The history of modern presidential politics is a trail littered with the bloodied remnants of eras that lost their way. The excesses of Lyndon Johnson’s Great Society and the unsettling spasms of the turbulent 1960’s beget the rise of Richard Nixon’s “Silent Majority.” Nixon’s paranoia and demise brought on the naive and feckless Jimmy Carter. Carter, damaged by the ominous energy crisis and the hostage ordeal in Iran, saw his flame burn out to the burgeoning power of Ronald Reagan and his conservative revolutionaries. With the election of Vice-President George H.W. Bush in 1988, it seemed that America had settled into a comfortable Republican rule at the presidential level. The overwhelming success of the 1991 Gulf War only added to Bush’s chances for reelection.

History, however, could stay away only so long. A mild recession forced the President to go back on his “no new taxes” pledge and an angry electorate showed him the door. And so it went on, down through the Clinton Administration, full of Bill’s extra-marital adventures and his failure to connect the dots on the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, the 1996 Khobar Towers bombing, the 1998 U.S. Embassy bombings in Africa, and the 2000 USS Cole attack. Current President Bush, elected to establish “compassionate” conservatism in Washington and keep the nation on a non-interventionist track, was rattled awake by the deafening knell of war: murderous enemies had come ashore and succeeded in dragging the country from its peaceful hiatus.

As we go about selecting the 44th President of the United States, we must first look at where we stand as George W. Bush departs the Oval Office. Our troops fight on to support fledgling republics in the deserts of Mesopotamia and the hills of Afghanistan, pushing back bravely against entrenched insurgencies. The Iranian regime remains elusive and difficult to gauge. The government continues to spread trouble and mayhem by supplying and training militias across the Middle East in hopes of weakening the Great Satan and its close ally, Israel. Yet, it appears we must walk a delicate line to end the country’s nuclear ambitions. What with our varying intelligence reports, stretched and worn armed forces, and Iran’s split leadership between senior clerics and Ahmadinejad, we cannot afford any rash decisions.

Elsewhere, Pakistan spirals out of control. The border area between Afghanistan and Pakistan is fast becoming Al-Qaeda’s opening act in their inevitable rejuvenation. As President Musharraf battles an increasingly hostile public and a rival legislature, Pakistan’s nuclear warheads look ripe for the picking to any jihadist. All of this while we look to counter the ever-mysterious China and its rise to the world’s stage, grapple with Russia’s dreams of an empirical past, and scramble to loosen the hand of death on Africa.

On the home front, the vast of majority of Americans believe the country is headed in the wrong direction. Gas prices soar to new heights, unemployment rises, and there is a growing feeling that the middle-class is being left behind. Without sounding too much like Lou Dobbs, the American people seem fed up with their government’s inability to spend wisely, root out inefficiency, and promote prosperity. The nation lacks a clear plan to ensure energy independence, our children remain ill equipped to face international foes in today’s technology-based economy, and border states lack protection from an onslaught of illegal immigrants.

Despite all of these alarming problems, the United States stands resilient and strong, a product of the “great experiment” of democracy and freedom. Yet, for all of our promise and prestige, we cannot pretend that just getting by will cut it in the modern world. I refer to the continual cycle of presidential eras above in hopes that we can put to rest the mentality of ”well, we survived the mistakes of Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush 41, Clinton, and Bush 43, so there is no reason to believe we cannot just continue politics as usual.” I am not talking about Obama’s calls to revolutionize the political process or his lofty platitudes of hope and change. I mean to say that our society has become so obsessed with questions of “what if?” and futile crusades of “gotcha ya!” that we often disregard relevant issues and ignore tomorrow’s challenges. How else would you explain CNN’s recent fixation with the similarities between 1968 and 2008 and between Robert Kennedy and Barack Obama. What about Congress’ quest to assert for the umpteenth time that the Bush Administration bungled pre-war intelligence? No one is disputing that the war was poorly managed, but this type of discourse does nothing to improve the situation on the ground or guarantee an honorable return for our troops.

One of our greatest obstacles going forward will be our ability to understand that we are all Americans in this together. I am not denying that our differences as Democrats and Republicans will make tomorrow’s tough decisions more difficult. Yet, the destructive nature of nearly half the country erupting in anger if either McCain or Obama take hold of the Oval Office is simply undeniable. I do not believe anyone is warranted to temporarily abandon his or her cause and largely dismiss an opposing faction that takes power. Sitting and awaiting disaster to befall a McCain or Obama Administration should be no ticket to return to power as nothing more than an onlooker who is there to command a run-away train.  

Like any other political junkie, I love to chat about potential running-mates and key battleground states. Nevertheless, let’s quit the presidential charades of useless speculation worthy of the tabloids. If you are relying on a Michelle Obama “Whitey” video or a new Rev. Wright outburst to win this election, you’re wasting your time. Maybe you think you can bide your time for Mitt Romney or Mike Huckabee to save the GOP in 2012… Stop dreaming.  

Whoever wins in November, I will never be more proud of my country if the candidates nominated to represent the electorate dissect and examine pressing issues at great length, before they present sensible and honest assessments to the American people. Our country stands at a pivotal intersection in history. The best way forward on our path to continued prominence in the world begins with a 2008 campaign that is civilized and substantive, with a steady eye on the future instead of the past.