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In late October 2024, the environment was entirely distinct. Prior to the American presidential vote, thoughtful Americans could admit the country's deep flaws – its unfairness and imbalance – yet they still could perceive it as America. A free society. A country where the rule of law meant something. A nation headed by a respectable and upright public servant, despite his older age and growing weakness.

Currently, as October 2025 ends, many of us barely recognize the land we inhabit. People suspected of being unauthorized foreigners are detained and shoved into transport, occasionally refused legal rights. The East Wing of the White House – is being destroyed for an obscene event space. Donald Trump is targeting his opponents or alleged foes and demanding the justice department surrender a huge total of taxpayer money. Soldiers with weapons are dispatched across metropolitan centers with deceptive justifications. The military command, renamed the Department of War, has practically rid itself of day-to-day journalistic scrutiny during its expenditure of potentially totaling close to a trillion USD from citizen taxes. Institutions, attorney offices, journalism organizations are submitting under the president’s threats, and billionaires are handled as nobility.

“The US, just months before its quarter-millennium anniversary as the globe's top democratic nation, has tipped over the edge into authoritarianism and extremism,” a noted author, wrote this past summer. “Finally, faster than I thought feasible, it occurred in this country.”

One awakes to new horrors. And it's difficult to grasp – and distressing to accept – how deeply lost our nation is, and the rapid pace with which it occurred.

Yet, we know that Trump was duly elected. Following his profoundly alarming initial presidency and despite the alerts associated with the understanding of the rightwing blueprint – even after the president personally declared plainly he intended to be a dictator solely at the start – sufficient voters chose him instead of his Democratic opponent.

While alarming as the present situation are, it’s even scarier to realize that we’re only three-quarters of a year into this administration. What will an additional three years of this decline find us? And what if that period turns into an prolonged era, as there is nobody to limit this president from deciding that a third term is necessary, maybe for defense purposes?

Certainly, not everything is hopeless. There are congressional elections next year that could establish an alternate political equilibrium, if Democrats retake the Senate or House of parliament. There are government representatives who are attempting to exert certain responsibility, such as Democratic congressmen currently initiating an inquiry regarding the effort to fund seizure from legal authorities.

And a leadership election in the next cycle could begin us down the road toward restoration exactly as the previous vote placed us on this regrettable path.

There exist countless citizens marching in the streets across municipalities, like they performed recently in the No Kings rallies.

A former official, wrote recently that “the dormant powerhouse of the US is stirring”, similar to past after the Communist witch-hunt era in that decade or throughout the sixties activism or throughout the seventies crisis.

During those times, the unstable nation ultimately corrected itself.

Reich says he knows the signs of that revival and notices it unfolding at present. As evidence, he points to the widespread marches, the broad, cross-party resistance against a personality's dismissal and the almost universal rejection by reporters to sign government requirements they report only approved content.

“The sleeping giant always remains dormant until certain corruption turns extremely harmful, a particular deed so offensive of societal benefit, certain violence so loud, that it is forced except to rise.”

It's a hopeful perspective, and I value the author's seasoned opinion. Perhaps he will prove to be right.

At the same time, the major inquiries endure: will the nation regain its footing? Can it reclaim its standing internationally and its commitment to the rule of law?

Or do we need to admit that the historical project worked for a while, and then – abruptly, completely – collapsed?

My cynical mind indicates that the latter is true; that all may indeed be lost. My hopeful heart, though, convinces me that we must try, through all methods we can.

For me, as an observer of the press, that involves urging journalists to live up, more completely, to their duty of scrutinizing authority. For some people, it might involve participating in political races, or organizing rallies, or finding ways to safeguard ballot privileges.

Not even one year prior, we were in a separate situation. A year from now? Or after another term? The reality is, we cannot predict. All we can do is to attempt to not give up.

What Provides Me Hope Now

The engagement I have with students with aspiring reporters, who are equally visionary and grounded, {always