Better off in 4 Years? Probably

Irwin Stelzer makes an important point that Republicans need to heed as they plan for the future. Even if Barack Obama's policies have a stifling effect on the economy, it is almost certain that economic conditions will have improved from where they are now at the nadir of the business cycle. That means that he will most likely be able plausibly to claim that conditions have improved during his administration.

All of this means that Republicans will make a mistake if they imagine they can demonize the new President in apocalyptic terms. Lowered public expectations might be easy for the new President to exceed. Republicans will find many policy proposals that they need to vigorously oppose, but they also need to lay out clear alternatives for the American people.