JAMES TARANTO: The Case for Obama: Re-election would ensure he is accountable for the mess he inherits from himself. “Obama has spent the past four years explaining away his failings by essentially arguing he is the best of all possible presidents–that he has done as well as any man could given the ‘mess’ he ‘inherited’ from his predecessor. It is certainly true that he took office under adverse circumstances. But so will whoever takes office Jan. 20. In fact, things are about to get a lot worse because of decisions taken but deferred during the Obama years. The mess today’s winner will inherit includes not only high unemployment and slow growth but impending policy changes that threaten to make those problems worse.”

Related thoughts from Bob Krumm.