Will 2021 really be better?

By any measure, 2020 was one of the most difficult years in modern U.S. history.

The coronavirus pandemic created a once-in-a-generation health crisis that has caused more than 330,000 deaths nationwide and continues to rage. A corresponding economic crisis forced millions into poverty. Millions more had sparse contact with friends and family under lockdown. The country endured a contentious presidential election that threatened to tear American democracy apart. A massive protest movement for racial equality was marred at times by violence. Climate change fueled a record-breaking hurricane season and unprecedented...