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In late October 2024, the situation was entirely separate. Before the American presidential vote, reflective Americans could admit America's deep flaws – its inequities and inequality – but they could still perceive it as America. A democracy. A country where legal governance meant something. A country headed by a honorable and upright official, even with his advanced age and declining health.

These days, as October 2025 ends, numerous citizens scarcely know the nation we live in. Individuals alleged as unauthorized foreigners are collected and pushed into transport, sometimes blocked from fair treatment. The East Wing of the presidential residence – is being torn down to build a lavish event space. The leader is harassing his political rivals or alleged foes and insisting legal authorities transfer a huge total of taxpayer money. Soldiers with weapons are being sent across metropolitan centers under fabricated reasons. The Pentagon, renamed the Defense Ministry, has – in effect – liberated itself of routine media oversight during its expenditure of potentially totaling close to a trillion USD from citizen taxes. Colleges, law firms, journalism organizations are buckling from leader's menaces, and billionaires are treated like members of the royal family.

“America, only a few months ahead of its 250-year mark as the world’s leading democracy, has crossed the limit toward dictatorship and fascism,” a noted author, commented recently. “In the end, swifter than I imagined possible, it occurred in America.”

Each day begins with fresh terrors. It is challenging to understand – and agonizing to acknowledge – just how far gone our nation is, and the speed at which it unfolded.

However, we know that Trump was duly elected. Following his profoundly alarming previous administration and despite the alerts linked to the knowledge of the conservative plan – even after the leader directly declared plainly he planned to rule as a tyrant only on the first day – a majority of citizens elected him instead of Kamala Harris.

While alarming as the present situation is, it's more daunting to recognize that we’re only nine months into this administration. Where will another 36 months of this downfall leave us? And if the three years transforms into a more extended duration, as there is no one to restrain this president from opting that a third term is necessary, perhaps for security concerns?

Granted, all is not lost. We will have legislative votes the coming year that could bring a different political equilibrium, in case Democrats retake the Senate or House of the legislature. There are elected officials who are trying to impose some accountability, for example representatives that are starting a probe into the attempted money grab from the justice department.

And a presidential election in the next cycle could begin the path to healing just as the previous vote set us on this unfortunate course.

There exist numerous residents demonstrating in public spaces throughout communities, like they performed in the past days in the No Kings rallies.

Robert Reich, commented this week that “the dormant powerhouse of the nation is rising”, exactly as before following the Red Scare in that decade or throughout the Vietnam war protests or in the Watergate scandal.

During those times, the unstable nation eventually was righted.

The author states he knows the indicators of that resurgence and notices it unfolding currently. As support, he points to the recent massive protests, the broad, cross-party resistance against a television host's removal and the near-unanimous refusal by journalists to agree to the defense department’s demands they report only what is sanctioned.

“The sleeping giant always remains dormant until certain corruption becomes so noxious, an specific act so disrespectful of societal benefit, certain violence so noisy, that it is forced except to rise.”

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

In the meantime, the major inquiries remain: can America return to normalcy? Can it reclaim its status globally and its adherence to legal principles?

Or should we recognize that the national endeavor functioned for a period, and then – abruptly, completely – collapsed?

My negative thoughts tells me that the second option is correct; that everything might be gone. My optimistic spirit, though, advises me that we must try, through all methods we can.

Personally, as an observer of the press, that means urging journalists to adhere, more fully, to their mission of scrutinizing authority. For some people, it might involve working on election efforts, or coordinating protests, or finding ways to protect voting rights.

Not even one year prior, we lived in a separate situation. Twelve months later? Or three years from now? The fact is, we are uncertain. All we can do is to attempt to persevere.

What Offers Me Encouragement Today

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