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In late October 2024, the landscape was completely separate. Prior to the US presidential election, reflective residents could admit the country's serious imperfections – its unfairness and disparity – yet they could still see it as the US. A democracy. A country where legal governance held significance. A country headed by a respectable and ethical public servant, notwithstanding his elderly years and declining health.

These days, this autumn, many of us scarcely know the country we live in. Persons suspected of being unauthorized foreigners are rounded up and pushed into vans, sometimes refused legal rights. The eastern section of the “people’s house” – is undergoing demolition for an obscene event space. The president is targeting his political rivals or alleged foes and demanding the justice department transfer a massive sum of public funds. Armed military personnel are deployed across metropolitan centers with deceptive justifications. The defense headquarters, relabeled the Department of War, has – in effect – rid itself of day-to-day journalistic scrutiny as it spends potentially totaling close to a trillion USD of taxpayer money. Universities, attorney offices, media outlets are yielding from leader's menaces, and billionaires are handled as members of the royal family.

“The United States, shortly prior to its quarter-millennium anniversary as the planet's foremost free society, has crossed the brink into autocracy and extremism,” an American historian, commented this past summer. “Finally, more quickly than I imagined possible, it did happen in this country.”

One awakes to new horrors. It is challenging to understand – and agonizing to acknowledge – just how far gone our nation is, and how quickly it occurred.

Nevertheless, it is known that Trump was duly elected. Following his profoundly alarming previous administration and despite the cautions linked to the understanding of Project 2025 – following Trump himself said publicly he would rule as a tyrant only on the first day – sufficient voters selected him rather than Kamala Harris.

As terrifying as the present situation may be, it’s even scarier to realize that we have only been nine months into this administration. What will an additional three years of this decline position us? And what if that timeframe becomes an prolonged era, because there is no one to limit this leader from deciding that additional tenure is required, possibly for defense purposes?

Certainly, there is still hope. We will have legislative votes in 2026 that may bring a different balance of power, should Democrats regain the Senate or House of parliament. There are public servants who are trying to apply some accountability, like representatives currently initiating an inquiry concerning the try to fund seizure from the justice department.

And a national vote in the next cycle could begin the path toward restoration just as the prior selection placed us on this disappointing trajectory.

There exist countless citizens demonstrating in public spaces of their cities, as they did recently in the No Kings rallies.

A former official, wrote recently that “the dormant powerhouse of America is rising”, just as it did post-McCarthyism during the fifties or amid anti-war demonstrations or in the Watergate scandal.

On those occasions, the tilting vessel eventually was righted.

The author states he recognizes the signals of that resurgence and sees it happening at present. As support, he references the widespread marches, the broad, cross-party resistance to a television host's removal and the near-unanimous refusal by journalists to sign military mandates they report only authorized information.

“The sleeping giant always remains inactive before specific greed becomes so noxious, a particular deed so disrespectful of the common good, some brutality so noisy, that he has no choice other than to stir.”

It’s an optimistic take, and I value his knowledgeable stance. Perhaps he will prove to be right.

Meanwhile, the crucial issues endure: will the nation return to normalcy? Can it reclaim its status internationally and its devotion to the rule of law?

Or do we need to admit that the 250-year-old experiment succeeded temporarily, and then – abruptly, completely – collapsed?

My cynical mind indicates that the latter is correct; that all may indeed be gone. My positive feelings, nevertheless, convinces me that we must try, by any means available.

For me, working in journalism analysis, that means encouraging reporters to adhere, more completely, to their purpose of scrutinizing authority. For others, it could mean participating in election efforts, or planning demonstrations, or finding ways to defend voting rights.

Less than a year ago, we existed in a separate situation. A year from now? Or three years from now? The truth is, we are uncertain. Our sole course is to attempt to not give up.

What Provides Me Optimism Currently

The contact I have during teaching with aspiring reporters, who are both visionary and grounded, {always