A Tragic Change Only 12 Months Has Made in the United States
One year ago, the environment was completely distinct. Prior to the national election, reflective Americans could recognize the nation's significant faults – its unfairness and inequality – but they still could identify it as the United States. A democracy. A place where the rule of law carried weight. A nation headed by a dignified and decent official, notwithstanding his advanced age and growing weakness.
These days, this autumn, many of us hardly identify the country we live in. Individuals believed to be illegal immigrants are rounded up and forced into vehicles, sometimes blocked from fair treatment. The left side of the presidential residence – is being torn down to build a lavish dance hall. Donald Trump is targeting his opponents or alleged foes and requesting federal prosecutors surrender an enormous amount of taxpayer money. Soldiers with weapons are dispatched into American cities with deceptive justifications. The Pentagon, rebranded the War Department, has practically rid itself of regular press examination as it spends possibly reaching close to a trillion USD of taxpayer money. Colleges, legal practices, media outlets are yielding due to presidential intimidation, and billionaires are regarded as aristocracy.
“The US, shortly prior to its 250-year mark as the world’s leading democracy, has fallen over the brink into autocracy and extremism,” Garrett Graff, wrote in August. “Finally, faster than I imagined possible, it transpired in America.”
Each day begins with fresh terrors. It is challenging to understand – and painful to realize – how severely declined our nation is, and the rapid pace with which it has happened.
However, we understand that the president was legitimately chosen. Following his highly troubling first term and even after the warnings linked to the awareness of the conservative plan – despite Trump himself stated openly he intended to act as an autocrat just on day one – a majority of citizens selected him instead of Kamala Harris.
As terrifying as the present situation may be, it's more frightening to realize that we have only been nine months under this leadership. What will another 36 months of this deterioration position us? And suppose that period transforms into something even longer, as there is no one to restrain this leader from determining that additional tenure is necessary, perhaps for national security reasons?
Granted, all is not lost. We will have midterm elections in 2026 that may create a new governmental control, in case Democrats regain the Senate or House of the legislature. There exist public servants who are attempting to exert some accountability, for example Democratic congressmen currently starting a probe into the attempted money grab from the justice department.
And a leadership election three years from now could begin the path to healing just as the prior selection placed us on this unfortunate course.
We see countless citizens protesting in public spaces of their cities, like they performed recently at democracy demonstrations.
An ex-cabinet member, stated lately that “the great sleeping giant of the US is rising”, just as it did after the Communist witch-hunt era in that decade or amid anti-war demonstrations or throughout the Nixon controversy.
In those instances, the listing ship finally returned to balance.
Reich says he knows the indicators of that resurgence and observes it occurring currently. As evidence, he references the large-scale demonstrations, the extensive, cross-party resistance to a broadcaster's firing and the near-unanimous refusal by journalists to agree to government requirements they report only authorized information.
“The slumbering entity perpetually exists asleep before certain corruption turns extremely harmful, a particular deed so disrespectful of societal benefit, specific cruelty so loud, that the giant is forced except to rise.”
It's a positive outlook, and I appreciate the author's seasoned opinion. Maybe he’ll prove to be right.
At the same time, the big questions endure: is the US able to return to normalcy? Can it reclaim its standing globally and its commitment to the rule of law?
Or should we recognize that the 250-year-old experiment succeeded temporarily, and then – swiftly, totally – ended?
My pessimistic brain tells me that the second option is true; that all may indeed be finished. My hopeful heart, however, advises me that we need to strive, in whatever ways we can.
In my case, as a media critic, that’s about pushing media professionals to commit, more completely, to their duty of overseeing leadership. For different individuals, it may be working on congressional campaigns, or planning demonstrations, or developing approaches to safeguard electoral access.
Less than a year ago, we were in an alternate reality. A year from now? Or after another term? The fact is, we are uncertain. The only option is to strive to continue fighting.
What’s Giving Me Optimism Currently
The interaction I encounter during teaching with young journalists, that are simultaneously idealistic and practical, {always
