IMO, the Demcrats just plain are not worthy of consideration.
Unfortunately, choice usually ends with the Republican primary, where you may have a contest between what some might call a RINO or moderate GOPer (with views similar to, say, Harry Truman & patriotic Democrats of the post-WW2 party) and a conservative GOPer. GWB would be the former, IMO, due to his spendy ways and the triumph of idealism over hard-nosed realism in his foreign & domestic policies.
Contemporary Democrats lack a love of country that they repeatedly demonstrate by blaming all the problems of the world on the USA. Their love of "international" institutions that erode American soveriegty is the other half of their problem. UN, ICC, Kyoto, whatever, they are willing to sell out America to fellow lefties overseas. There are notable exceptions, but they are the exception, NOT the rule.
I wish it weren't so. I wish we still had two major parties worthy of consideration. The lack of a pro-American major party to challenge the GOP is good for no citizen, save those who are heavily invested as being (capital "R") Republicans over all else.