The Tragic Transformation Just One Year Has Made in the United States
Twelve months back, the environment was utterly distinct. Ahead of the national election, considerate residents could admit America's significant faults – its unfairness and imbalance – but they continued to see it as America. A democratic nation. A country where constitutional order held significance. A country led by a honorable and decent leader, notwithstanding his advanced age and declining health.
These days, as October 2025 ends, numerous citizens barely recognize the nation we live in. Individuals believed to be illegal immigrants are detained and shoved into vans, occasionally denied due process. The East Wing of the White House – is being torn down for a grotesque dance hall. The leader is harassing his opponents or perceived antagonists and insisting legal authorities surrender a massive sum of citizen dollars. Uniformed troops are being sent across metropolitan centers under fabricated reasons. The Pentagon, relabeled the Defense Ministry, has practically rid itself of routine media oversight as it spends potentially totaling close to a trillion USD of taxpayer money. Colleges, legal practices, news companies are submitting due to presidential intimidation, and rich magnates are treated like members of the royal family.
“America, 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 in August. “Ultimately, more quickly than I thought feasible, it occurred in this country.”
Every morning starts amid recent atrocities. And it's difficult to grasp – and distressing to accept – how severely declined we have become, and the speed at which it has happened.
Nevertheless, we know that Trump was legitimately chosen. Even after his profoundly alarming initial presidency and despite the alerts linked to the knowledge of the rightwing blueprint – despite the president personally declared plainly he planned to act as an autocrat solely at the start – a majority of citizens selected him instead of Kamala Harris.
Frightening as today's circumstances are, it’s even scarier to realize that we have only been three-quarters of a year under this leadership. Where will another 36 months of this decline position us? And what if the three years turns into an prolonged era, because there is no one to restrain this president from deciding that additional tenure is essential, possibly for security concerns?
Admittedly, all is not lost. There are legislative votes next year that could establish an alternate balance of power, in case Democrats recapture the Senate or House of Congress. There exist elected officials who are trying to exert certain responsibility, for example representatives currently launching an investigation into the attempted money grab from legal authorities.
And a national vote three years from now could initiate the path to healing exactly as the prior selection placed us on this regrettable path.
We see numerous residents marching in urban areas of their cities, like they performed last weekend in the No Kings rallies.
An ex-cabinet member, wrote recently that “the dormant powerhouse of America is stirring”, similar to past post-McCarthyism in that decade or during anti-war demonstrations or during the Watergate scandal.
On those occasions, the unstable nation finally returned to balance.
He claims he understands the signals of that revival and notices it unfolding currently. As evidence, he points to the large-scale demonstrations, the broad, bipartisan pushback against a television host's removal and the almost universal refusal by journalists to agree to military mandates they report only approved content.
“The dormant force always remains dormant until some venality turns extremely harmful, a particular deed so offensive toward public welfare, specific cruelty so noisy, that it has no choice but to awaken.”
It’s an optimistic take, and I appreciate Reich’s experienced view. Possibly he may be validated.
In the meantime, the crucial issues persist: will the nation regain its footing? Is it possible to restore its status internationally and its commitment to legal principles?
Or should we recognize that the historical project functioned for a period, and then – swiftly, totally – ended?
My cynical mind indicates that the latter is true; that everything might be gone. My optimistic spirit, however, advises me that we need to strive, by any means possible.
For me, as an observer of the press, that’s about urging journalists to live up, more thoroughly, to their mission of overseeing leadership. For different individuals, it could mean participating in political races, or coordinating protests, or developing approaches to safeguard ballot privileges.
Less than a year ago, we were in an alternate reality. Twelve months later? Or three years from now? The truth is, we cannot predict. Our sole course is to attempt to continue fighting.
What Offers Me Hope Now
The contact I have in the classroom with aspiring reporters, who are equally hopeful and practical, {always
