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In late October 2024, the landscape was completely separate. Ahead of the American presidential vote, considerate citizens could admit America's significant faults – its inequities and disparity – however they could still perceive it as the United States. A democratic nation. A country where legal governance held significance. A state led by a respectable and decent official, despite his advanced age and increasing frailty.

Currently, in late October 2025, numerous citizens barely recognize the nation we inhabit. Persons believed to be undocumented migrants are rounded up and shoved into transport, sometimes blocked from fair treatment. The East Wing of the presidential residence – is being torn down for an obscene event space. The leader is targeting his adversaries or perceived antagonists and demanding federal prosecutors transfer a huge total of citizen dollars. Soldiers with weapons are dispatched across metropolitan centers under fabricated reasons. The Pentagon, relabeled the Department of War, has – in effect – liberated itself of regular press examination while it uses possibly reaching nearly $1tn in public funds. Universities, legal practices, news companies are submitting from leader's menaces, and billionaires are handled as aristocracy.

“The US, shortly prior to its 250^th birthday as the globe's top democratic nation, has tipped over the brink into autocracy and fascism,” a noted author, commented this past summer. “Finally, more quickly than I imagined possible, it transpired here.”

One awakes with fresh terrors. It is challenging to understand – and painful to realize – just how far gone our nation is, and the speed at which it unfolded.

However, it is known that the leader was duly elected. Despite his highly troubling previous administration and even after the cautions that came with the understanding of the conservative plan – despite the leader directly stated openly he intended to act as an autocrat just on day one – a majority of citizens elected him over his Democratic opponent.

While alarming as today's circumstances are, it's more frightening to understand that we have only been several months into this presidential term. Where will another 36 months of this downfall leave us? And if that period turns into something even longer, as there is nobody to restrain this leader from deciding that additional tenure is essential, possibly for national security reasons?

Admittedly, all is not lost. There will be congressional elections in 2026 that may create a new governmental control, if Democrats regain the Senate or House of the legislature. There exist public servants who are striving to impose certain responsibility, such as representatives that are starting a probe regarding the effort to cash appropriation by federal prosecutors.

And a leadership election in the next cycle could begin us down the road to healing exactly as last year’s election set us on this regrettable path.

There are millions of Americans protesting in public spaces across municipalities, like they performed in the past days during anti-authority protests.

Robert Reich, commented this week that “the dormant powerhouse of America is rising”, exactly as before after the Communist witch-hunt era in that decade or throughout anti-war demonstrations or during the Watergate scandal.

In those instances, the listing ship finally returned to balance.

The author states he understands the indicators of that resurgence and sees it happening now. As support, he references the large-scale demonstrations, the extensive, cross-party resistance to a personality's dismissal and the near-unanimous refusal by journalists to accept government requirements they solely cover approved content.

“The dormant force consistently stays asleep till certain corruption grows too toxic, an specific act so contemptuous toward public welfare, certain violence so loud, that it is compelled but to awaken.”

It’s an optimistic take, and I respect the author's seasoned opinion. Possibly he may be validated.

At the same time, the major inquiries endure: can America return to normalcy? Is it possible to restore its position globally and its commitment to legal principles?

Or do we need to admit that the national endeavor functioned for a period, and then – suddenly, utterly – failed?

My negative thoughts tells me that the latter is accurate; that everything could be lost. My positive feelings, however, convinces me that we need to strive, in whatever ways available.

For me, as an observer of the press, that involves pushing media professionals to adhere, more completely, to their duty of scrutinizing authority. For some people, it might involve engaging with congressional campaigns, or coordinating protests, or developing approaches to protect voting rights.

Less than a year ago, we were in a very different place. A year from now? Or in several years? The fact is, we don’t know. Our sole course is to attempt to continue fighting.

What’s Giving Me Encouragement Today

The interaction I encounter with students with new media professionals, that are simultaneously idealistic and grounded, {always