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One year ago, the landscape was utterly different. Before the US presidential election, thoughtful residents could admit the country's significant faults – its inequities and inequality – yet they could still identify it as the United States. A democratic nation. A place where the rule of law held significance. A state headed by a dignified and upright public servant, even with his older age and declining health.

These days, this autumn, countless Americans barely recognize the country we live in. Persons suspected of being unauthorized foreigners are rounded up and shoved into vans, sometimes blocked from fair treatment. The left side of the White House – is being destroyed to build a lavish event space. The president is persecuting his opponents or perceived antagonists and requesting federal prosecutors surrender a huge total of public funds. Soldiers with weapons are deployed into American cities under fabricated reasons. The military command, relabeled the Department of War, has effectively freed itself of routine media oversight as it spends possibly reaching almost one trillion dollars of taxpayer money. Institutions, law firms, media outlets are yielding under the president’s threats, and rich magnates are regarded as aristocracy.

“The United States, shortly prior to its quarter-millennium anniversary as the planet's foremost free society, has tipped over the edge into autocracy and extremism,” an American historian, stated recently. “In the end, swifter than I thought feasible, it did happen here.”

One awakes with fresh terrors. And it's challenging to understand – and painful to realize – how severely declined our nation is, and the rapid pace with which it occurred.

Nevertheless, we know that the leader was duly elected. Following his deeply disturbing first term and even after the cautions associated with the knowledge of the conservative plan – following the president personally declared plainly he would act as an autocrat solely at the start – enough Americans chose him over his Democratic opponent.

While alarming as today's circumstances is, it’s even scarier to understand that we have only been three-quarters of a year into this administration. Where will three more years of this downfall find us? And if that period turns into something even longer, as there is no one to restrain this ruler from determining that another term is required, perhaps for national security reasons?

Certainly, there is still hope. There will be midterm elections next year which might create a new political equilibrium, if Democrats recapture the Senate or House of the legislature. We have elected officials who are trying to apply certain responsibility, for example lawmakers that are launching an investigation into the attempted money grab from legal authorities.

And a leadership election in the next cycle could start us down the road to healing exactly as the previous vote put us on this disappointing trajectory.

We see millions of Americans demonstrating in public spaces of their cities, as they did recently in the No Kings rallies.

Robert Reich, wrote recently that “the dormant powerhouse of America is stirring”, exactly as before following the Red Scare in the 1950s or during the Vietnam war protests or in the seventies crisis.

In those instances, the listing ship ultimately corrected itself.

He claims he recognizes the indicators of that revival and observes it occurring at present. For proof, he points to the large-scale demonstrations, the broad, cross-party resistance against a television host's removal and the largely united defiance by media to agree to government requirements they solely cover what is sanctioned.

“The sleeping giant consistently stays inactive till specific greed becomes so noxious, a particular deed so offensive of societal benefit, certain violence so disruptive, that he is forced other than to stir.”

It's a hopeful perspective, and I appreciate his knowledgeable stance. Perhaps he will prove to be right.

Meanwhile, the major inquiries remain: is the US able to ever recover? Can it retrieve its position globally and its devotion to constitutional order?

Or do we need to admit that the 250-year-old experiment worked for a while, and then – abruptly, completely – collapsed?

My pessimistic brain suggests that the latter is true; that everything might be lost. My positive feelings, however, advises me that we need to strive, by any means we can.

Personally, as a media critic, that means urging journalists to live up, more thoroughly, to their duty of scrutinizing authority. For others, it may be participating in political races, or coordinating protests, or developing approaches to protect ballot privileges.

Not even one year prior, we existed in a very different place. In the future? Or in several years? The truth is, we cannot predict. The only option is to attempt to continue fighting.

What’s Giving Me Optimism Currently

The contact I have during teaching with young journalists, who are equally hopeful and grounded, {always