The Devastating Shift a Single Year Has Made in the US
One year ago, the environment was entirely separate. Ahead of the American presidential vote, considerate residents could acknowledge America's deep flaws – its inequities and imbalance – but they still could see it as America. A democracy. A country where legal governance held significance. A nation led by a honorable and ethical official, even with his older age and increasing frailty.
Currently, in late October 2025, many of us scarcely know the land we inhabit. Individuals suspected of being undocumented migrants are collected and shoved into vehicles, sometimes refused legal rights. The left side of the “people’s house” – is undergoing demolition for a grotesque event space. Donald Trump is persecuting his political rivals or alleged foes and requesting federal prosecutors hand over a massive sum of taxpayer money. Uniformed troops are dispatched into American cities under fabricated reasons. The defense headquarters, rebranded the War Department, has practically freed itself of regular press examination while it uses possibly reaching close to a trillion USD from citizen taxes. Institutions, law firms, news companies are buckling under the president’s threats, and rich magnates are treated like members of the royal family.
“America, just months before its quarter-millennium anniversary as the world’s leading democracy, has fallen over the limit into authoritarianism and fascism,” a noted author, stated recently. “Ultimately, swifter than I thought feasible, it occurred here.”
Each day begins with fresh terrors. It is hard to comprehend – and agonizing to acknowledge – how severely declined we have become, and how quickly it occurred.
Yet, we know that the leader was legitimately chosen. Following his profoundly alarming initial presidency and even after the warnings that came with the understanding of Project 2025 – despite Trump himself stated openly he planned to act as an autocrat just on day one – a majority of citizens selected him over the other candidate.
While alarming as today's circumstances are, it's more daunting to realize that we have only been nine months under this leadership. What will another 36 months of this deterioration leave us? And if that period becomes something even longer, as there is nobody to stop this ruler from deciding that a third term is necessary, perhaps for national security reasons?
Granted, not everything is hopeless. There will be midterm elections the coming year that could bring a different governmental control, should Democrats regain either chamber of parliament. There are elected officials who are trying to apply a degree of oversight, like lawmakers currently starting a probe concerning the try to fund seizure from the justice department.
And a presidential election in 2028 could start our journey to healing exactly as the previous vote set us on this regrettable path.
There exist numerous residents marching in the streets across municipalities, like they performed in the past days in the No Kings rallies.
A former official, stated lately that “the slumbering force of America is stirring”, exactly as before after the Communist witch-hunt era in that decade or throughout anti-war demonstrations or during the Nixon controversy.
In those instances, the listing ship finally returned to balance.
The author states he understands the signals of that resurgence and notices it unfolding now. As evidence, he references the large-scale demonstrations, the extensive, bipartisan pushback regarding a broadcaster's firing and the largely united rejection by reporters to sign military mandates they solely cover what is sanctioned.
“The dormant force consistently stays dormant before certain corruption becomes so noxious, some action so offensive of the common good, some brutality so disruptive, that he has no choice except to rise.”
It’s an optimistic take, and I respect the author's seasoned opinion. Maybe he’ll be validated.
In the meantime, the big questions endure: is the US able to ever recover? Can it retrieve its position globally and its commitment to the rule of law?
Or do we need to admit that the historical project worked for a while, and then – abruptly, completely – collapsed?
My cynical mind indicates that the final scenario is correct; that all may indeed be lost. My positive feelings, nevertheless, tells me that we have to attempt, through all methods available.
Personally, as a media critic, that’s about pushing media professionals to commit, more completely, to their purpose of overseeing leadership. For others, it might involve working on congressional campaigns, or planning demonstrations, or discovering methods to defend ballot privileges.
Less than a year ago, we lived in a very different place. A year from now? Or three years from now? The fact is, we cannot predict. Our sole course is to attempt to persevere.
What Provides Me Hope Now
The interaction I experience with students with new media professionals, who are both visionary and grounded, {always
