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One year ago, the environment was entirely different. Ahead of the US presidential election, considerate citizens could acknowledge America's serious imperfections – its unfairness and inequality – however they could still identify it as the US. A democratic nation. A place where the rule of law meant something. A country led by a respectable and decent public servant, despite his advanced age and increasing frailty.

Currently, as October 2025 ends, countless Americans hardly identify the land we reside in. Persons believed to be undocumented migrants are rounded up and shoved into vans, at times refused legal rights. The East Wing of the “people’s house” – is undergoing demolition to build a lavish event space. The leader is targeting his political rivals or alleged foes and insisting federal prosecutors surrender a massive sum of public funds. Uniformed troops are being sent to US urban areas under fabricated reasons. The Pentagon, relabeled the Department of War, has practically freed itself of regular press examination as it spends what could amount to nearly $1tn of taxpayer money. Universities, law firms, media outlets are yielding from leader's menaces, and rich magnates are regarded as members of the royal family.

“The US, only a few months ahead of its 250-year mark as the planet's foremost free society, has fallen over the edge into autocracy and totalitarianism,” a noted author, stated in August. “Ultimately, swifter than I thought feasible, it occurred in this country.”

One awakes amid recent atrocities. And it's difficult to grasp – and distressing to accept – just how far gone we are, and the rapid pace with which it occurred.

Yet, we know that the leader was duly elected. Following his profoundly alarming first term and following the alerts linked to the awareness of the rightwing blueprint – despite the leader directly declared plainly he intended to rule as a tyrant solely at the start – enough Americans chose him rather than the other candidate.

While alarming as the present situation are, it's more daunting to understand that we have only been three-quarters of a year into this administration. How will three more years of this deterioration leave us? And if that period becomes something even longer, because there is nobody to restrain this leader from opting that another term is essential, maybe for defense purposes?

Granted, all is not lost. We will have midterm elections next year that could bring a different governmental control, should Democrats retake one or both houses of Congress. We have public servants who are attempting to impose some accountability, such as representatives who are launching an investigation into the attempted fund seizure by federal prosecutors.

And a national vote in 2028 could begin our journey to recovery just as the previous vote put us on this disappointing trajectory.

There exist numerous residents demonstrating in urban areas across municipalities, as they did recently during anti-authority protests.

Robert Reich, commented this week that “the slumbering force of the nation is awakening”, similar to past after the Communist witch-hunt era during the fifties or throughout anti-war demonstrations or during the Nixon controversy.

During those times, the listing ship eventually was righted.

He claims he understands the signals of that revival and observes it occurring now. As evidence, he points to the large-scale demonstrations, the broad, bipartisan pushback against a personality's dismissal and the almost universal refusal by journalists to agree to the defense department’s demands they solely cover authorized information.

“The dormant force always remains asleep till specific greed becomes so noxious, some action so contemptuous toward public welfare, some brutality so noisy, that it is compelled other than to stir.”

It's a positive outlook, and I appreciate Reich’s experienced view. Possibly he may be validated.

Meanwhile, the crucial issues remain: can America regain its footing? Can it retrieve its standing internationally and its commitment to constitutional order?

Or do we need to admit that the national endeavor worked for a while, and then – abruptly, completely – collapsed?

My cynical mind tells me that the latter is true; that all may indeed be gone. My hopeful heart, nevertheless, advises me that we must try, in whatever ways available.

Personally, as an observer of the press, that means urging journalists to commit, more fully, to their mission of holding power to account. For some people, it could mean participating in congressional campaigns, or planning demonstrations, or developing approaches to protect ballot privileges.

Not even one year prior, 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 strive to continue fighting.

What Provides Me Optimism Currently

The contact I have with students with young journalists, that are simultaneously visionary and grounded, {always