AMUSING, INTERESTING, OUTRAGEOUS, or PROFOUND

Reagan may have been a low point but we had an upward trend going. The Bushes were never as far right, and well counteracted by Clinton, Obama, and yes, Biden. There were rising stars for a better future, The Squad, Pete Buttigieg, etc. we were getting the payoffs from investments in efficiency, cleaner energy, building a new EV industry, a new Space industry, pandemic preparedness and public health, the hope of continued medical care reform. Acela was a game changer, cities finally started to build transit, and it finally seemed like high speed rail was coming. Society had never been more accepting of all sorts of non-traditional people. By so many measures our environment was getting cleaner, our health and nutrition getting better, we were kicking cigarettes after a long struggle, etc. we were a healthy influence on the world improving, acting together (ok, the Iraq thing is debatable)