In any normal election year, GOP nominee Donald Trump Donald John TrumpBiden leads Trump by 36 points nationally among Latinos: poll Trump dismisses climate change role in fires, says Newsom needs to manage forest better Jimmy Kimmel hits Trump for rallies while hosting Emmy Awards MORE would have finally cooked his own goose with his astonishing request that Russian hackers release any Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham ClintonBiden leads Trump by 36 points nationally among Latinos: poll Democratic super PAC to hit Trump in battleground states over coronavirus deaths Battle lines drawn on precedent in Supreme Court fight MORE emails that they might have in their possession. Just as astonishing, the polls remain tight, although a substantial Clinton bounce is almost assured post-Democratic convention.

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In any normal election year, Democratic nominee Clinton's campaign would be suffering the death of a thousand cuts. Revelations about how she lied in dealing with her emails and how little regard she and her staff had for national security would have seriously damaged her.

Add to that a career of abject failure at the Department of State, and the intention to continue the policies of President Obama (a disastrous foreign policy, a weak and slow economic recovery, and a healthcare system headed for catastrophe), and one wonders why she is still viable, regardless of her qualifications.

The answer is simple. She is running against the least presidential, least-prepared nominee in American history. Trump has not altered his campaign style one bit, forcing one to believe the possibility that he takes advice from no one, and could stumble through a presidency without in-depth knowledge of issues with which he's never dealt, making one disastrous decision after another.

As we look back at the debris of 16 years of failed presidential leadership, I think it's OK to be a little concerned about what more of the same bodes for the future. The Democrats blather on about uniting the country, but they cater to special interest groups as quickly as the Republicans.

Neither candidate will escape the congressional gridlock that will perpetuate failures to repair infrastructure, improve education or end useless foreign military intervention. Neither candidate is honest about the disappearance of post-World War II middle class jobs that are never coming back because of technological change. Neither candidate will admit that the American exceptionalism that grew out of leading the world to victory in two wars only persists as a concept because of the size of our economy and the power of our military.

How exceptional is a country with a political system that accomplishes little, crime-ridden cities and two presidential candidates who are more hated than liked?

Is America about to collapse? Of course not. It's too rich and powerful. But are we slowly crumbling, experiencing the obliviousness that leads to rot? We don't discuss the adverse effects our foreign policy has had on our military. We don't worry about the domination of the military-industrial complex about which President Eisenhower warned us. We do nothing about the national debt, global warming or gerrymandered political districts.

Major problems have become so much a part of the national fabric that solutions are too difficult to contemplate or undertake. It's like dealing with termite damage. It's one thing to spray the house, but rebuilding the damaged sections takes decision-making, time and money, and prioritization of resources may be necessary.

Is there a way out? The truth is that I depress the hell out of most of my friends, and I can usually bring political discussions to a screeching halt in moments. For me, there have been basic changes in our lifestyles and value systems that get in the way of fixing things, just as changes in the behavior of other great powers led to their demise.

Take two simple examples. News reporting and meaningful political dialogue have gone away. It is impossible to find objective discussions of events either on TV or in newspapers (with the possible exception of "PBS NewsHour"). People simply watch shows that reinforce their own beliefs, and politicians cater to partisan reporters and "the base." Meaningful discussion is gone.

Social media has injected another element. Everyone has an opinion, and it is impossible to measure the weight of those opinions. Many are simply stupid, and conspiracy theories abound. Again, we are left with no basis for working toward meaningful solutions, because everyone has an opinion. Anyone in corporate America who has worked in successful enterprises knows that small groups get much more done than large ones. Such tight groups are no longer possible in public life.

It is not a cop-out to profess ignorance as to what to do about all this. I just don't know what we do next without the leadership, honesty and genuine will to fix our country. I can only say that, at 68 years old, I'm glad I'm not any younger. Don't forget: It's hopelessness that got us Donald Trump in the first place.

Blady, M.D., is a former program officer for the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy and senior analyst for the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence.

The views expressed by contributors are their own and not the views of The Hill.