The problem of a split Congress still exists, so I'm not too hopeful that the next Congress will be any more productive than the last one.

Add a couple more things to the Pub problem, the age gap (the younger generation doesn't buy into social conservatism) and the moderation gap (the social conservatives are quite uncompromising, and vocal about it).

Mitt and especially Ryan should have kept silent on the social issues, where they would have gotten the religious conservative vote anyway, and stuck to fiscal issues, which is (or was) the Pub's strong suit.

And it won't be Obama who writes the future tax legislation, if such legislation even manages to make its way through what will almost certainly be another do-nothing split Congress.

I don't share your dismal outlook for the U.S. economy, at least not in isolation relative to the overall worldwide economy. Having said that, I don't see boom times ahead, either, with the American free lunch long past.