The Devastating Change Only 12 Months Has Brought in the United States
One year ago, the environment was entirely separate. Ahead of the US presidential election, considerate Americans could acknowledge America's serious imperfections – its injustices and inequality – however they still could identify it as America. A democracy. A country where constitutional order meant something. A nation led by a dignified and ethical public servant, notwithstanding his elderly years and declining health.
Currently, this autumn, countless Americans hardly identify the land we live in. Persons suspected of being illegal immigrants are rounded up and forced into vehicles, occasionally refused legal rights. The East Wing of the White House – is being torn down for an obscene ballroom. Donald Trump is harassing his opponents or alleged foes and demanding federal prosecutors hand over a massive sum of taxpayer money. Armed military personnel are deployed to US urban areas with deceptive justifications. The military command, relabeled the War Department, has practically freed itself of routine media oversight as it spends what could amount to almost one trillion dollars from citizen taxes. Universities, law firms, news companies are submitting under the president’s threats, and wealthy elites are handled as aristocracy.
“The US, shortly prior to its 250th birthday as the planet's foremost free society, has crossed the brink toward dictatorship and extremism,” a noted author, wrote this past summer. “In the end, more quickly than I believed likely, it occurred in this country.”
Each day begins with fresh terrors. And it's hard to comprehend – and painful to realize – just how far gone we have become, and how quickly it occurred.
Nevertheless, it is known that Trump was legitimately chosen. Following his profoundly alarming previous administration and despite the alerts that came with the awareness of the rightwing blueprint – even after the president personally declared plainly he planned to be a dictator only on the first day – a majority of citizens elected him rather than Kamala Harris.
Frightening as today's circumstances may be, it’s even scarier to recognize that we’re only several months into this presidential term. How will an additional three years of this decline find us? And what if the three years becomes an prolonged era, because there is not anyone to stop this leader from deciding that a third term is required, possibly for security concerns?
Granted, all is not lost. We will have midterm elections in 2026 that may create a new governmental control, in case Democrats recapture the Senate or House of the legislature. There are elected officials who are trying to impose a degree of oversight, like representatives currently starting a probe regarding the effort to money grab by federal prosecutors.
And a national vote in the next cycle could start the path to recovery just as the prior selection set us on this unfortunate course.
There exist millions of Americans marching in urban areas across municipalities, similar to recent recently during anti-authority protests.
An ex-cabinet member, wrote recently that “the slumbering force of America is rising”, just as it did post-McCarthyism in the 1950s or throughout anti-war demonstrations or in the Watergate scandal.
In those instances, the unstable nation ultimately corrected itself.
The author states he recognizes the signals of that revival and notices it unfolding at present. As evidence, he cites the widespread marches, the broad, bipartisan pushback to a personality's dismissal and the near-unanimous refusal by journalists to accept the defense department’s demands they only publish approved content.
“The slumbering entity always remains dormant till specific greed becomes so noxious, some action so disrespectful of the common good, specific cruelty so noisy, that it is forced other than to stir.”
It's a hopeful perspective, and I respect his knowledgeable stance. Maybe he’ll be validated.
Meanwhile, the major inquiries persist: is the US able to regain its footing? Is it possible to restore its standing globally and its devotion to constitutional order?
Or do we need to admit that the 250-year-old experiment functioned for a period, and then – swiftly, totally – ended?
My pessimistic brain tells me that the final scenario is true; that all may indeed be gone. My hopeful heart, though, advises me that we need to strive, through all methods available.
Personally, working in journalism analysis, that means pushing media professionals to commit, more completely, to their mission of overseeing leadership. For different individuals, it may be participating in election efforts, or planning demonstrations, or finding ways to defend voting rights.
Under twelve months back, we were in a separate situation. Twelve months later? Or after another term? The truth is, we are uncertain. All we can do is try to persevere.
What Provides Me Optimism Currently
The contact I encounter with students with aspiring reporters, who are equally hopeful and realistic, {always
