almost every country on earth sees america as stronger and more respected today than they did as eight years ago. in other words, by so many measures our country is stronger and more prosperous than it was when we started. it's a situation i'm proud to li to my successor and it's thankts to the american people, to the hard work you've put in, the sacrifices you've made for your families and communities, the businesses you started or invested in, the way you looked out for one another and i could not be prouder to be your president. of course, to tout this progress doesn't mean we're not more mindful of how much there is to do. in this season in particular we are reminded there are people who are still hungry, people who are still homeless, people who still have trouble paying the bills or finding work after being laid off. their communities that are still