The Devastating Transformation Just One Year Has Made in the United States
Twelve months back, the landscape was entirely distinct. Before the US presidential election, thoughtful Americans could admit the nation's serious imperfections – its unfairness and imbalance – yet they could still identify it as America. A democratic nation. A land where the rule of law meant something. A state led by a honorable and ethical leader, even with his elderly years and increasing frailty.
These days, as October 2025 ends, many of us scarcely know the country we inhabit. People believed to be undocumented migrants are rounded up and pushed into vans, at times blocked from fair treatment. The left side of the White House – is undergoing demolition to build a lavish dance hall. The leader is targeting his adversaries or alleged foes and demanding legal authorities surrender a massive sum of taxpayer money. Soldiers with weapons are being sent into American cities with deceptive justifications. The military command, renamed the War Department, has effectively liberated itself of regular press examination during its expenditure of what could amount to almost one trillion dollars from citizen taxes. Institutions, law firms, journalism organizations are buckling from leader's menaces, and wealthy elites are treated like nobility.
“The US, only a few months ahead of its 250th birthday as the world’s leading democracy, has tipped over the brink toward dictatorship and fascism,” an American historian, stated in August. “Finally, more quickly than I believed likely, it did happen in this country.”
Every morning starts amid recent atrocities. And it's hard to comprehend – and distressing to accept – how severely declined we have become, and the speed at which it occurred.
Yet, it is known that the president was legitimately chosen. Following his profoundly alarming previous administration and even after the warnings that came with the awareness of Project 2025 – even after Trump himself said publicly he intended to be a dictator just on day one – enough Americans selected him instead of his Democratic opponent.
As terrifying as the present situation is, it’s even scarier to recognize that we’re only several months under this leadership. What will three more years of this decline leave us? And suppose the three years transforms into an prolonged era, because there is nobody to restrain this president from opting that another term is essential, maybe for defense purposes?
Certainly, all is not lost. There are midterm elections the coming year that may create a new balance of power, if Democrats recapture either chamber of the legislature. There exist public servants who are striving to apply a degree of oversight, for example Democratic congressmen currently launching an investigation concerning the try to fund seizure from legal authorities.
And a presidential election three years from now could begin our journey to recovery exactly as the previous vote placed us on this regrettable path.
We see numerous residents protesting in urban areas of their cities, as they did in the past days at democracy demonstrations.
An ex-cabinet member, stated lately that “the slumbering force of the nation is rising”, similar to past after the Communist witch-hunt era in that decade or during anti-war demonstrations or in the Watergate scandal.
During those times, the unstable nation ultimately corrected itself.
Reich says he understands the indicators of that awakening and observes it occurring currently. For proof, he cites the recent massive protests, the extensive, multi-faction opposition regarding a personality's dismissal and the largely united refusal by journalists to accept military mandates they report only what is sanctioned.
“The slumbering entity perpetually exists asleep before specific greed turns extremely harmful, an specific act so disrespectful toward public welfare, specific cruelty so loud, that the giant is compelled other than to stir.”
It’s an optimistic take, and I respect Reich’s experienced view. Perhaps he will be validated.
Meanwhile, the big questions remain: can America ever recover? Can it reclaim its standing in the world and its devotion to legal principles?
Or do we need to admit that the 250-year-old experiment worked for a while, and then – abruptly, completely – collapsed?
My negative thoughts tells me that the latter is true; that everything might be lost. My optimistic spirit, nevertheless, convinces me that we need to strive, through all methods possible.
Personally, working in journalism analysis, that’s about encouraging reporters to adhere, more completely, to their purpose of holding power to account. For others, it may be engaging with political races, or planning demonstrations, or developing approaches to defend electoral access.
Not even one year prior, we lived in a separate situation. In the future? Or after another term? The fact is, we don’t know. All we can do is try to persevere.
What’s Giving Me Encouragement Today
The contact I have during teaching with young journalists, who are both hopeful and practical, {always
