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In late October 2024, the situation was utterly separate. Ahead of the national election, reflective residents could recognize the country's significant faults – its inequities and imbalance – yet they still could see it as the US. A democracy. A land where legal governance carried weight. A state led by a honorable and ethical official, notwithstanding his older age and increasing frailty.

Currently, in late October 2025, numerous citizens barely recognize the country we live in. People suspected of being undocumented migrants are collected and forced into vehicles, sometimes denied due process. The eastern section of the White House – is being destroyed to build a lavish dance hall. The leader is harassing his political rivals or perceived antagonists and requesting legal authorities surrender an enormous amount of citizen dollars. Uniformed troops are being sent to US urban areas under fabricated reasons. The military command, renamed the War Department, has practically rid itself of regular press examination during its expenditure of potentially totaling close to a trillion USD of taxpayer money. Institutions, law firms, media outlets are yielding due to presidential intimidation, and wealthy elites are handled as aristocracy.

“America, shortly prior to its quarter-millennium anniversary as the world’s leading democracy, has tipped over the limit into authoritarianism and extremism,” an American historian, stated recently. “In the end, faster than I believed likely, it did happen in America.”

Each day begins to new horrors. And it is hard to comprehend – and painful to realize – how deeply lost our nation is, and the rapid pace with which it has happened.

However, it is known that the president was legitimately chosen. Despite his deeply disturbing first term and even after the alerts linked to the awareness of Project 2025 – despite the leader directly stated openly he intended to rule as a tyrant just on day one – sufficient voters chose him over his Democratic opponent.

Frightening as today's circumstances are, it's more frightening to recognize that we’re only several months under this leadership. Where will another 36 months of this deterioration leave us? And what if that period becomes an prolonged era, because there is nobody to limit this ruler from deciding that a third term is necessary, maybe for national security reasons?

Granted, there is still hope. We will have midterm elections in 2026 that may bring a different balance of power, should Democrats recapture one or both houses of the legislature. There are government representatives who are striving to exert certain responsibility, like representatives who are starting a probe into the attempted money grab from the justice department.

And a presidential election in 2028 could begin our journey to healing exactly as the prior selection set us on this regrettable path.

There are numerous residents marching in urban areas throughout communities, like they performed in the past days during anti-authority protests.

A former official, wrote recently that “the great sleeping giant of America is stirring”, just as it did following the Red Scare in that decade or throughout the sixties activism or in the Nixon controversy.

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

Reich says he recognizes the signals of that revival and sees it happening at present. As support, he references the widespread marches, the extensive, multi-faction opposition against a broadcaster's firing and the largely united defiance by media to sign government requirements they only publish authorized information.

“The slumbering entity always remains dormant until some venality turns extremely harmful, a particular deed so disrespectful toward public welfare, certain violence so loud, that it is forced except to rise.”

It’s an optimistic take, and I respect Reich’s experienced view. Possibly he may prove to be right.

At the same time, the big questions remain: is the US able to ever recover? Can it retrieve its position in the world and its adherence to constitutional order?

Or should we recognize that the historical project worked for a while, and then – abruptly, completely – collapsed?

My negative thoughts tells me that the final scenario is accurate; that everything could be finished. My positive feelings, however, advises me that we have to attempt, in whatever ways possible.

Personally, working in journalism analysis, that involves pushing media professionals to adhere, more fully, to their mission of scrutinizing authority. For others, it may be working on election efforts, or planning demonstrations, or developing approaches to safeguard electoral access.

Less than a year ago, we lived in a very different place. Twelve months later? Or after another term? The truth is, we cannot predict. Our sole course is to strive to persevere.

What Provides Me Optimism Currently

The engagement I encounter in the classroom with aspiring reporters, who are both visionary and grounded, {always