When Americans go to the polls in 2016 will we be voting for a  charismatic individual or a philosophical  view of the United States’ role in a changing world?

After the Berlin wall fell, the West relaxed and rejoiced at what appeared to be a fundamentalist return to liberal democracy around the world, led by China’s capitalistic surge and Brazil’s new found oil. But events of the past decade give pause to the celebrating. The West’s victory over Communism now seems a hollow win in the effort to push Democracy, especially when viewed in light of new Chinese authoritarianism, Russian revanchism and Middle East and North African uprisings.

Now individual rights, transparent justice and religious tolerance (America’s values) are being touted as Imperialistic and solipsistic by masses formerly persecuted by dictators but now enlightened by the Internet and Social Networks.  But to those persecuted Yemeni Shiites or Syrians who lost home and family to a bloody insurrection, the Democracy of America or Germany looks appealing; certainly a better alternative to the horrors at home.

But, simultaneous with this tectonic shifting of world powers, a sexual revolution is also playing a role. Western liberal democratic values of choice as applied to women and gays are in violent conflict with Islamic, Russian, African, Catholic and even Evangelical-Christian beliefs and teachings. These two worlds are now co-habiting; not necessarily coalescing. A steady adult hand will be needed.

The question then becomes: Is liberal Democracy the solution to the world’s problems?  And, if so, which form of Democracy?  Judeo-Christian or a free-form, no-holds-barred form of rule? (Think Egypt, Afghanistan and Libya.)

All of which is illuminating background for the current, neo-natal, political obfuscations pouring from aspiring candidates on both sides.

With the world in flux – Russia on the march, Islamic fundamentalists laying claim to much of North Africa and the Middle East, China spying on America’s businesses and government , migrants pouring into Europe – what does the world hear in these early presidential debates?

• Should gays serve in our military? Should they be allowed to marry?
• Should we have allowed the Israel’s Prime Minister to address Congress? How about the Pope?
• Who voted against the Iraq war?
• Gee – why are there no jobs for the middle class?
• Which candidate has the worst hairdo, is the most obese or has the most unglamorous face?
• Can bakers/florists be permitted to disallow service based on sexual preference?
• Might withholding funds for Planned Parenthood shut down the government?
• Should trans-genders have separate toilet facilities?

Should this vainglorious form of American Democracy be imposed by brute force on the rest of the world? . . . We must require our candidates to debate a more meaningful list of priorities and demonstrate America’s understanding of greater global issues, showing the adult path to meeting those needs .

A few suggestions:

• How to provide better educational opportunity for all: not by simply pouring more money into the process, but by stimulating kids to value and desire better education.
• How to restore a crumbling infrastructure without the cronyism of current day contracting by government agencies. (Not just at home but at military installations abroad.)
• Serious proposals on how to restore jobs for middle class workers (Including revisions of the tax rules that encourage outsourcing).
• Creative discussion about immigration policies that would entice creative, productive immigrants to come here without scaling a porous wall.
• What is the proper role of America’s military around the world: trainers, policemen, occupiers?
• How can the U.S. help transform the UN and NATO into credible, helpful entities when facing truly evil insurrections?

What to do and where to start?

First, let’s stop re-electing the same old tired and ‘paid-for’ politicos who have demonstrated that selfish interests come before those of the country.

Second, let’s demand that any serious candidate for the presidency name his/her economic, international and military advisors in advance of the elections. (Possibly even their choices for key cabinet positions.)

Third, members of the current U.S. Congress should indicate their choices in the primary election cycle and pledge to support that candidate should he/she be elected. Future gridlock must be avoided.

Before the U.S. attempts inflicting its form of Democracy on the rest of the world, we must demonstrate, by example, that the form of Democracy that once built America into the greatest nation on earth still has the structure (and the courage) to face and solve complex problems, thus making this the land others aspire to emulate, not conquer.