Funny how successful Republicans are at disseminating a version of political reality so at odds with actual reality.
By no sensible measure can Obama's America be compared unfavourably with the one he inherited. It is massively better.
And yet they have succeeded in getting sane people to believe it is a disaster unparalleled.
Certainly, one can criticise bits and pieces. The rise of Putin and ISIS are areas of concern. The Arab spring went nowhere. US economic growth has been steady but not spectacular. Income inequality remains a big issue. He was unable to reverse the decline of his opposition and it would be useful to have a sane Republican party (okay, not his job!). Racial issues persist.
But Bush left a wreck. Obama has seen a sustained, if gradual recovery. Unemployment is lower. The stock and housing markets bounced back. Debt acceleration was brought under control. He has improved the disastrous healthcare system. Wall Street is subject to regulation again. Climate change is being addressed by people who care about and know about science rather than people who begin the discussion with "I am not a scientist but ..." and yet end it with nothing but obstruction. America is a reluctant warrior again which is the appropriate condition. OBL is dead. "He kept America safe!" applies to Obama one major terrorist event fewer than Bush. America stopped torturing. He reined in the NSA's worst practices. He stopped adding people to Gitmo. He at least tried to reduce guns in circulation. The welfare state survived. Gay people now have many of the rights they pined for. etc.
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