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In late October 2024, the environment was entirely separate. Prior to the US presidential election, considerate residents could admit the nation's deep flaws – its inequities and inequality – but they continued to perceive it as the United States. A free society. A place where the rule of law held significance. A country guided by a honorable and ethical public servant, notwithstanding his older age and increasing frailty.

These days, as October 2025 ends, numerous citizens hardly identify the nation we live in. Individuals suspected of being illegal immigrants are detained and shoved into transport, sometimes refused legal rights. The East Wing of the presidential residence – is being destroyed to build a lavish ballroom. The president is targeting his adversaries or supposed enemies and insisting the justice department transfer a massive sum of public funds. Armed military personnel are being sent into American cities under fabricated reasons. The defense headquarters, rebranded the Department of War, has effectively liberated itself of routine media oversight as it spends potentially totaling nearly $1tn in public funds. Institutions, law firms, journalism organizations are submitting from leader's menaces, and billionaires are treated like nobility.

“America, shortly prior to its quarter-millennium anniversary as the planet's foremost free society, has tipped over the limit into authoritarianism and fascism,” a noted author, commented in August. “Ultimately, faster than I believed likely, it did happen here.”

Each day begins amid recent atrocities. It is difficult to grasp – and agonizing to acknowledge – how severely declined we are, and how quickly it has happened.

Nevertheless, we know that the president was legitimately chosen. Even after his profoundly alarming previous administration and even after the alerts that came with the understanding of the rightwing blueprint – despite the president personally said publicly he planned to act as an autocrat only on the first day – a majority of citizens elected him rather than his Democratic opponent.

While alarming as today's circumstances are, it's more daunting to realize that we are just several months into this presidential term. Where will an additional three years of this decline position us? And suppose that timeframe transforms into a more extended duration, as there is not anyone to restrain this president from deciding that a third term is required, maybe for defense purposes?

Granted, there is still hope. There are legislative votes next year that may bring a different balance of power, if Democrats recapture the Senate or House of Congress. There are government representatives who are trying to exert certain responsibility, such as lawmakers currently starting a probe regarding the effort to cash appropriation by federal prosecutors.

And a national vote three years from now could begin us down the road to healing just as the prior selection placed us on this disappointing trajectory.

There are countless citizens demonstrating in public spaces throughout communities, like they performed in the past days during anti-authority protests.

Robert Reich, wrote recently that “the dormant powerhouse of the US is stirring”, just as it did post-McCarthyism in the 1950s or throughout the Vietnam war protests or during the Nixon controversy.

On those occasions, the tilting vessel finally returned to balance.

The author states he knows the signs of that resurgence and notices it unfolding now. As evidence, he points to the large-scale demonstrations, the broad, multi-faction opposition regarding a television host's removal and the near-unanimous rejection by reporters to agree to government requirements they report only authorized information.

“The slumbering entity consistently stays asleep before specific greed becomes so noxious, a particular deed so contemptuous toward public welfare, certain violence so noisy, that it has no choice except to rise.”

It's a positive outlook, and I respect the author's seasoned opinion. Perhaps he will prove to be right.

Meanwhile, the major inquiries persist: will the nation regain its footing? Is it possible to restore its standing in the world and its devotion to the rule of law?

Or do we need to admit that the historical project succeeded temporarily, and then – swiftly, totally – ended?

My negative thoughts tells me that the latter is correct; that everything might be lost. My positive feelings, nevertheless, tells me that we must try, through all methods we can.

Personally, working in journalism analysis, that’s about encouraging reporters to commit, more thoroughly, to their purpose of scrutinizing authority. For some people, it could mean participating in political races, or organizing rallies, or discovering methods to safeguard electoral access.

Less than a year ago, we lived in a separate situation. Twelve months later? Or after another term? The fact is, we cannot predict. The only option is to strive to not give up.

What’s Giving Me Encouragement Today

The contact I encounter during teaching with young journalists, that are simultaneously visionary and grounded, {always