--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think if you look at almost every year…" description: "\"I think if you look at almost every year under every president over the last, I don't know, 20, 30 years, you're going to be hard-pressed to find a yea..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c23/barack-obama-17_hard_i-think-if-you-look-at-almost-every-year_737382.jpg" --- # I think if you look at almost every year under every… ![“I think if you look at almost every year under every president over the last, I don't know, 20, 30 years, you're going to be hard-pressed to find a year in which the majority of Americans thought we were on the right track.” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c23/barack-obama-17_hard_i-think-if-you-look-at-almost-every-year_737382.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c23/barack-obama-17_hard_i-think-if-you-look-at-almost-every-year_737382.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c23/barack-obama-17_hard_i-think-if-you-look-at-almost-every-year_737382.jpg) > “I think if you look at almost every year under every president over the last, I don't know, 20, 30 years, you're going to be hard-pressed to find a year in which the majority of Americans thought we were on the right track.” [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Public opinion rarely shows a majority confident in the nation’s direction over decades. **In simple terms:** Few Americans feel confident in national direction. Key Takeaway Address public confidence gaps. Themes politics public opinion confidence Mood analytical concerned Type political philosophical When to use this quote - policy making - public relations - civic engagement Key Concepts democracy media influence historical trends Questions to Reflect On - Why is confidence low? - How can leadership rebuild trust? A Different Perspective May overlook positive trends. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [30 Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/30-years-241472/) [Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Lasts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lasts/) [Look Year](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/look-year-3055578/) [Looks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looks/) [Majority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/majority/) [Majority Americans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/majority-americans-297060/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [Right track](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-track/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Track](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/track/) [Year Majority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/year-majority-5764658/) [Year President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/year-president-2772066/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## Related quotes > [If the IMF is correct (a big if), China will be the planet's No.1 economy by 2016. That means whoever's elected in November next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-steyn/if-the-imf-is-correct-a-big-if-china-will-be-the-planet-s-no-1/) [Mark Steyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-steyn/) > [Year after year, President Bush has broken his campaign promises on college aid. And year after year, the Republican leadership in Congress has let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrod-brown/year-after-year-president-bush-has-broken-his-campaign-promises-on/) [Sherrod Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrod-brown/) > [ If I resign any time this year, he \[President Obama\] could not successfully appoint anyone I would like to see in the court. ...… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/if-i-resign-any-time-this-year-he-president-obama-could-not/) [Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/) > [As I go back and look at the film, if I look at my first year, every time I caught the ball, I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iman-shumpert/as-i-go-back-and-look-at-the-film-if-i-look-at-my-first-year-every/) [Iman Shumpert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iman-shumpert/) > [If you look at who you were a year ago and aren't somewhat embarrassed, you're not growing as a person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-phelps-roper/if-you-look-at-who-you-were-a-year-ago-and-aren-t-somewhat/) [Megan Phelps-Roper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-phelps-roper/) > [I don't look further than next year because in our world, anything can happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-vieira/i-don-t-look-further-than-next-year-because-in-our-world-anything-can/) [Patrick Vieira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-vieira/) > [“When I look back, I can which year it was not from events or the actual date, but the way I was feeling.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-woolf/when-i-look-back-i-can-which-year-it-was-not-from-events-or-the/) [Emma Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-woolf/) > [We're still fighting to make sure that basic anti-discrimination laws are enforced, not just at the federal level, by the way, but throughout government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-re-still-fighting-to-make-sure-that-basic-anti-discrimination-laws/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Absolutely. I think, I think the American people, at their core, are a decent people. I think that we still have prejudice in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/absolutely-i-think-i-think-the-american-people-at-their-core-are-a/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Based on current surveys of public opinion in the United States, it turns out that the majority of Americans think I've done a pretty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/based-on-current-surveys-of-public-opinion-in-the-united-states-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I think we've set the bar with respect to the notion that it is possible to provide health care for people. Now I know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-think-we-ve-set-the-bar-with-respect-to-the-notion-that-it-is/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Slowly, but surely, we are moving in the right direction. We're on the right track. The economy is getting stronger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/slowly-but-surely-we-are-moving-in-the-right-direction-we-re-on-the/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [America is much less violent than it was 20, 30 years ago, and immigration is much less a problem than it was not just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/america-is-much-less-violent-than-it-was-20-30-years-ago-and/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [It does not help the vast majority of Americans, but it does really well for people already at the top. Well, we're going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/it-does-not-help-the-vast-majority-of-americans-but-it-does-really/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [How is it that labels like 'centrist' and 'moderate,' which common sense tells us should reflect the views of a majority of Americans, have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehdi-hasan/how-is-it-that-labels-like-centrist-and-moderate-which-common-sense/) [Mehdi Hasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehdi-hasan/) ## More by Barack Obama > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-peaceful-transition-of-power-is-one-of-the-hallmarks-of-our/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [As opposed to getting into arguments about, well, these folks have been treated fairly so now we're going to be doing things that, very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/as-opposed-to-getting-into-arguments-about-well-these-folks-have-been/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Donald Trump is temperamentally unfit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/donald-trump-is-temperamentally-unfit/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [What we've said to the girls is: 'If you guys ever decide that you're going to get a tattoo, then mommy and me will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/what-we-ve-said-to-the-girls-is-if-you-guys-ever-decide-that-you-re/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Nobody is listening to your telephone calls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/nobody-is-listening-to-your-telephone-calls/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [All of us take offense to anyone who reaps the rewards of living in America without taking on the responsibilities of living in America.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/all-of-us-take-offense-to-anyone-who-reaps-the-rewards-of-living-in/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The world is complicated and full of grays, but there's still truth there to be found.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-world-is-complicated-and-full-of-grays-but-there-s-still-truth/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ That is another theme in the book \[Dreams from My Father\]. How do we exercise more empathy in our public discourse? How do we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/that-is-another-theme-in-the-book-dreams-from-my-father-how-do-we/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I can say across Europe that many principles that have been taken for granted here around free speech, and around civil liberties and an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-can-say-across-europe-that-many-principles-that-have-been-taken-for/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [So Americans understand the costs of war. Yet as a country, we will never tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-americans-understand-the-costs-of-war-yet-as-a-country-we-will/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I want to thank the Greek people publicly for their humanitarian response to the crisis of so many migrants and refugees seeking safety in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-want-to-thank-the-greek-people-publicly-for-their-humanitarian/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [We had a farewell dinner for some of my senior staff, and generally everybody likes to talk about how cool I was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-had-a-farewell-dinner-for-some-of-my-senior-staff-and-generally/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ It's good to get fresh legs in \[the White house\]. I think that it refreshes our democracy. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/it-s-good-to-get-fresh-legs-in-the-white-house-i-think-that-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Believe it or not, entertainment is part of our American diplomacy, it is part of what makes us exceptional, part of what makes us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/believe-it-or-not-entertainment-is-part-of-our-american-diplomacy-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) [Explore all 3,624 Barack Obama quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## More Hard quotes > [You'd be surprised how hard it can often be to translate an action into an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/you-d-be-surprised-how-hard-it-can-often-be-to-translate-an-action/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [Making the right decision is hard,telling someone your decision is even harder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-tiwari/making-the-right-decision-is-hard-telling-someone-your-decision-is/) [Abhishek Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-tiwari/) > [It is hard to admit to someone that you love him..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misherie/it-is-hard-to-admit-to-someone-that-you-love-him/) [Misherie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misherie/) > [It's a hard thing to describe. It's just this sense that you got something to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/it-s-a-hard-thing-to-describe-it-s-just-this-sense-that-you-got/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [There Was Many Time I Had Wanted To Give Up In Life On So Many Things…But Naw F\*\*\* That...I'm Not Going To Never Give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/out-spoken/there-was-many-time-i-had-wanted-to-give-up-in-life-on-so-many-things/) [Out Spoken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/out-spoken/) > [I think you can get, as a player, stuck in the mindset of trying too hard to prove yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trinity-rodman/i-think-you-can-get-as-a-player-stuck-in-the-mindset-of-trying-too/) [Trinity Rodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trinity-rodman/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [One of the worst things to come out of the Consumer Protection Board's misleading claims is the impression that government resources are to hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-lesko/one-of-the-worst-things-to-come-out-of-the-consumer-protection-board/) [Matthew Lesko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-lesko/) > [In our society we have hard nerds and soft nerds. The hard nerds are the ones who used to have the slide rules at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-kay/in-our-society-we-have-hard-nerds-and-soft-nerds-the-hard-nerds-are/) [Alan Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-kay/) > [I think the next 50 years are going to present the human race with challenges that so far exceed the limitations of geopolitical boundaries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zachary-quinto/i-think-the-next-50-years-are-going-to-present-the-human-race-with/) [Zachary Quinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zachary-quinto/) > [Don't be afraid of hard work. Nothing worthwhile comes easily. Don't let others discourage you or tell you that you can't do it. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-b-elion/don-t-be-afraid-of-hard-work-nothing-worthwhile-comes-easily-don-t/) [Gertrude B. Elion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-b-elion/) > [High school, going into my junior year, I kind of had the idea I was going to be the starting running back. I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saquon-barkley/high-school-going-into-my-junior-year-i-kind-of-had-the-idea-i-was/) [Saquon Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saquon-barkley/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [If I had to speak in front of a Korean audience, I would be hard pressed to sound other than a little girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/an-na/if-i-had-to-speak-in-front-of-a-korean-audience-i-would-be-hard/) [An Na](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/an-na/) > [It took me 20 years of hard training to get the physique I have today. what you need is what i had - BELIEF…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/branch-warren/it-took-me-20-years-of-hard-training-to-get-the-physique-i-have-today/) [Branch Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/branch-warren/) [Browse all 29,826 Hard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think if you look at almost every year under every president over the last, I don't know, 20, 30 years, you're going to be hard-pressed to find a year in which the majority of Americans thought we were on the right track.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Barack Obama" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-think-if-you-look-at-almost-every-year-under-every-president-over/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Hard" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-think-if-you-look-at-almost-every-year-under-every-president-over/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c23/barack-obama-17_hard_i-think-if-you-look-at-almost-every-year_737382.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c23/barack-obama-17_hard_i-think-if-you-look-at-almost-every-year_737382.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c23/barack-obama-17_hard_i-think-if-you-look-at-almost-every-year_737382.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I think if you look at almost every year under every president over the last, I don't know, 20, 30 years…” — Barack Obama", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Barack Obama", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I think if you look at...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-think-if-you-look-at-almost-every-year-under-every-president-over/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-think-if-you-look-at-almost-every-year-under-every-president-over/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```