Ten years of conflict and economic chicanery (and a fragile promise of change).

[SoCalDem]

http://www.good.is/post/the-decade-in-american-politics/

The first decade of the third 21st century may not go down as the most consequential, or suckiest decade in the history of the United States. But it was pretty consequential and pretty sucky. Thousands dead on American soil. Two wars. A city demolished. Global economic crisis. The election of the (inspirational) first black president. And the realization that he's not, in fact, all things to all people, or incapable of failure. Here's how it all happened.

2000

Having emerged from a scandalous affair, and a kabuki impeachment, a still-popular President Clinton seeks to help his number two, Al Gore, win a punishing election. Gore wants no part of it.

After a series of snafus and scandals, Florida’s vote for president is deemed too close to call. Bush's team—which for all intents and purposes included his brother Jeb, the governor of Florida—fights hard and dirty during the recount. Gore and Lieberman...not so much.

2001

With no mandate to govern and no love from Congress, Bush's first several months in office are a joke. His main achievement: resisting the temptation to touch off an international incident with China, after a Chinese military pilot is killed in a mid-air collision with an American spy plane. And tax cuts.

With the country's intelligence efforts focused away from international terrorism, September 11, 2001 happens.

In October, Congress hurriedly passes the PATRIOT Act. Bush finds his mandate.

Just two months later, America invades Afghanistan.

Osama bin Laden escapes U.S. forces in Tora Bora.

2002

Afghanistan quickly becomes an afterthought as the public rush to war with Iraq begins in earnest
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