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One year ago, the landscape was utterly distinct. Prior to the American presidential vote, reflective Americans could admit the country's significant faults – its injustices and inequality – but they could still identify it as the United States. A free society. A place where legal governance carried weight. A state guided by a respectable and ethical official, even with his elderly years and declining health.

Nowadays, this autumn, many of us scarcely know the land we reside in. Individuals believed to be illegal immigrants are collected and forced into vehicles, sometimes refused legal rights. The East Wing of the “people’s house” – is being destroyed for an obscene dance hall. The leader is harassing his opponents or alleged foes and insisting legal authorities surrender a huge total of citizen dollars. Soldiers with weapons are dispatched across metropolitan centers under fabricated reasons. The military command, rebranded the War Department, has – in effect – rid itself of regular press examination during its expenditure of possibly reaching almost one trillion dollars of taxpayer money. Institutions, attorney offices, media outlets are buckling due to presidential intimidation, and wealthy elites are regarded as aristocracy.

“The United States, only a few months ahead of its 250-year mark as the world’s leading democracy, has tipped over the limit into autocracy and extremism,” an American historian, wrote recently. “In the end, more quickly than I believed likely, it occurred in this country.”

Every morning starts amid recent atrocities. And it's hard to comprehend – and agonizing to acknowledge – just how far gone we are, and how quickly it has happened.

Yet, it is known that Trump was duly elected. Despite his profoundly alarming first term and even after the cautions that came with the awareness of Project 2025 – despite Trump himself stated openly he planned to be a dictator solely at the start – a majority of citizens selected him rather than his Democratic opponent.

As terrifying as the current reality may be, it's more daunting to recognize that we have only been three-quarters of a year into this administration. What will three more years of this downfall leave us? And if that timeframe transforms into something even longer, as there is not anyone to restrain this ruler from opting that additional tenure is required, possibly for security concerns?

Certainly, all is not lost. We will have congressional elections in 2026 which might establish an alternate governmental control, should Democrats recapture one or both houses of parliament. There exist government representatives who are striving to apply some accountability, like lawmakers who are launching an investigation into the attempted money grab by federal prosecutors.

And a leadership election in 2028 could start the path to recovery precisely as the prior selection put us on this disappointing trajectory.

There are millions of Americans demonstrating in the streets throughout communities, similar to recent recently during anti-authority protests.

A former official, commented this week that “the slumbering force of America is stirring”, exactly as before following the Red Scare in the 1950s or amid anti-war demonstrations or during the Nixon controversy.

In those instances, the tilting vessel eventually was righted.

Reich says he understands the signals of that awakening and notices it unfolding now. As evidence, he cites the recent massive protests, the widespread, cross-party resistance to a broadcaster's firing and the largely united refusal by journalists to sign the defense department’s demands they only publish approved content.

“The slumbering entity always remains asleep before some venality turns extremely harmful, some action so disrespectful of the common good, certain violence so disruptive, that it is compelled except to rise.”

It's a positive outlook, and I appreciate Reich’s experienced view. Maybe he’ll turn out correct.

Meanwhile, the big questions persist: can America ever recover? Is it possible to restore its position in the world and its adherence to constitutional order?

Or do we need to admit that the national endeavor worked for a while, and then – swiftly, totally – ended?

My cynical mind tells me that the final scenario is true; that everything might be lost. My hopeful heart, however, convinces me that we must try, through all methods available.

In my case, as an observer of the press, that’s about pushing media professionals to commit, more thoroughly, to their mission of holding power to account. For others, it might involve participating in political races, or organizing rallies, or developing approaches to safeguard electoral access.

Not even one year prior, we existed in a separate situation. A year from now? Or three years from now? The fact is, we don’t know. All we can do is try to persevere.

What’s Giving Me Hope Now

The interaction I encounter in the classroom with new media professionals, who are equally hopeful and grounded, {always