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In late October 2024, the environment was utterly distinct. Prior to the US presidential election, reflective Americans could recognize the country's deep flaws – its unfairness and imbalance – however they could still identify it as the United States. A free society. A land where constitutional order held significance. A state headed by a respectable and ethical leader, despite his elderly years and increasing frailty.

Nowadays, as October 2025 ends, countless Americans barely recognize the country we reside in. People suspected of being illegal immigrants are rounded up and forced into vans, occasionally refused legal rights. The left side of the White House – is being torn down for a grotesque ballroom. The president is persecuting his political rivals or alleged foes and demanding the justice department hand over an enormous amount of public funds. Armed military personnel are dispatched to US urban areas with deceptive justifications. The military command, rebranded the War Department, has practically freed itself of routine media oversight while it uses potentially totaling close to a trillion USD of taxpayer money. Institutions, law firms, journalism organizations are yielding under the president’s threats, and rich magnates are handled as members of the royal family.

“America, shortly prior to its 250^th birthday as the planet's foremost free society, has tipped over the brink into autocracy and extremism,” an American historian, wrote in August. “In the end, swifter than I thought feasible, it occurred in America.”

Every morning starts amid recent atrocities. It is challenging to understand – and distressing to accept – just how far gone we have become, and the speed at which it unfolded.

Yet, it is known that the leader was legitimately chosen. Despite his highly troubling first term and despite the warnings associated with the knowledge of the conservative plan – despite the leader directly declared plainly he planned to be a dictator only on the first day – sufficient voters chose him over Kamala Harris.

Frightening as the present situation is, it’s even scarier to realize that we have only been several months into this administration. What will three more years of this deterioration find us? And suppose that timeframe becomes an prolonged era, because there is not anyone to stop this president from deciding that additional tenure is necessary, maybe for security concerns?

Certainly, not everything is hopeless. We will have midterm elections the coming year that could bring a different political equilibrium, if Democrats retake the Senate or House of Congress. There are public servants who are striving to apply some accountability, such as lawmakers currently initiating an inquiry concerning the try to money grab by federal prosecutors.

And a national vote three years from now could start us down the road to healing precisely as last year’s election set us on this unfortunate course.

There exist millions of Americans marching in the streets of their cities, like they performed recently at democracy demonstrations.

An ex-cabinet member, stated lately that “the great sleeping giant of the nation is stirring”, just as it did post-McCarthyism in the 1950s or during the Vietnam war protests or in the seventies crisis.

In those instances, the unstable nation finally returned to balance.

The author states he understands the signals of that resurgence and observes it occurring now. For proof, he points to the recent massive protests, the widespread, bipartisan pushback regarding a television host's removal and the near-unanimous rejection by reporters to sign the defense department’s demands they only publish approved content.

“The slumbering entity perpetually exists asleep before specific greed turns extremely harmful, an specific act so contemptuous of societal benefit, specific cruelty so noisy, that the giant has no choice other than to stir.”

It's a positive outlook, and I value Reich’s experienced view. Possibly he may turn out correct.

In the meantime, the crucial issues endure: is the US able to ever recover? Is it possible to restore its position in the world and its adherence to constitutional order?

Or must we acknowledge that the historical project succeeded temporarily, and then – abruptly, completely – collapsed?

My pessimistic brain indicates that the final scenario is accurate; that everything might be finished. My positive feelings, though, advises me that we must try, by any means possible.

For me, as a media critic, that involves encouraging reporters to commit, more fully, to their duty of overseeing leadership. For some people, it might involve engaging with congressional campaigns, or coordinating protests, or finding ways to defend voting rights.

Less than a year ago, we were in an alternate reality. Twelve months later? Or in several years? The fact is, we don’t know. All we can do is to attempt to continue fighting.

What Provides Me Hope Now

The engagement I have in the classroom with new media professionals, that are simultaneously idealistic and realistic, {always