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Twelve months back, the landscape was utterly different. Before the American presidential vote, thoughtful Americans could recognize the nation's deep flaws – its unfairness and inequality – however they could still perceive it as America. A free society. A land where legal governance meant something. A state guided by a dignified and upright public servant, even with his elderly years and declining health.

Currently, as October 2025 ends, numerous citizens barely recognize the land we reside in. Persons alleged as illegal immigrants are rounded up and pushed into vans, occasionally blocked from fair treatment. The East Wing of the presidential residence – is undergoing demolition for an obscene dance hall. The president is persecuting his opponents or perceived antagonists and demanding federal prosecutors transfer a massive sum of taxpayer money. Armed military personnel are deployed across metropolitan centers on false pretexts. The Pentagon, rebranded the Department of War, has effectively liberated itself of routine media oversight during its expenditure of possibly reaching almost one trillion dollars from citizen taxes. Institutions, legal practices, journalism organizations are yielding under the president’s threats, and rich magnates are treated like aristocracy.

“The United States, only a few months ahead of its 250-year mark as the world’s leading democracy, has tipped over the limit into autocracy and totalitarianism,” a noted author, commented this past summer. “In the end, swifter than I thought feasible, it occurred here.”

Each day begins to new horrors. It is hard to comprehend – and distressing to accept – just how far gone we are, and how quickly it has happened.

Yet, it is known that Trump was properly voted in. Despite his profoundly alarming previous administration and following the alerts associated with the understanding of the conservative plan – despite the president personally stated openly he would act as an autocrat just on day one – enough Americans selected him rather than his Democratic opponent.

Frightening as the current reality is, it’s even scarier to understand that we are just several months into this administration. How will three more years of this downfall position us? And if that timeframe becomes an prolonged era, as there is no one to stop this president from opting that additional tenure is required, maybe for security concerns?

Certainly, not everything is hopeless. We will have midterm elections in 2026 which might create a new governmental control, in case Democrats recapture one or both houses of parliament. We have elected officials who are attempting to impose certain responsibility, for example representatives that are launching an investigation into the attempted fund seizure from the justice department.

And a leadership election three years from now could initiate us down the road toward restoration exactly as the prior selection put us on this regrettable path.

There are numerous residents demonstrating in urban areas of their cities, similar to recent last weekend during anti-authority protests.

Robert Reich, wrote recently that “the great sleeping giant of the US is stirring”, exactly as before following the Red Scare in the 1950s or amid the sixties activism or throughout the Nixon controversy.

In those instances, the unstable nation ultimately corrected itself.

The author states he recognizes the signals of that awakening and observes it occurring at present. As evidence, he references the large-scale demonstrations, the widespread, cross-party resistance regarding a television host's removal and the near-unanimous defiance by media to accept the defense department’s demands they only publish what is sanctioned.

“The sleeping giant consistently stays dormant until specific greed becomes so noxious, an specific act so contemptuous of societal benefit, specific cruelty so disruptive, that he has no choice except to rise.”

It’s an optimistic take, and I appreciate Reich’s experienced view. Possibly he may be validated.

Meanwhile, the big questions remain: can America regain its footing? Is it possible to restore its position globally and its devotion to constitutional order?

Or must we acknowledge that the national endeavor worked for a while, and then – suddenly, utterly – failed?

My cynical mind tells me that the second option is accurate; that everything might be gone. My positive feelings, nevertheless, tells me that we have to attempt, in whatever ways we can.

In my case, as a media critic, that’s about urging journalists to live up, more completely, to their purpose of holding power to account. For some people, it may be working on political races, or organizing rallies, or developing approaches to protect voting rights.

Less than a year ago, we were in an alternate reality. A year from now? Or three years from now? The truth is, we don’t know. Our sole course is to strive to persevere.

What’s Giving Me Optimism Currently

The engagement I experience in the classroom with new media professionals, who are equally idealistic and practical, {always