Simply put, I think the decline of the US as a whole is more important than any individual administration or President. The problems in the US are not all caused by Bush alone and the largest of them all existed before Bush Jr or Bush Sr became President.
I'd say the decline of U.S. society has a lot more to do with reality TV, materialism and off-shoring, more than anything else. Politicans just take advantage of the moment to hasten said decline while they line their own pockets.
That way I see it, politicians can't
dramatically change American society, but they
can generally influence certain aspects of said society, while in power, which will - in turn - lead individuals en masse to alter society in a specific way. That's their power. Clinton was generally positive with all that he said and did and that sentiment was echoed throughout America. He is still tremendously popular today. Bush, has ruled by fear-mongering, and presented a divisive and negative attitude that is reflected in the popularity of people like Ann Coulter, Limbaugh, Hannity...then that, in turn, is reflected throughout American society in general.
I think, because of this, whoever the next president is...they are going to have to have an extremely smart plan to overcome these divides. America can't survive another 4-8 yrs of this kind of politics. We need TRUE bi-partisanship...and I hope to see it from either side. We don't have that now, because BushCo. doesn't want it.
mrC