seizure by federal prosecutors.
And a national vote three years from now could initiate the path to healing just as the previous vote placed us on this disappointing trajectory.
We see millions of Americans demonstrating in the streets of their cities, like they performed recently at democracy demonstrations.
An ex-cabinet member, wrote recently that “the dormant powerhouse of the nation is rising”, similar to past post-McCarthyism in that decade or during the sixties activism or throughout the Nixon controversy.
During those times, the tilting vessel finally returned to balance.
The author states he recognizes the indicators of that resurgence and sees it happening now. As evidence, he references the large-scale demonstrations, the extensive, bipartisan pushback against a broadcaster's firing and the largely united rejection by reporters to sign government requirements they report only authorized information.
“The sleeping giant always remains asleep until specific greed becomes so noxious, a particular deed so contemptuous of the common good, certain violence so loud, that it is compelled other than to stir.”
It’s an optimistic take, and I appreciate the author's seasoned opinion. Maybe he’ll prove to be right.
At the same time, the big questions persist: will the nation return to normalcy? Is it possible to restore its standing globally and its adherence to legal principles?
Or do we need to admit that the national endeavor functioned for a period, and then – abruptly, completely – collapsed?
My cynical mind indicates that the final scenario is true; that all may indeed be lost. My optimistic spirit, though, advises me that we need to strive, by any means we can.
For me, as an observer of the press, that’s about urging journalists to adhere, more fully, to their purpose of overseeing leadership. For some people, it might involve participating in election efforts, or planning demonstrations, or developing approaches to defend voting rights.
Under twelve months back, we lived in a very different place. A year from now? Or in several years? The fact is, we don’t know. The only option is to strive to not give up.
What Offers Me Encouragement Today
The interaction I have during teaching with new media professionals, who are equally visionary and realistic, {always
