The economy doesn't work at year-to-year speed. New programs don't just pop life into the economic situation, it take several years for them to have an effect. Obama benefited from smart moves made by the W. Bush administration at its end. Expanding GDP growth in the 4th quarter of last year was influenced by Obama administration open market and free trade policies and liberalization of labor and business regimes. Trump has had *ONE YEAR* and all he's done is weaken the country. Severely. The happy halcyon days you harken back to? Created by America's great push to expand liberal democracy and free markets, not by presidents who mistakenly think that 'power' is shown by playing the schoolyard bully on the world stage. The reason the Chinese communist party is smiling is not because Obama wrecked anything, but because they know they can influence Trump by flattering him, and that his supporters will gladly follow him and do what is best to help China gain power. Conservatism is a dying creed, dependent on order and conformity, and beholden to old repressive ideas of superiority of one group over another, birthed out of ancient notions of monarchy and divine right, and clung to by those who forsake their citizenly education for a cheap thrill in the lap of a tinpot billionaire.