How goes it for the American experiment? Not so well if one measures by three feature stories from today's Wall Street Journal: "Tepid Growth Restrains Fed," then "Branches of Military Battle Over Shrinking War Chest" and "In Newtown, Gun Permits Surge After Shooting." In matters relating to the economy, national defense and civil society - arguably the three most important aspects of American life - the trends are not at all favorable.

The first article describes how the recovery from the now four-year old recession continues to be the weakest in modern history. It illustrates how the Keynesian methods adopted by the Obama administration have ensured the ongoing stagnation. One wonders if Obama's minions understand this - i.e., are they doing it on purpose or are they just benignly misinformed?

The second article highlights the dramatically reduced state of our military and how continuing reductions - under the sequester as well as due to other intended policies of the Obama administration - have reduced our armed forces to dangerously low levels unseen since post WWI years. One wonders if Obama's troops understand this - i.e., are they doing it on purpose or are their hands tied by events beyond their control?

The last article points out that, despite one of the most horrific acts of gun violence in American history and the resulting outcry in favor of gun control, applications for gun permits have soared in Newtown, Connecticut. Americans are arming themselves at unprecedented rates. Does this reflect a sense of safety and confidence in civil society by the American people? Surely not. Could it be that the Obama administration's clumsy efforts to advance gun control, demonize gun owners and, not coincidentally, fan the flames of racial and "class" divisions  within American society have something to do with that lack of confidence? One wonders if Obama's henchmen understand this or is his misguided notion of "social justice" blinding him to the true and historical nature of American society.

In so many ways, this American President is out of step with the people he leads and the society he represents. One wonders if Obama understands this! If the answer is no, then how could the country have been so blind as to re-elect him? OK, he was an attractive blank slate in 2008; but in 2012, his understanding of the nature of the American experiment had been on clear display for four years. If the American people still don't understand Obama, then I have another article for them in today's Wall Street Journal: "Obama's Creeping Authoritarianism" by Daniel Henninger. The reader will see therein that Obama understands these issues perfectly well and that he is using authoritarian, unconstitutional, aggressive methods to radically transform American society.