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It’s a small world, and it’s getting smaller.

The steady international flow of everything from security and environmental problems to commerce, news, and values underscores that our world — with all of its negatives and positives, with all of its warnings and promise — is shrinking at a rate humankind has never seen before.

Guiding America to safety and success through the thicket of interconnected, international challenges will be a major job for our next president, and it’s a specialized job. One that requires certain qualities.

First, our commander- and diplomat-in-chief must be self-reflective, introspective, and open to rapid adjustment as new information presents itself at a 21st Century pace. As much as we all yearn for simple, easy answers, in today’s world there is no such thing.

Our next president must accept the responsibility of taking on extremely difficult situations with no easy answers, and spend a career working to make those stubborn conditions better. Recognizing when there are no easy answers is key to effectively taking on this important responsibility.

Additionally, to move forward, a president must find creative ways to make our nation’s goals go along with others’ goals.

That requires, among other things, practicing and projecting national strength and personal humility at the same time. In other words, keeping a steady hand at avoiding unnecessary comments or actions that might offend our allies or set us back. Our president must be focused and patient.

A similar “must” is an ability to avoid escalating an already negative situation. And to be able to let go and strategically reset oneself when necessary. Ill-timed lapses in diplomacy rooted in stubbornness could lead to negatives that take years to undo, especially today.

Instead, a successful president must build a reputation for delicate problem solving among people who disagree. A president must demonstrate a willingness to include others by treating them with respect and listening to them. Finally, to make sure our nation’s principles get the last word, a president may have to avoid insisting on having the last personal word on a personal level.

Hillary Clinton has the experience and the right mindset to take on the threats of terrorism, unfair economic competition, and oppression from the complicated, modern world. She has the vision and the openness of mind to find a path toward security and prosperity for our nation that is so hungry for a brighter light at the end of the tunnel of menacing global hazards.

Hillary Clinton has earned the support of allies necessary to launch a group effort to make the world better for everyone. She understands and respects the high challenges in front of the next president. She has the personal and professional ingredients to launch a positive international program aimed at delivering America’s hopes and dreams.

Donald Trump, on the other hand, has absolutely none of this.

Instead of being thoughtful and reflective, again and again he has shown himself to be compulsive and rash. Instead of being inclusive and flexible, he is quite arrogant and stubborn. Treating others with respect — especially those who do not completely agree with him — is a real struggle. Being careful with his words is impossible.

All of this may seem refreshingly unlike the way tiresome politicians act and speak. But we need someone qualified to lead us into an uncertain and complex future, and to figure out how to bring our allies along with us. It could not be more clear that Hillary Clinton can do this, and Donald Trump cannot.

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Matt Cartwright

Guest columnist

Matt Cartwright, a Democrat, is a U.S. congressman serving the 17th District, which includes portions of Luzerne and Lackawanna counties. He lives in Moosic.