If America and other democracies around the world are to improve, optimism and hope are necessary ingredients. We will never make progress with catastrophe porn alone. Citizens of democracy need cool heads and clear thoughts to think through and address the many threats facing the democratic ideal of self-government today. Alarm bells should be rung where there are clear and present dangers, but we cannot lose perspective. Which is why the metrics above are important because after all, American decline is not and does not need to be reality.