A Tragic Change Only 12 Months Has Brought in the US
In late October 2024, the situation was entirely separate. Before the national election, considerate citizens could recognize the nation's serious imperfections – its injustices and disparity – but they could still perceive it as the United States. A free society. A place where constitutional order meant something. A state guided by a dignified and decent official, even with his advanced age and growing weakness.
Nowadays, in late October 2025, numerous citizens barely recognize the land we reside in. People suspected of being illegal immigrants are detained and pushed into transport, at times blocked from fair treatment. The eastern section of the White House – is being destroyed to build a lavish event space. The leader is persecuting his adversaries or alleged foes and insisting the justice department transfer an enormous amount of public funds. Soldiers with weapons are dispatched into American cities on false pretexts. The military command, rebranded the Department of War, has effectively freed itself of routine media oversight while it uses what could amount to nearly $1tn from citizen taxes. Universities, legal practices, media outlets are submitting due to presidential intimidation, and billionaires are regarded as aristocracy.
“The US, only a few months ahead of its 250th birthday as the world’s leading democracy, has tipped over the edge toward dictatorship and extremism,” Garrett Graff, stated recently. “Finally, more quickly than I thought feasible, it occurred here.”
Every morning starts with fresh terrors. And it's challenging to understand – and agonizing to acknowledge – how severely declined we have become, and how quickly it has happened.
Yet, we know that the leader was properly voted in. Despite his profoundly alarming first term and despite the warnings that came with the awareness of Project 2025 – even after the leader directly stated openly he intended to be a dictator only on the first day – a majority of citizens elected him instead of Kamala Harris.
While alarming as the current reality may be, it's more frightening to realize that we are just nine months under this leadership. Where will an additional three years of this deterioration leave us? And if that period turns into an prolonged era, because there is not anyone to limit this leader from determining that a third term is required, perhaps for security concerns?
Admittedly, there is still hope. There are congressional elections next year that may create a new political equilibrium, if Democrats retake one or both houses of parliament. There are public servants who are trying to apply some accountability, like lawmakers currently launching an investigation into the attempted cash appropriation from legal authorities.
And a national vote three years from now could initiate our journey to recovery precisely as the prior selection put us on this unfortunate course.
We see countless citizens marching in urban areas across municipalities, like they performed recently at democracy demonstrations.
A former official, commented this week that “the slumbering force of the US is rising”, similar to past following the Red Scare during the fifties or throughout the sixties activism or during the Watergate scandal.
During those times, the unstable nation ultimately corrected itself.
He claims he understands the signals of that revival and notices it unfolding now. As support, he points to the widespread marches, the extensive, cross-party resistance against a television host's removal and the near-unanimous defiance by media to sign military mandates they solely cover approved content.
“The sleeping giant consistently stays asleep before some venality turns extremely harmful, a particular deed so offensive toward public welfare, some brutality so noisy, that the giant is compelled other than to stir.”
It's a hopeful perspective, and I value Reich’s experienced view. Perhaps he will turn out correct.
In the meantime, the big questions persist: can America return to normalcy? Is it possible to restore its status in the world and its adherence to constitutional order?
Or must we acknowledge that the national endeavor worked for a while, and then – suddenly, utterly – failed?
My pessimistic brain suggests that the second option is correct; that all may indeed be finished. My optimistic spirit, though, tells me that we have to attempt, through all methods available.
For me, working in journalism analysis, that means encouraging reporters to live up, more completely, to their purpose of holding power to account. For others, it might involve engaging with congressional campaigns, or coordinating protests, or discovering methods to safeguard ballot privileges.
Less than a year ago, we lived in an alternate reality. Twelve months later? Or after another term? The fact is, we don’t know. Our sole course is to attempt to not give up.
What Provides Me Encouragement Today
The interaction I experience with students with aspiring reporters, that are simultaneously idealistic and realistic, {always
