Hillary lacks track record; Trump lacks polish

Given the warp-speed of rapidly changing world events, there is always concern writing a newspaper column two full days in advance to meet a publication deadline.

Over this past weekend, as would be expected, I had hoped to focus on the GOP nominating convention.

Then came Baton Rouge.

Forget Nice, France, and the carnage of ISIS. Forget the coup in Turkey that threatened the foundation of America's Middle East support.

And yet, even at this late hour, the prospect of chaos in Cleveland remains a growing concern and could well overshadow today's headlines.

Fast forward just six short months and America will have new leadership.

So the question each of us should be asking is simple: Which candidate can best navigate through the issues of ISIS, Black Lives Matter, unbridled illegal immigration, violence against law enforcement and a broken economy with record national debt?

Hillary Clinton -- when not dodging indictment and dogged by an overwhelming lack of trust -- promises a third term of the Obama administration.

She has said as much.

Donald Trump promises a radical departure in our national approach to each of these growing problems, but he is less than specific on the details of his game plan.

In so many ways, we are forced to ignore Clinton's brush with the legal system, her bumbled handling of Benghazi and the shady dealings of the Clinton Foundation -- the slush fund that has made the Clintons rich beyond imagination.

And we are forced to ignore Trump's rhetoric that at times is painful to hear. His plan to address each of these issues may be ground breaking, but we hope this week to hear the specifics that have thus far been lacking.

For all we don't know and for all that will unfold between now and November, one thing we do know -- our current "leadership" in the White House is largely responsible for the breakdown in civility, the rise of ISIS and most certainly, the dismal and faltering economy.

There is a growing sense of concern in America that far too many events are spiraling out of control both on the domestic and international stage.

And unless we as a nation take a different approach to address these issues, the forces of evil at home and abroad will expand into a disastrous scenario that threatens the foundation of America.

Hillary Clinton is a greedy, power-hungry, untrustworthy Barack Obama in a pantsuit.

She will tout her experience even though her track record of accomplishments would get her fired from most jobs.

Donald Trump may lack polish and may dance around specifics in his plan to face these obstacles, but he offers a much different tone and approach at a critical time in our nation's history.

Michael Jensen is the editor of the Standard Democrat in Sikeston, Missouri.