To borrow a phrase from Hunter S. Thompson, you can run but you cannot hide from the brutish realities of this foul year of our Lord 2008.

Taking a quick account of the past four years, our ravaged domestic economy has introduced Joe Six-Pack to the term stagflation — when you have both a recession and inflation. Our deflated currency and domestic economic collapse has triggered a global economic downturn. We’ve extended our military far beyond our borders without an exit strategy while financing our mission by borrowing money from communist China and Asian banks. We’re more dependent on foreign oil now than any other time in our nation’s history. Our financial industry has collapsed, our auto industry is terminally ill and, nationally, property values are in decline with no end in sight.

Our society as a whole is running an enormous savings deficit. Our economy is running a massive trade deficit. Our government has racked up a perilous budget deficit. And President George W. Bush personifies the nation’s leadership deficit.

To fix a problem, you must first acknowledge it exists. For me, the candidate that recognizes these are just some of the real problems we face (add health care and education costs to the list) and outlines a clear platform to address these problems should be the winner of the debate.

Looking backwards for just a moment, Americans love to elect idiots. I’m not being partisan here. I’m just saying, the reason our federal government is worse than bankrupt today is because we elected an idiot president. Regardless of your political leanings, I believe it is fair to say neither of the current presidential candidates are idiots. That alone, after eight years of the radiant incompetence of the Bush administration, gives me some hope.