The Heartbreaking Change Only 12 Months Has Caused in the US
In late October 2024, the landscape was entirely different. Prior to the American presidential vote, thoughtful residents could admit the nation's significant faults – its injustices and imbalance – however they could still perceive it as America. A democracy. A country where legal governance carried weight. A nation guided by a respectable and ethical official, despite his elderly years and growing weakness.
Nowadays, as October 2025 ends, many of us hardly identify the country we reside in. People believed to be undocumented migrants are detained and forced into vehicles, sometimes denied due process. The left side of the presidential residence – is being destroyed for an obscene ballroom. The leader is harassing his political rivals or perceived antagonists and demanding federal prosecutors transfer a massive sum of taxpayer money. Armed military personnel are being sent across metropolitan centers on false pretexts. The military command, relabeled the War Department, has – in effect – freed itself of day-to-day journalistic scrutiny while it uses what could amount to nearly $1tn of taxpayer money. Universities, law firms, journalism organizations are submitting due to presidential intimidation, and billionaires are treated like members of the royal family.
“The United States, shortly prior to its 250th birthday as the planet's foremost free society, has fallen over the brink into autocracy and totalitarianism,” a noted author, commented recently. “Ultimately, more quickly than I believed likely, it did happen in America.”
Every morning starts with fresh terrors. It is challenging to understand – and agonizing to acknowledge – just how far gone we have become, and the rapid pace with which it unfolded.
Nevertheless, we understand that the leader was legitimately chosen. Despite his deeply disturbing first term and despite the warnings associated with the awareness of the conservative plan – despite the leader directly declared plainly he would be a dictator only on the first day – enough Americans chose him rather than Kamala Harris.
While alarming as today's circumstances is, it’s even scarier to recognize that we’re only three-quarters of a year under this leadership. What will three more years of this deterioration position us? And if that timeframe transforms into something even longer, as there is not anyone to limit this president from determining that a third term is essential, maybe for national security reasons?
Admittedly, there is still hope. We will have congressional elections next year that could bring a different governmental control, should Democrats recapture one or both houses of Congress. There exist public servants who are trying to exert some accountability, for example Democratic congressmen that are launching an investigation regarding the effort to money grab by federal prosecutors.
And a national vote in 2028 could begin the path to recovery just as last year’s election put us on this regrettable path.
We see countless citizens demonstrating in public spaces of their cities, similar to recent in the past days at democracy demonstrations.
A former official, stated lately that “the slumbering force of the nation is rising”, similar to past after the Communist witch-hunt era in that decade or throughout anti-war demonstrations or throughout the seventies crisis.
In those instances, the unstable nation finally returned to balance.
He claims he knows the indicators of that awakening and notices it unfolding at present. For proof, he references the large-scale demonstrations, the extensive, cross-party resistance regarding a personality's dismissal and the near-unanimous refusal by journalists to sign the defense department’s demands they only publish what is sanctioned.
“The dormant force consistently stays asleep till certain corruption grows too toxic, an specific act so offensive toward public welfare, some brutality so loud, that the giant is forced other than to stir.”
It's a hopeful perspective, and I respect his knowledgeable stance. Maybe he’ll prove to be right.
At the same time, the crucial issues endure: will the nation ever recover? Is it possible to restore its position internationally and its devotion to constitutional order?
Or must we acknowledge that the national endeavor succeeded temporarily, and then – swiftly, totally – ended?
My negative thoughts suggests that the final scenario is true; that everything could be gone. My positive feelings, though, convinces me that we need to strive, in whatever ways available.
In my case, working in journalism analysis, that involves encouraging reporters to adhere, more fully, to their duty of overseeing leadership. For some people, it might involve participating in congressional campaigns, or planning demonstrations, or discovering methods to defend electoral access.
Less than a year ago, we were in a separate situation. A year from now? Or three years from now? The reality is, we don’t know. All we can do is to attempt to not give up.
What Provides Me Encouragement Today
The engagement I encounter during teaching with new media professionals, who are both visionary and grounded, {always
