The Devastating Transformation Just One Year Has Caused in the US
One year ago, the environment was completely separate. Before the American presidential vote, thoughtful Americans could admit the country's deep flaws – its inequities and imbalance – however they could still identify it as the United States. A democratic nation. A land where the rule of law meant something. A state guided by a dignified and ethical official, notwithstanding his advanced age and growing weakness.
These days, in late October 2025, countless Americans hardly identify the land we live in. Individuals alleged as undocumented migrants are collected and pushed into vans, at times blocked from fair treatment. The left side of the White House – is being torn down to build a lavish dance hall. The president is harassing his political rivals or alleged foes and demanding the justice department transfer an enormous amount of public funds. Uniformed troops are being sent across metropolitan centers under fabricated reasons. The defense headquarters, relabeled the War Department, has – in effect – freed itself of day-to-day journalistic scrutiny as it spends potentially totaling nearly $1tn in public funds. Universities, attorney offices, journalism organizations are yielding due to presidential intimidation, and billionaires are handled as aristocracy.
“America, only a few months ahead of its 250th birthday as the world’s leading democracy, has fallen over the edge toward dictatorship and fascism,” Garrett Graff, stated in August. “In the end, more quickly than I imagined possible, it occurred in this country.”
Each day begins with fresh terrors. And it's challenging to understand – and distressing to accept – just how far gone we have become, and how quickly it has happened.
Nevertheless, we understand that the president was properly voted in. Despite his highly troubling initial presidency and despite the warnings that came with the understanding of the rightwing blueprint – despite Trump himself stated openly he planned to act as an autocrat only on the first day – a majority of citizens selected him over the other candidate.
While alarming as today's circumstances are, it's more frightening to understand that we have only been nine months under this leadership. Where will an additional three years of this decline leave us? And if that timeframe turns into something even longer, as there is nobody to restrain this president from deciding that a third term is necessary, perhaps for security concerns?
Admittedly, not everything is hopeless. We will have congressional elections in 2026 that could create a new balance of power, in case Democrats retake either chamber of Congress. There exist public servants who are trying to exert some accountability, like representatives that are launching an investigation regarding the effort to cash appropriation from the justice department.
And a leadership election in the next cycle could begin the path to recovery exactly as the previous vote set us on this disappointing trajectory.
There exist millions of Americans marching in public spaces throughout communities, as they did last weekend during anti-authority protests.
An ex-cabinet member, commented this week that “the dormant powerhouse of the US is stirring”, just as it did after the Communist witch-hunt era in the 1950s or throughout the sixties activism or during the seventies crisis.
In those instances, the tilting vessel ultimately corrected itself.
The author states he understands the indicators of that revival and sees it happening now. For proof, he cites the large-scale demonstrations, the broad, bipartisan pushback against a personality's dismissal and the almost universal refusal by journalists to agree to military mandates they only publish authorized information.
“The slumbering entity always remains dormant before some venality becomes so noxious, some action so disrespectful toward public welfare, certain violence so loud, that it is forced except to rise.”
It's a positive outlook, and I value Reich’s experienced view. Perhaps he will turn out correct.
Meanwhile, the crucial issues persist: will the nation ever recover? Is it possible to restore its standing in the world and its commitment to legal principles?
Or must we acknowledge that the national endeavor functioned for a period, and then – abruptly, completely – collapsed?
My pessimistic brain indicates that the second option is true; that all may indeed be gone. My optimistic spirit, nevertheless, tells me that we must try, in whatever ways we can.
Personally, as a media critic, that’s about pushing media professionals to commit, more fully, to their purpose of scrutinizing authority. For different individuals, it could mean engaging with election efforts, or coordinating protests, or finding ways to protect voting rights.
Under twelve months back, we were in a very different place. Twelve months later? Or three years from now? The fact is, we are uncertain. The only option is to strive to not give up.
What Provides Me Optimism Currently
The interaction I have with students with new media professionals, that are simultaneously visionary and practical, {always
