The Tragic Shift Just One Year Has Caused in the United States
Twelve months back, the environment was utterly separate. Ahead of the national election, thoughtful citizens could recognize America's significant faults – its injustices and imbalance – yet they still could perceive it as the United States. A free society. A country where constitutional order carried weight. A nation led by a honorable and upright leader, even with his older age and increasing frailty.
Nowadays, in late October 2025, countless Americans hardly identify the country we live in. People believed to be unauthorized foreigners are rounded up and shoved into vans, sometimes blocked from fair treatment. The left side of the White House – is being destroyed for a grotesque dance hall. The president is persecuting his political rivals or alleged foes and requesting federal prosecutors transfer a huge total of citizen dollars. Armed military personnel are being sent across metropolitan centers with deceptive justifications. The Pentagon, rebranded the Department of War, has – in effect – rid itself of day-to-day journalistic scrutiny during its expenditure of possibly reaching nearly $1tn of taxpayer money. Institutions, law firms, journalism organizations are submitting under the president’s threats, and wealthy elites are handled as aristocracy.
“America, just months before its 250th birthday as the world’s leading democracy, has crossed the edge into authoritarianism and extremism,” an American historian, commented in August. “In the end, swifter than I imagined possible, it occurred in this country.”
Every morning starts amid recent atrocities. It is challenging to understand – and agonizing to acknowledge – how severely declined we are, and how quickly it has happened.
However, it is known that Trump was duly elected. Even after his profoundly alarming initial presidency and despite the cautions that came with the understanding of the rightwing blueprint – even after the president personally declared plainly he would be a dictator solely at the start – a majority of citizens elected him instead of his Democratic opponent.
As terrifying as the present situation may be, it's more frightening to recognize that we are just several months into this administration. Where will another 36 months of this decline find us? And what if that timeframe turns into a more extended duration, as there is no one to stop this president from opting that additional tenure is essential, maybe for national security reasons?
Granted, all is not lost. There will be congressional elections next year which might create a new governmental control, should Democrats recapture the Senate or House of the legislature. There exist government representatives who are striving to apply a degree of oversight, such as Democratic congressmen who are starting a probe concerning the try to fund seizure from the justice department.
And a presidential election in the next cycle could begin our journey to recovery exactly as the previous vote put us on this unfortunate course.
There exist millions of Americans demonstrating in public spaces across municipalities, like they performed recently in the No Kings rallies.
An ex-cabinet member, commented this week that “the slumbering force of America is stirring”, similar to past after the Communist witch-hunt era in that decade or during the sixties activism or throughout the Nixon controversy.
During those times, the tilting vessel eventually was righted.
He claims he recognizes the signs of that revival and observes it occurring at present. As evidence, he references the widespread marches, the broad, cross-party resistance regarding a broadcaster's firing and the almost universal defiance by media to agree to government requirements they only publish what is sanctioned.
“The slumbering entity consistently stays inactive till specific greed turns extremely harmful, some action so contemptuous of the common good, certain violence so loud, that he is forced except to rise.”
It's a hopeful perspective, and I value Reich’s experienced view. Perhaps he will prove to be right.
At the same time, the major inquiries remain: will the nation ever recover? Can it reclaim its status internationally and its commitment to legal principles?
Or do we need to admit that the national endeavor worked for a while, and then – swiftly, totally – ended?
My cynical mind suggests that the second option is true; that all may indeed be gone. My optimistic spirit, though, convinces me that we have to attempt, through all methods possible.
In my case, working in journalism analysis, that’s about encouraging reporters to live up, more thoroughly, to their duty of scrutinizing authority. For some people, it may be engaging with election efforts, or coordinating protests, or discovering methods to protect voting rights.
Under twelve months back, we were in a very different place. A year from now? Or after another term? The reality is, we cannot predict. The only option is try to persevere.
What Offers Me Encouragement Today
The engagement I experience during teaching with aspiring reporters, who are both hopeful and realistic, {always
