The Tragic Change Just One Year Has Made in America

One year ago, the environment was completely separate. Prior to the national election, considerate residents could recognize the nation's significant faults – its inequities and imbalance – however they continued to identify it as the United States. A democracy. A country where the rule of law carried weight. A nation guided by a dignified and ethical official, notwithstanding his advanced age and declining health.

These days, in late October 2025, many of us barely recognize the nation we reside in. People suspected of being illegal immigrants are detained and pushed into transport, at times blocked from fair treatment. The East Wing of the White House – is being destroyed for an obscene dance hall. Donald Trump is harassing his adversaries or supposed enemies and requesting the justice department transfer a massive sum of public funds. Armed military personnel are being sent to US urban areas under fabricated reasons. The military command, relabeled the War Department, has effectively freed itself of regular press examination while it uses possibly reaching almost one trillion dollars of taxpayer money. Universities, legal practices, news companies are buckling from leader's menaces, and billionaires are regarded as members of the royal family.

“The US, shortly prior to its 250-year mark as the planet's foremost free society, has fallen over the brink toward dictatorship and fascism,” Garrett Graff, commented this past summer. “Finally, swifter than I thought feasible, it transpired in this country.”

One awakes to new horrors. And it's challenging to understand – and distressing to accept – how severely declined our nation is, and how quickly it unfolded.

However, it is known that Trump was legitimately chosen. Following his deeply disturbing initial presidency and despite the alerts linked to the awareness of the rightwing blueprint – following Trump himself declared plainly he would rule as a tyrant solely at the start – a majority of citizens selected him over the other candidate.

Frightening as today's circumstances is, it’s even scarier to recognize that we’re only several months into this presidential term. What will an additional three years of this deterioration find us? And suppose the three years transforms into a more extended duration, as there is no one to stop this ruler from determining that a third term is necessary, maybe for national security reasons?

Granted, not everything is hopeless. We will have legislative votes next year that could create a new political equilibrium, in case Democrats retake the Senate or House of parliament. There are government representatives who are trying to impose some accountability, for example lawmakers who are initiating an inquiry concerning the try to cash appropriation from legal authorities.

And a national vote in the next cycle could initiate the path to recovery just as the prior selection put us on this regrettable path.

We see countless citizens protesting in urban areas throughout communities, as they did last weekend at democracy demonstrations.

Robert Reich, commented this week that “the slumbering force of the nation is rising”, exactly as before after the Communist witch-hunt era in that decade or amid the Vietnam war protests or throughout the Nixon controversy.

On those occasions, the listing ship ultimately corrected itself.

He claims he understands the indicators of that resurgence and sees it happening at present. As evidence, he cites the recent massive protests, the broad, cross-party resistance to a broadcaster's firing and the largely united refusal by journalists to sign military mandates they only publish what is sanctioned.

“The dormant force perpetually exists dormant till certain corruption turns extremely harmful, a particular deed so offensive of the common good, some brutality so noisy, that it has no choice other than to stir.”

It’s an optimistic take, and I appreciate his knowledgeable stance. Perhaps he will prove to be right.

Meanwhile, the big questions remain: is the US able to regain its footing? Can it reclaim its status globally and its adherence to legal principles?

Or should we recognize that the 250-year-old experiment succeeded temporarily, and then – suddenly, utterly – failed?

My pessimistic brain indicates that the second option is correct; that everything might be gone. My optimistic spirit, nevertheless, advises me that we need to strive, through all methods possible.

In my case, as a media critic, that involves encouraging reporters to live up, more completely, to their duty of holding power to account. For different individuals, it might involve working on political races, or organizing rallies, or finding ways to defend electoral access.

Under twelve months back, we lived in a very different place. Twelve months later? Or after another term? The reality is, we cannot predict. The only option is try to not give up.

What Provides Me Hope Now

The engagement I encounter in the classroom with aspiring reporters, who are equally hopeful and practical, {always