8 years ago, when George W. Bush handed off to Barack Obama, America's future as a world power was uncertain.
Our nation was losing jobs at a record rate of over 800,000 per month.
The unemployment rate was at about 8% and climbing fast.
The annual deficit was over 1 trillion dollars.
America was in the midst of the worst recession since the great depression and the future looked bleak.
The stock market was at about 8,000 and falling.
Now, those are all facts.
Americans, sadly, have become increasingly influenced by opinions based on conjecture and hearsay. How this phenomena arose I do know, but it's for a different conversation.
What I would like to voice now is that Barack Obama was a phenomenally successful president.
This is not opinion.
Here are the facts regarding the state of the union handed to Trump by Obama today.
The unemployment rate is down to 4.7%, below historical averages. Obama inherited 8% unemployment and it went to 10% before Obama's policies began to take effect.
The stock market went from 8,000 to about 20,000 under Obama. That is by far the biggest gain any president has ever seen.
Wages are, and have been, on the rise under Obama.
Here is the latest date from the Census Bureau:
In 2015, middle class incomes had their biggest increase ever recorded.
Median household income rose by $3000 dollars to $54,000.
The highest income growth was among the poorest 10%.
Poverty had its deepest decline since 1968.
In 2015 both the poor and the middle class made greater gains percentagewise then the rich.
US GDP has grown from about 14 trillion in 2008 to over 18 trillion in 2016 (estimate).
The economy is now growing at an impressive 3.2%.
Annual deficits have gone from over 1 trillion to about 400 billion (that one is still a problem, but a big improvement).
The nation's medically uninsured rate is at its lowest ever.
Hospital balance sheets have drastically improved overall.
Green energy has exploded. Solar energy production grew over 1000% under Obama and the SOLAR industry now EMPLOYS MORE PEOPLE than the OIL industry.
Millions of acres of beautiful land and see wildlife habitat have been protected as refuges by executive orders.
Crime, including violent crime, is way down since 2008.
Abortions are at their lowest rates since the early 70's.
Personal debt is way down. Most Americans carry less debt than they did 8 years ago and are making more money.
America has had 77 consecutive months of job growth. A record.
There are currently over 5.7 million unfilled job openings in America, a record.
These numbers are staggering. They are not opinion.
Barack Obama was handed a hot mess and he took that mess and, with help, transformed it into hope, health, and, for the most part, prosperity.
That is what he is handing to Donald Trump.
Let's watch and see what Trump does with the excellent circumstances he has inherited.