By early 2008, the world was descending into chaos

By early 2008, the situation seemed quite desperate and seemed bound for chaos. We saw increasing numbers of freelance terrorists, striking for some obscure or for some mainstream cause. The world economy seemed on the brink. Leftist governments were springing around the globe, including the United States. The main progressive candidates spoke of implementing economic policies that had proved disastrous in 1930. They wanted to raise taxes and erect trade barriers (so they said). Crimes committed by delusional people looked little different from those committed by extremists. A deranged gunman killed people at Northern Illinois University. A short time later, a Palestinian gunman killed students at a seminary in Israel.