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Twelve months back, the environment was completely different. Before the national election, thoughtful citizens could acknowledge the nation's significant faults – its injustices and inequality – but they still could perceive it as the United States. A democracy. A country where legal governance meant something. A nation guided by a honorable and decent leader, even with his elderly years and growing weakness.

Currently, this autumn, numerous citizens hardly identify the country we live in. Persons believed to be illegal immigrants are rounded up and pushed into vans, occasionally refused legal rights. The East Wing of the White House – is being destroyed to build a lavish ballroom. The president is persecuting his adversaries or perceived antagonists and insisting legal authorities transfer a huge total of citizen dollars. Uniformed troops are deployed across metropolitan centers under fabricated reasons. The military command, renamed the War Department, has – in effect – freed itself of regular press examination while it uses potentially totaling almost one trillion dollars in public funds. Universities, attorney offices, journalism organizations are submitting from leader's menaces, and wealthy elites are handled as nobility.

“The United States, shortly prior to its 250-year mark as the globe's top democratic nation, has tipped over the edge toward dictatorship and totalitarianism,” an American historian, wrote in August. “In the end, more quickly than I believed likely, it did happen here.”

Each day begins amid recent atrocities. And it is difficult to grasp – and agonizing to acknowledge – just how far gone we have become, and the rapid pace with which it unfolded.

Nevertheless, we know that the president was properly voted in. Despite his deeply disturbing first term and despite the cautions that came with the understanding of Project 2025 – following the president personally stated openly he planned to rule as a tyrant just on day one – sufficient voters chose him over Kamala Harris.

As terrifying as the present situation are, it’s even scarier to understand that we are just several months into this administration. How will three more years of this decline find us? And what if that period turns into a more extended duration, because there is nobody to stop this president from determining that a third term is essential, perhaps for security concerns?

Certainly, not everything is hopeless. We will have congressional elections the coming year that could bring a different political equilibrium, if Democrats retake either chamber of Congress. We have government representatives who are striving to apply a degree of oversight, for example Democratic congressmen currently launching an investigation into the attempted fund seizure by federal prosecutors.

And a presidential election in the next cycle could begin us down the road to recovery exactly as the previous vote placed us on this disappointing trajectory.

There are numerous residents demonstrating in urban areas throughout communities, similar to recent recently during anti-authority protests.

An ex-cabinet member, stated lately that “the slumbering force of America is awakening”, just as it did following the Red Scare during the fifties or throughout anti-war demonstrations or during the Nixon controversy.

On those occasions, the unstable nation finally returned to balance.

The author states he recognizes the indicators of that revival and observes it occurring now. As support, he references the recent massive protests, the extensive, cross-party resistance against a broadcaster's firing and the almost universal rejection by reporters to accept the defense department’s demands they only publish authorized information.

“The sleeping giant consistently stays inactive till specific greed becomes so noxious, a particular deed so contemptuous toward public welfare, some brutality so disruptive, that the giant is compelled other than to stir.”

It's a positive outlook, and I respect Reich’s experienced view. Possibly he may be validated.

At the same time, the major inquiries remain: is the US able to return to normalcy? Can it retrieve its position globally and its adherence to constitutional order?

Or must we acknowledge that the national endeavor functioned for a period, and then – suddenly, utterly – failed?

My pessimistic brain tells me that the latter is accurate; that everything might be lost. My optimistic spirit, nevertheless, advises me that we need to strive, in whatever ways available.

In my case, working in journalism analysis, that involves urging journalists to live up, more thoroughly, to their duty of holding power to account. For some people, it might involve participating in political races, or planning demonstrations, or discovering methods to safeguard electoral access.

Under twelve months back, we existed in a very different place. A year from now? Or three years from now? The reality is, we cannot predict. Our sole course is to attempt to not give up.

What’s Giving Me Hope Now

The engagement I encounter with students with new media professionals, who are both idealistic and grounded, {always