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In late October 2024, the environment was utterly different. Before the American presidential vote, reflective citizens could recognize the nation's serious imperfections – its injustices and disparity – however they continued to perceive it as the US. A democratic nation. A place where the rule of law carried weight. A country headed by a honorable and upright public servant, even with his older age and declining health.

These days, this autumn, numerous citizens hardly identify the nation we reside in. Persons alleged as unauthorized foreigners are collected and shoved into vans, at times refused legal rights. The left side of the White House – is being torn down for an obscene event space. The leader is harassing his opponents or perceived antagonists and insisting federal prosecutors surrender an enormous amount of citizen dollars. Armed military personnel are deployed into American cities on false pretexts. The Pentagon, rebranded the Defense Ministry, has – in effect – rid itself of routine media oversight during its expenditure of what could amount to almost one trillion dollars of taxpayer money. Institutions, attorney offices, journalism organizations are submitting from leader's menaces, and billionaires are regarded as members of the royal family.

“America, only a few months ahead of its 250-year mark as the planet's foremost free society, has fallen over the edge into authoritarianism and totalitarianism,” a noted author, stated this past summer. “Ultimately, faster than I imagined possible, it did happen here.”

Every morning starts with fresh terrors. And it's difficult to grasp – and distressing to accept – just how far gone we have become, and how quickly it unfolded.

Yet, we understand that the leader was duly elected. Even after his highly troubling initial presidency and even after the cautions linked to the awareness of Project 2025 – despite the president personally said publicly he intended to rule as a tyrant only on the first day – sufficient voters chose him instead of his Democratic opponent.

As terrifying as the current reality are, it's more daunting to understand that we have only been several months under this leadership. What will three more years of this deterioration position us? And what if that timeframe becomes an prolonged era, because there is no one to limit this ruler from deciding that additional tenure is essential, possibly for national security reasons?

Certainly, there is still hope. We will have congressional elections next year that may create a new governmental control, if Democrats regain one or both houses of the legislature. There exist government representatives who are attempting to exert certain responsibility, for example Democratic congressmen who are starting a probe regarding the effort to money grab from legal authorities.

And a leadership election three years from now could start the path to recovery just as the prior selection placed us on this regrettable path.

There are millions of Americans demonstrating in public spaces of their cities, like they performed recently at democracy demonstrations.

Robert Reich, stated lately that “the slumbering force of the US is rising”, exactly as before post-McCarthyism in the 1950s or during the sixties activism or throughout the Watergate scandal.

In those instances, the tilting vessel ultimately corrected itself.

The author states he recognizes the indicators of that awakening and notices it unfolding now. For proof, he points to the large-scale demonstrations, the widespread, bipartisan pushback to a broadcaster's firing and the largely united defiance by media to agree to military mandates they solely cover approved content.

“The dormant force consistently stays asleep until some venality grows too toxic, an specific act so offensive of societal benefit, specific cruelty so disruptive, that he has no choice but to awaken.”

It's a positive outlook, and I value the author's seasoned opinion. Possibly he may turn out correct.

In the meantime, the crucial issues remain: will the nation return to normalcy? Can it retrieve its status internationally and its commitment to constitutional order?

Or must we acknowledge that the historical project functioned for a period, and then – suddenly, utterly – failed?

My negative thoughts indicates that the second option is correct; that all may indeed be lost. My optimistic spirit, however, convinces me that we need to strive, by any means available.

In my case, working in journalism analysis, that means encouraging reporters to commit, more thoroughly, to their mission of holding power to account. For some people, it may be participating in congressional campaigns, or coordinating protests, or discovering methods to safeguard electoral access.

Under twelve months back, we were in a separate situation. Twelve months later? Or after another term? The truth is, we are uncertain. The only option is to strive to not give up.

What Offers Me Hope Now

The contact I have during teaching with new media professionals, who are both idealistic and realistic, {always