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Each passing day more and more candidates are declaring their candidacy for the 2016 presidential race to become the next president of the United States.

Last week independent Vermont U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders threw his hat into the ring to challenge Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination.  In the past few days we have seen Ben Carson, Carly Fiorina, and now former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee officially declare their candidacy for president.

In the weeks ahead additional candidates will be begin to populate the crowed Republican field and we will see who will be left standing before the first of the Republican debates beginning in August.

The question we need to be asking ourselves will we get an honest spirited debate covering the issues that plaque this country or will we get the same tired old campaign rhetoric devoid of any real substance.

This election is crucial to the future of the country as last week’s GDP report should be an indicator as the nation’s economy expanded only .02% in the first quarter hardly a robust economy.

The economy is the concern of most Americans as they have seen their wages stagnate and the medium household income is down from just over $57,000 in 2008 to around $54,000 today.

The question we need to be asking the candidates of both parties what is your policy for jump starting the U.S. economy?

So far all we have is, “I will be there for ordinary Americans”, and “I want to take back America”, the real question is what do these terms mean in substitutive public policy?

We seem to only get partisan rhetoric that really only appeals to the base of both parties, but what we need is a debate on the core issues facing this country.

This even extends over into foreign policy, as the debate seems center around how or not to use the nation’s armed forces, but missing is any comprehensive global strategy for the 21st century.

We should be demanding more of these candidates, then what we are getting.  If we don’t challenge the candidates of both parties then we get the government we deserve.