A Tragic Change Just One Year Has Made in America
In late October 2024, the situation was utterly different. Before the American presidential vote, reflective Americans could admit the nation's serious imperfections – its injustices and disparity – however they continued to perceive it as the US. A democracy. A place where legal governance meant something. A state headed by a dignified and decent leader, despite his advanced age and growing weakness.
These days, this autumn, many of us scarcely know the land we inhabit. Individuals alleged as unauthorized foreigners are detained and shoved into transport, sometimes blocked from fair treatment. The East Wing of the presidential residence – is being torn down for a grotesque event space. Donald Trump is targeting his political rivals or alleged foes and demanding legal authorities transfer a huge total of citizen dollars. Uniformed troops are dispatched to US urban areas on false pretexts. The Pentagon, renamed the Department of War, has effectively freed itself of day-to-day journalistic scrutiny while it uses potentially totaling almost one trillion dollars of taxpayer money. Colleges, attorney offices, journalism organizations are submitting from leader's menaces, and wealthy elites are treated like aristocracy.
“The United States, just months before its 250th birthday as the world’s leading democracy, has crossed the brink toward dictatorship and totalitarianism,” a noted author, stated recently. “Ultimately, swifter than I imagined possible, it occurred in America.”
One awakes with fresh terrors. And it's hard to comprehend – and agonizing to acknowledge – just how far gone we have become, and how quickly it occurred.
Yet, we know that the president was legitimately chosen. Even after his highly troubling initial presidency and following the warnings that came with the awareness of Project 2025 – following the president personally declared plainly he intended to act as an autocrat only on the first day – sufficient voters selected him rather than the other candidate.
While alarming as the current reality are, it's more daunting to understand that we’re only several months into this presidential term. What will three more years of this deterioration find us? And suppose the three years transforms into something even longer, because there is nobody to limit this president from determining that another term is necessary, perhaps for national security reasons?
Admittedly, there is still hope. There will be congressional elections next year which might create a new balance of power, in case Democrats recapture the Senate or House of Congress. We have government representatives who are striving to exert certain responsibility, like lawmakers that are initiating an inquiry into the attempted money grab by federal prosecutors.
And a national vote three years from now could begin our journey toward restoration exactly as the prior selection set us on this unfortunate course.
There exist numerous residents demonstrating in public spaces of their cities, as they did in the past days during anti-authority protests.
Robert Reich, stated lately that “the slumbering force of the nation is stirring”, just as it did following the Red Scare in that decade or during the Vietnam war protests or during the Watergate scandal.
On those occasions, the tilting vessel eventually was righted.
He claims he understands the signs of that revival and notices it unfolding currently. For proof, he references the widespread marches, the extensive, bipartisan pushback to a personality's dismissal and the largely united defiance by media to sign government requirements they report only approved content.
“The slumbering entity consistently stays asleep till certain corruption grows too toxic, some action so offensive of the common good, certain violence so noisy, that the giant has no choice except to rise.”
It's a hopeful perspective, and I respect Reich’s experienced view. Maybe he’ll be validated.
At the same time, the crucial issues remain: is the US able to ever recover? Can it retrieve its standing globally and its adherence to constitutional order?
Or must we acknowledge that the historical project functioned for a period, and then – suddenly, utterly – failed?
My cynical mind tells me that the second option is accurate; that all may indeed be finished. My hopeful heart, however, convinces me that we need to strive, through all methods available.
Personally, working in journalism analysis, that means pushing media professionals to live up, more fully, to their duty of overseeing leadership. For different individuals, it might involve participating in political races, or organizing rallies, or developing approaches to protect electoral access.
Less than a year ago, we existed in a separate situation. In the future? Or three years from now? The fact is, we are uncertain. The only option is to attempt to continue fighting.
What Offers Me Optimism Currently
The contact I experience during teaching with aspiring reporters, who are both visionary and practical, {always