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One year ago, the environment was entirely distinct. Ahead of the American presidential vote, reflective citizens could acknowledge the nation's serious imperfections – its injustices and inequality – yet they could still perceive it as the United States. A democracy. A place where the rule of law carried weight. A state headed by a dignified and upright public servant, notwithstanding his older age and growing weakness.

These days, in late October 2025, many of us barely recognize the land we inhabit. Persons suspected of being unauthorized foreigners are collected and forced into vehicles, occasionally denied due process. The left side of the White House – is undergoing demolition for a grotesque dance hall. The leader is targeting his adversaries or perceived antagonists and demanding federal prosecutors surrender a massive sum of public funds. Uniformed troops are deployed to US urban areas under fabricated reasons. The Pentagon, renamed the Defense Ministry, has practically liberated itself of routine media oversight as it spends possibly reaching close to a trillion USD of taxpayer money. Universities, law firms, media outlets are yielding due to presidential intimidation, and rich magnates are treated like aristocracy.

“The US, just months before its quarter-millennium anniversary as the world’s leading democracy, has tipped over the limit into autocracy and extremism,” a noted author, wrote in August. “Ultimately, faster than I believed likely, it transpired in this country.”

One awakes to new horrors. And it is challenging to understand – and agonizing to acknowledge – just how far gone we are, and the speed at which it unfolded.

However, it is known that the president was properly voted in. Following his profoundly alarming first term and following the warnings that came with the awareness of the conservative plan – following the president personally stated openly he intended to rule as a tyrant solely at the start – sufficient voters selected him instead of the other candidate.

While alarming as today's circumstances are, it's more daunting to recognize that we are just nine months into this administration. What will another 36 months of this decline find us? And if the three years turns into something even longer, as there is no one to stop this ruler from opting that a third term is necessary, perhaps for national security reasons?

Granted, all is not lost. There will be congressional elections the coming year that could bring a different balance of power, in case Democrats recapture either chamber of Congress. There exist public servants who are trying to impose some accountability, such as lawmakers who are starting a probe into the attempted money grab from the justice department.

And a national vote three years from now could initiate us down the road toward restoration exactly as the previous vote put us on this disappointing trajectory.

There exist numerous residents demonstrating in public spaces of their cities, similar to recent in the past days in the No Kings rallies.

An ex-cabinet member, wrote recently that “the slumbering force of America is rising”, exactly as before after the Communist witch-hunt era during the fifties or amid anti-war demonstrations or during the Nixon controversy.

On those occasions, the listing ship eventually was righted.

The author states he knows the indicators of that resurgence and notices it unfolding now. For proof, he cites the widespread marches, the widespread, cross-party resistance regarding a television host's removal and the largely united refusal by journalists to sign military mandates they report only authorized information.

“The sleeping giant perpetually exists asleep before certain corruption becomes so noxious, some action so offensive toward public welfare, some brutality so loud, that it is compelled except to rise.”

It's a positive outlook, and I value the author's seasoned opinion. Possibly he may be validated.

In the meantime, the big questions persist: is the US able to regain its footing? Can it retrieve its status in the world and its commitment to constitutional order?

Or should we recognize that the 250-year-old experiment functioned for a period, and then – abruptly, completely – collapsed?

My negative thoughts suggests that the latter is true; that all may indeed be finished. My hopeful heart, though, tells me that we must try, in whatever ways possible.

For me, as a media critic, that means pushing media professionals to commit, more completely, to their purpose of overseeing leadership. For others, it could mean working on congressional campaigns, or coordinating protests, or finding ways to protect ballot privileges.

Not even one year prior, we were in a separate situation. In the future? Or in several years? The reality is, we cannot predict. Our sole course is try to continue fighting.

What’s Giving Me Optimism Currently

The engagement I experience in the classroom with new media professionals, who are equally hopeful and practical, {always