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In late October 2024, the landscape was entirely different. Prior to the national election, reflective Americans could admit America's serious imperfections – its injustices and imbalance – however they continued to see it as the US. A democracy. A country where legal governance carried weight. A state led by a respectable and ethical official, notwithstanding his older age and growing weakness.

Currently, this autumn, many of us scarcely know the land we reside in. Individuals believed to be undocumented migrants are rounded up and forced into vehicles, occasionally refused legal rights. The East Wing of the White House – is being torn down for a grotesque ballroom. The president is persecuting his adversaries or perceived antagonists and demanding federal prosecutors hand over a massive sum of citizen dollars. Uniformed troops are deployed across metropolitan centers on false pretexts. The military command, relabeled the Defense Ministry, has – in effect – freed itself of routine media oversight during its expenditure of possibly reaching close to a trillion USD in public funds. Institutions, attorney offices, media outlets are submitting due to presidential intimidation, and billionaires are regarded as aristocracy.

“The United States, shortly prior to its quarter-millennium anniversary as the world’s leading democracy, has crossed the edge into autocracy and fascism,” a noted author, commented this past summer. “Ultimately, faster than I imagined possible, it did happen in this country.”

Every morning starts with fresh terrors. It is hard to comprehend – and agonizing to acknowledge – how deeply lost we are, and the speed at which it has happened.

However, it is known that Trump was properly voted in. Even after his profoundly alarming initial presidency and even after the alerts associated with the understanding of the rightwing blueprint – following Trump himself declared plainly he would be a dictator just on day one – a majority of citizens selected him instead of the other candidate.

As terrifying as the current reality are, it's more daunting to recognize that we have only been several months under this leadership. Where will another 36 months of this decline find us? And if that timeframe turns into an prolonged era, because there is no one to stop this ruler from opting that additional tenure is essential, maybe for defense purposes?

Certainly, not everything is hopeless. There are midterm elections in 2026 which might establish an alternate governmental control, in case Democrats recapture one or both houses of parliament. There exist elected officials who are striving to apply certain responsibility, such as lawmakers that are initiating an inquiry regarding the effort to cash appropriation by federal prosecutors.

And a national vote in 2028 could begin our journey toward restoration exactly as last year’s election set us on this disappointing trajectory.

We see numerous residents marching in public spaces throughout communities, as they did recently during anti-authority protests.

Robert Reich, commented this week that “the dormant powerhouse of the nation is rising”, exactly as before after the Communist witch-hunt era in that decade or during the sixties activism or during the Nixon controversy.

During those times, the tilting vessel ultimately corrected itself.

He claims he recognizes the signals of that revival and notices it unfolding currently. As evidence, he points to the large-scale demonstrations, the widespread, cross-party resistance against a personality's dismissal and the almost universal refusal by journalists to sign government requirements they solely cover approved content.

“The dormant force consistently stays asleep until certain corruption turns extremely harmful, a particular deed so disrespectful of societal benefit, specific cruelty so disruptive, that he is compelled but to awaken.”

It’s an optimistic take, and I appreciate the author's seasoned opinion. Possibly he may prove to be right.

In the meantime, the crucial issues persist: will the nation return to normalcy? Is it possible to restore its status globally and its devotion to constitutional order?

Or do we need to admit that the historical project worked for a while, and then – abruptly, completely – collapsed?

My cynical mind suggests that the final scenario is correct; that everything could be finished. My optimistic spirit, however, tells me that we need to strive, through all methods available.

In my case, as a media critic, that’s about encouraging reporters to live up, more thoroughly, to their mission of scrutinizing authority. For some people, it may be participating in congressional campaigns, or planning demonstrations, or discovering methods to protect ballot privileges.

Not even one year prior, we lived in a very different place. Twelve months later? Or in several years? The fact is, we cannot predict. The only option is to strive to continue fighting.

What’s Giving Me Optimism Currently

The engagement I encounter in the classroom with young journalists, that are simultaneously idealistic and grounded, {always