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In late October 2024, the environment was utterly different. Before the American presidential vote, thoughtful Americans could acknowledge the nation's significant faults – its injustices and imbalance – but they continued to identify it as America. A democracy. A land where constitutional order held significance. A state headed by a dignified and ethical leader, even with his older age and declining health.

These days, as October 2025 ends, numerous citizens scarcely know the country we inhabit. Individuals suspected of being unauthorized foreigners are detained and pushed into vans, at times refused legal rights. The left side of the “people’s house” – is being torn down for an obscene ballroom. The leader is targeting his opponents or supposed enemies and insisting federal prosecutors hand over an enormous amount of taxpayer money. Soldiers with weapons are being sent into American cities with deceptive justifications. The military command, renamed the Defense Ministry, has – in effect – liberated itself of day-to-day journalistic scrutiny as it spends possibly reaching almost one trillion dollars from citizen taxes. Institutions, law firms, journalism organizations are submitting due to presidential intimidation, and rich magnates are treated like aristocracy.

“The US, only a few months ahead of its quarter-millennium anniversary as the world’s leading democracy, has tipped over the limit toward dictatorship and extremism,” an American historian, wrote this past summer. “Ultimately, more quickly than I believed likely, it occurred in this country.”

Each day begins to new horrors. It is hard to comprehend – and agonizing to acknowledge – how deeply lost we are, and how quickly it occurred.

Nevertheless, it is known that Trump was properly voted in. Despite his profoundly alarming initial presidency and despite the cautions linked to the knowledge of the conservative plan – following Trump himself declared plainly he would rule as a tyrant just on day one – a majority of citizens selected him rather than his Democratic opponent.

As terrifying as the present situation are, it’s even scarier to understand that we have only been nine months under this leadership. How will an additional three years of this deterioration position us? And what if the three years turns into something even longer, as there is nobody to limit this ruler from determining that a third term is essential, maybe for security concerns?

Certainly, all is not lost. We will have midterm elections in 2026 which might create a new balance of power, in case Democrats retake one or both houses of parliament. There are government representatives who are trying to impose certain responsibility, for example Democratic congressmen currently initiating an inquiry concerning the try to cash appropriation by federal prosecutors.

And a leadership election three years from now could start our journey to healing precisely as last year’s election put us on this regrettable path.

There exist numerous residents marching in public spaces throughout communities, similar to recent last weekend in the No Kings rallies.

A former official, wrote recently that “the great sleeping giant of America is awakening”, exactly as before following the Red Scare during the fifties or during the sixties activism or during the Watergate scandal.

During those times, the tilting vessel eventually was righted.

The author states he recognizes the signs of that awakening and notices it unfolding currently. As evidence, he references the large-scale demonstrations, the widespread, cross-party resistance regarding a broadcaster's firing and the almost universal rejection by reporters to agree to military mandates they report only what is sanctioned.

“The sleeping giant consistently stays asleep until certain corruption turns extremely harmful, an specific act so offensive toward public welfare, some brutality so noisy, that it is compelled but to awaken.”

It's a hopeful perspective, and I respect the author's seasoned opinion. Possibly he may turn out correct.

At the same time, the crucial issues endure: will the nation return to normalcy? Can it retrieve its standing in the world and its devotion to the rule of law?

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

My pessimistic brain suggests that the second option is accurate; that all may indeed be gone. My optimistic spirit, nevertheless, tells me that we need to strive, in whatever ways we can.

For me, as an observer of the press, that involves pushing media professionals to live up, more completely, to their purpose of scrutinizing authority. For others, it may be participating in election efforts, or coordinating protests, or developing approaches to defend electoral access.

Under twelve months back, we were in a separate situation. A year from now? Or three years from now? The truth is, we don’t know. Our sole course is to strive to continue fighting.

What Provides Me Optimism Currently

The interaction I encounter during teaching with new media professionals, who are both hopeful and grounded, {always