🔗 Share this article

One year ago, the situation was completely distinct. Prior to the American presidential vote, thoughtful citizens could recognize the nation's deep flaws – its inequities and inequality – however they still could perceive it as the United States. A democracy. A place where legal governance meant something. A country guided by a respectable and ethical official, notwithstanding his older age and declining health.

Nowadays, this autumn, many of us barely recognize the country we inhabit. Individuals believed to be undocumented migrants are rounded up and shoved into transport, at times denied due process. The eastern section of the “people’s house” – is undergoing demolition to build a lavish dance hall. The leader is persecuting his political rivals or supposed enemies and requesting the justice department hand over a huge total of public funds. Armed military personnel are deployed to US urban areas with deceptive justifications. The military command, renamed the Defense Ministry, has – in effect – freed itself of day-to-day journalistic scrutiny as it spends potentially totaling nearly $1tn from citizen taxes. Institutions, law firms, news companies are submitting under the president’s threats, and wealthy elites are treated like nobility.

“America, shortly prior to its quarter-millennium anniversary as the planet's foremost free society, has crossed the limit into autocracy and extremism,” an American historian, stated in August. “Finally, faster than I believed likely, it occurred here.”

One awakes to new horrors. And it is challenging to understand – and distressing to accept – how severely declined we have become, and the speed at which it unfolded.

However, it is known that the leader was properly voted in. Despite his highly troubling first term and following the alerts that came with the knowledge of Project 2025 – following Trump himself said publicly he intended to rule as a tyrant solely at the start – sufficient voters elected him over his Democratic opponent.

Frightening as the current reality may be, it's more frightening to understand that we’re only several months into this administration. How will an additional three years of this decline leave us? And if that period becomes something even longer, as there is no one to limit this leader from deciding that another term is necessary, perhaps for national security reasons?

Admittedly, all is not lost. There are congressional elections in 2026 that may create a new balance of power, in case Democrats recapture the Senate or House of Congress. There exist elected officials who are attempting to exert a degree of oversight, like lawmakers that are launching an investigation regarding the effort to fund seizure from legal authorities.

And a national vote in 2028 could initiate our journey toward restoration exactly as the previous vote set us on this unfortunate course.

We see numerous residents demonstrating in the streets of their cities, similar to recent last weekend at democracy demonstrations.

Robert Reich, commented this week that “the slumbering force of the US is stirring”, just as it did post-McCarthyism in that decade or throughout the Vietnam war protests or throughout the Watergate scandal.

In those instances, the listing ship eventually was righted.

Reich says he understands the signals of that resurgence and notices it unfolding now. As evidence, he references the recent massive protests, the extensive, multi-faction opposition to a personality's dismissal and the almost universal rejection by reporters to agree to military mandates they solely cover what is sanctioned.

“The slumbering entity perpetually exists asleep before some venality turns extremely harmful, some action so disrespectful of the common good, specific cruelty so disruptive, that it is forced other than to stir.”

It’s an optimistic take, and I respect the author's seasoned opinion. Maybe he’ll turn out correct.

At the same time, the big questions remain: will the nation ever recover? Can it reclaim its position globally and its commitment to the rule of law?

Or do we need to admit that the 250-year-old experiment succeeded temporarily, and then – abruptly, completely – collapsed?

My pessimistic brain tells me that the second option is true; that all may indeed be finished. My positive feelings, however, advises me that we need to strive, through all methods available.

Personally, working in journalism analysis, that’s about encouraging reporters to commit, more fully, to their purpose of overseeing leadership. For different individuals, it could mean working on political races, or organizing rallies, or discovering methods to safeguard voting rights.

Less than a year ago, we were in a separate situation. In the future? Or three years from now? The fact is, we are uncertain. The only option is try to persevere.

What Offers Me Encouragement Today

The engagement I experience during teaching with new media professionals, who are equally visionary and realistic, {always