The Devastating Change Just One Year Has Made in the United States
Twelve months back, the landscape was completely separate. Ahead of the national election, thoughtful citizens could admit America's significant faults – its inequities and inequality – but they continued to perceive it as America. A free society. A land where the rule of law held significance. A state headed by a dignified and decent official, even with his advanced age and increasing frailty.
Nowadays, in late October 2025, many of us barely recognize the land we live in. Individuals suspected of being undocumented migrants are collected and shoved into vehicles, occasionally denied due process. The eastern section of the White House – is undergoing demolition for a grotesque ballroom. Donald Trump is harassing his opponents or perceived antagonists and demanding federal prosecutors surrender a massive sum of taxpayer money. Soldiers with weapons are deployed to US urban areas with deceptive justifications. The military command, rebranded the Defense Ministry, has effectively liberated itself of regular press examination as it spends potentially totaling almost one trillion dollars from citizen taxes. Colleges, law firms, journalism organizations are yielding from leader's menaces, and rich magnates are treated like nobility.
“The US, only a few months ahead of its 250th birthday as the world’s leading democracy, has crossed the edge toward dictatorship and fascism,” Garrett Graff, stated in August. “Ultimately, more quickly than I believed likely, it transpired here.”
Every morning starts amid recent atrocities. And it's difficult to grasp – and distressing to accept – how deeply lost our nation is, and the rapid pace with which it has happened.
Nevertheless, we know that the president was properly voted in. Even after his profoundly alarming previous administration and despite the cautions that came with the awareness of Project 2025 – following Trump himself declared plainly he would rule as a tyrant just on day one – a majority of citizens chose him instead of the other candidate.
As terrifying as the current reality are, it's more daunting to recognize that we have only been three-quarters of a year into this presidential term. What will another 36 months of this downfall leave us? And if the three years transforms into something even longer, as there is nobody to limit this leader from deciding that additional tenure is necessary, maybe for security concerns?
Granted, all is not lost. We will have legislative votes the coming year that could establish an alternate governmental control, in case Democrats recapture either chamber of parliament. There exist government representatives who are attempting to exert a degree of oversight, for example lawmakers currently launching an investigation regarding the effort to money grab from the justice department.
And a national vote in the next cycle could begin us down the road to recovery precisely as last year’s election placed us on this disappointing trajectory.
There are millions of Americans protesting in the streets across municipalities, as they did recently at democracy demonstrations.
A former official, commented this week that “the dormant powerhouse of America is stirring”, exactly as before post-McCarthyism in that decade or amid the Vietnam war protests or throughout the Watergate scandal.
During those times, the listing ship finally returned to balance.
Reich says he knows the signs of that resurgence and sees it happening currently. As support, he cites the recent massive protests, the widespread, bipartisan pushback against a television host's removal and the largely united rejection by reporters to agree to government requirements they report only approved content.
“The slumbering entity perpetually exists inactive until some venality becomes so noxious, an specific act so offensive toward public welfare, specific cruelty so noisy, that the giant is forced other than to stir.”
It's a positive outlook, and I respect his knowledgeable stance. Possibly he may turn out correct.
In the meantime, the major inquiries persist: will the nation ever recover? Can it retrieve its standing internationally and its commitment to the rule of law?
Or must we acknowledge that the national endeavor succeeded temporarily, and then – suddenly, utterly – failed?
My negative thoughts tells me that the latter is accurate; that everything could be finished. My hopeful heart, however, convinces me that we need to strive, by any means possible.
For me, as a media critic, that’s about urging journalists to live up, more thoroughly, to their mission of overseeing leadership. For different individuals, it may be participating in congressional campaigns, or organizing rallies, or discovering methods to protect ballot privileges.
Under twelve months back, we existed in a very different place. A year from now? Or in several years? The fact is, we don’t know. All we can do is to attempt to continue fighting.
What Provides Me Optimism Currently
The engagement I experience during teaching with new media professionals, that are simultaneously visionary and grounded, {always