Another possible explanation is that government policy is hard. Presidents are mostly competent people trying to do the best for the country. Faced with difficu

Another possible explanation is that government policy is hard. Presidents are mostly competent people trying to do the best for the country. Faced with difficult choices they come to similar policy decisions based on a rational course of action. Once they are inside the White House they have a different perspective and perhaps have a much better understanding of why their predecessors made similar choices.