Let’s set the stage. After 25 years of economic growth, the U.S. stumbles into a recession and double-digit unemployment. An unpopular war aggravates the crisis; the national debt skyrockets. In response, the nation elects a fresh face: a first-term U.S….

On April 29, the U.S. will have survived the first hundred days of President Barack Obama. Of course, unemployment is up and the stock market is down, but the president’s optimism is still unbounded. Mr.Obama’s staff is encouraging writers to…