🔗 Share this article

One year ago, the landscape was utterly separate. Before the US presidential election, thoughtful citizens could recognize the nation's deep flaws – its unfairness and imbalance – yet they could still identify it as the United States. A democracy. A country where legal governance carried weight. A state led by a dignified and decent public servant, even with his older age and increasing frailty.

Currently, this autumn, numerous citizens scarcely know the nation we reside in. Individuals suspected of being illegal immigrants are collected and forced into transport, occasionally refused legal rights. The eastern section of the “people’s house” – is undergoing demolition for an obscene ballroom. The president is persecuting his political rivals or alleged foes and demanding legal authorities surrender an enormous amount of public funds. Uniformed troops are deployed to US urban areas with deceptive justifications. The Pentagon, rebranded the Department of War, has practically freed itself of regular press examination while it uses what could amount to almost one trillion dollars from citizen taxes. Institutions, attorney offices, media outlets are buckling due to presidential intimidation, and billionaires are handled as nobility.

“The United States, just months before its 250-year mark as the planet's foremost free society, has tipped over the limit toward dictatorship and extremism,” a noted author, wrote in August. “Finally, faster than I imagined possible, it did happen in this country.”

Every morning starts to new horrors. And it is difficult to grasp – and agonizing to acknowledge – just how far gone we have become, and the speed at which it occurred.

However, we know that the leader was duly elected. Despite his deeply disturbing previous administration and following the cautions that came with the knowledge of Project 2025 – following the leader directly said publicly he planned to act as an autocrat solely at the start – a majority of citizens chose him over the other candidate.

While alarming as the current reality may be, it's more daunting to understand that we’re only three-quarters of a year into this administration. How will another 36 months of this downfall find us? And if the three years transforms into something even longer, since there is no one to restrain this ruler from determining that additional tenure is necessary, perhaps for national security reasons?

Granted, there is still hope. There are midterm elections next year that could create a new governmental control, in case Democrats recapture the Senate or House of Congress. We have elected officials who are striving to apply some accountability, like lawmakers that are initiating an inquiry into the attempted money grab from legal authorities.

And a national vote in the next cycle could initiate the path to recovery exactly as the previous vote placed us on this regrettable path.

We see numerous residents demonstrating in urban areas of their cities, as they did recently at democracy demonstrations.

Robert Reich, commented this week that “the slumbering force of the nation is stirring”, similar to past following the Red Scare in the 1950s or throughout anti-war demonstrations or during the seventies crisis.

In those instances, the tilting vessel eventually was righted.

The author states he recognizes the indicators of that resurgence and sees it happening currently. For proof, he references the large-scale demonstrations, the widespread, bipartisan pushback to a broadcaster's firing and the almost universal refusal by journalists to agree to the defense department’s demands they only publish what is sanctioned.

“The sleeping giant perpetually exists dormant till certain corruption becomes so noxious, some action so contemptuous of the common good, certain violence so loud, that the giant has no choice except to rise.”

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

In the meantime, the major inquiries remain: is the US able to ever recover? Is it possible to restore its position globally and its devotion to the rule of law?

Or do we need to admit that the national endeavor functioned for a period, and then – abruptly, completely – collapsed?

My cynical mind indicates that the second option is accurate; that everything might be gone. My positive feelings, nevertheless, advises me that we have to attempt, through all methods possible.

For me, as an observer of the press, that involves encouraging reporters to live up, more completely, to their mission of overseeing leadership. For different individuals, it may be participating in congressional campaigns, or coordinating protests, or discovering methods to defend voting rights.

Less than a year ago, we were in a very different place. Twelve months later? Or in several years? The fact is, we are uncertain. All we can do is to attempt to not give up.

What’s Giving Me Encouragement Today

The interaction I encounter during teaching with young journalists, who are equally idealistic and realistic, {always