The Tragic Change a Single Year Has Caused in the United States
One year ago, the environment was completely separate. Before the national election, reflective citizens could acknowledge the nation's significant faults – its unfairness and inequality – however they still could identify it as America. A free society. A country where constitutional order meant something. A state guided by a dignified and ethical leader, notwithstanding his older age and growing weakness.
Currently, as October 2025 ends, numerous citizens hardly identify the nation we inhabit. Individuals suspected of being unauthorized foreigners are detained and shoved into vans, at times denied due process. The left side of the “people’s house” – is being destroyed for a grotesque event space. The leader is targeting his political rivals or perceived antagonists and demanding legal authorities surrender a massive sum of public funds. Uniformed troops are deployed into American cities under fabricated reasons. The defense headquarters, rebranded the War Department, has – in effect – liberated itself of routine media oversight during its expenditure of potentially totaling nearly $1tn in public funds. Institutions, law firms, media outlets are submitting due to presidential intimidation, and rich magnates are treated like nobility.
“The United States, only a few months ahead of its 250th birthday as the planet's foremost free society, has tipped over the edge into authoritarianism and extremism,” an American historian, stated recently. “In the end, swifter than I imagined possible, it occurred in this country.”
Every morning starts amid recent atrocities. It is hard to comprehend – and painful to realize – how deeply lost we have become, and the rapid pace with which it unfolded.
Yet, we understand that the president was properly voted in. Even after his deeply disturbing previous administration and following the cautions associated with the understanding of the rightwing blueprint – following Trump himself stated openly he would act as an autocrat only on the first day – enough Americans selected him rather than his Democratic opponent.
Frightening as the present situation may be, it’s even scarier to understand that we are just several months into this administration. How will another 36 months of this decline leave us? And if that period transforms into something even longer, because there is not anyone to restrain this president from determining that a third term is necessary, possibly for security concerns?
Granted, there is still hope. There will be midterm elections in 2026 that could create a new balance of power, if Democrats retake one or both houses of the legislature. There are government representatives who are attempting to exert a degree of oversight, for example lawmakers that are starting a probe into the attempted fund seizure from legal authorities.
And a presidential election in the next cycle could begin the path to healing just as the prior selection set us on this regrettable path.
We see countless citizens marching in the streets throughout communities, similar to recent recently during anti-authority protests.
An ex-cabinet member, stated lately that “the slumbering force of America is rising”, exactly as before post-McCarthyism in that decade or amid the Vietnam war protests or throughout the Watergate scandal.
During those times, the listing ship eventually was righted.
He claims he knows the signs of that resurgence and observes it occurring at present. As support, he points to the recent massive protests, the widespread, cross-party resistance to a television host's removal and the largely united refusal by journalists to sign government requirements they only publish what is sanctioned.
“The dormant force always remains inactive before certain corruption becomes so noxious, a particular deed so contemptuous toward public welfare, certain violence so loud, that he is compelled except to rise.”
It's a positive outlook, and I appreciate his knowledgeable stance. Possibly he may prove to be right.
At the same time, the major inquiries remain: can America ever recover? Is it possible to restore its status globally and its devotion to the rule of law?
Or must we acknowledge that the historical project succeeded temporarily, and then – swiftly, totally – ended?
My negative thoughts tells me that the latter is correct; that all may indeed be gone. My positive feelings, though, convinces me that we need to strive, by any means possible.
Personally, working in journalism analysis, that involves urging journalists to live up, more fully, to their duty of scrutinizing authority. For some people, it may be working on election efforts, or coordinating protests, or finding ways to safeguard voting rights.
Not even one year prior, we lived in a very different place. In the future? Or three years from now? The reality is, we don’t know. All we can do is to attempt to persevere.
What’s Giving Me Optimism Currently
The engagement I experience during teaching with new media professionals, that are simultaneously idealistic and realistic, {always
