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One year ago, the situation was entirely different. Ahead of the US presidential election, considerate residents could acknowledge the country's significant faults – its injustices and disparity – however they could still perceive it as the United States. A democratic nation. A place where the rule of law held significance. A state headed by a respectable and upright leader, even with his advanced age and increasing frailty.

These days, this autumn, countless Americans scarcely know the nation we reside in. Persons suspected of being unauthorized foreigners are collected and forced into vans, at times refused legal rights. The eastern section of the White House – is being destroyed for a grotesque ballroom. Donald Trump is persecuting his political rivals or supposed enemies and demanding federal prosecutors hand over a huge total of citizen dollars. Uniformed troops are being sent into American cities under fabricated reasons. The military command, renamed the Department of War, has effectively rid itself of routine media oversight during its expenditure of what could amount to almost one trillion dollars in public funds. Colleges, law firms, journalism organizations are yielding due to presidential intimidation, and rich magnates are regarded as members of the royal family.

“America, just months before its 250-year mark as the globe's top democratic nation, has tipped over the edge into autocracy and fascism,” an American historian, commented recently. “In the end, swifter than I thought feasible, it occurred here.”

Every morning starts to new horrors. It is difficult to grasp – and painful to realize – how deeply lost our nation is, and the rapid pace with which it unfolded.

Nevertheless, we understand that the president was properly voted in. Despite his highly troubling first term and even after the cautions associated with the understanding of Project 2025 – despite Trump himself said publicly he would be a dictator solely at the start – enough Americans elected him instead of Kamala Harris.

Frightening as the present situation are, it’s even scarier to realize that we are just nine months under this leadership. How will another 36 months of this downfall position us? And suppose that timeframe transforms into something even longer, since there is not anyone to stop this ruler from opting that a third term is required, maybe for security concerns?

Certainly, all is not lost. We will have congressional elections the coming year which might establish an alternate governmental control, in case Democrats regain one or both houses of Congress. We have government representatives who are attempting to exert a degree of oversight, like Democratic congressmen that are initiating an inquiry concerning the try to money grab from the justice department.

And a presidential election in the next cycle could begin the path to healing exactly as last year’s election placed us on this regrettable path.

We see millions of Americans protesting in the streets across municipalities, similar to recent last weekend at democracy demonstrations.

A former official, commented this week that “the great sleeping giant of the US is rising”, just as it did following the Red Scare in the 1950s or throughout the sixties activism or in the seventies crisis.

In those instances, the tilting vessel eventually was righted.

The author states he knows the signals of that awakening and observes it occurring currently. As support, he cites the widespread marches, the widespread, cross-party resistance against a personality's dismissal and the largely united defiance by media to sign the defense department’s demands they report only authorized information.

“The dormant force always remains asleep till some venality grows too toxic, a particular deed so offensive of societal benefit, some brutality so noisy, 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 big questions endure: will the nation return to normalcy? Is it possible to restore its status in the world and its devotion to legal principles?

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 latter is accurate; that everything could be finished. My positive feelings, though, convinces me that we need to strive, by any means we can.

In my case, working in journalism analysis, that involves encouraging reporters to live up, more thoroughly, to their purpose of holding power to account. For others, it could mean participating in political races, or coordinating protests, or discovering methods to safeguard ballot privileges.

Less than a year ago, we lived in a very different place. In the future? Or in several years? The truth is, we are uncertain. The only option is try to not give up.

What’s Giving Me Encouragement Today

The contact I experience with students with new media professionals, who are equally hopeful and grounded, {always