Manufacturing has been a bright spot in the Obama economy. It is doing even better than it was prior to the recession, according to the manufacturing output index.

Efforts to save the auto industry kept jobs alive and now car sales are booming again. Furthermore, explosive growth in the U.S. energy sector, especially shale gas production in the Dakotas, Pennsylvania and Texas, has fueled new jobs in energy and related sectors.

The plunge in oil prices has slowed manufacturing in recent months, but it is still in a much better place than when Obama took office. Manufacturing even managed to add a few jobs in 2015 despite the headwinds.