"Are you better off than you were 4 years ago?": Response # 10

Since Mitt Romney, Paul Ryan, and the GOP have asked, I will answer their question.
Response # 10 to the question:  "Are YOU better off than you were 4 years ago?"
The answer is yes.  Yes, I am better off. 
Because four years ago, our president thought the best way to handle disagreements with other countries was to poke, poke, then go in with guns ablazin'.  The notion that we could be arrogant because we had the biggest toys was prevalent.  
I can tell you that the George W. Bush Diplomatic "Policy" did not go over well in other countries, and there were many times I was embarrassed for my government.  I found myself apologizing for the leaders of our nation.  

   Do you remember this photo, taken in Germany in 2008?  This is the crowd, waiting to hear Barack Obama speak.  After 8 years of Bush-Cheney diplomacy, the whole world was ready, desperate for change.  And when Barack Obama was elected, he changed the way the United States presented itself to the world.  He changed the way we dealt with other countries.  This change involved listening, talking, and encouraging other nations to let their own people decide how to govern.  I think if he were to repeat the visit to Germany, he would draw a similar crowd. 
Sure, there are things he could have done differently, but when you encourage people toward democracy, everyone wins.
Yes, I'm much better off than I was four years ago, and I no longer feel like I have to apologize for my president.  What a great feeling.