The years 2008 - 2016 were marked by historic and tumultuous events in the US, Britain, and the World. The election of Barack Obama seemed to mark a turning point in American political history, only for a hard-right candidate to succeed him eight years later. Hillary Clinton nearly became the first female president. In Britain, the long period of 'New' Labour rule came to a dramatic end as David Cameron and then Theresa May became Conservative prime ministers. And Britain voted to leave the European Union. These eight years saw the worst economic crash in 80 years. 'The Arc of History - Politics in the Obama Years 2008-2016' chronicles this tumultuous period month by month, as originally outlined on the website Gradualist Papers. O'Neill looks at what might have been, what happened, the fears for what may come, and the hopes for progressive politics in a time of political uncertainty.