People who have knowledge of history/economics, how bad are things REALLY looking for the United States?

I'm a US Citizen, and the news is so biased and convoluted these days that I can't tell what's a legitimate concern. And that's not to mention the things that are (intentionally) not being reported on like the undoing of laws that protect various citizens' rights.

Is there anything an everyday person can realistically do to protect their rights?