Agreed, wgflyer.
The only theocracy that has any hope of surviving is one where the Lord JESUS CHRIST is sitting on the throne of power, as says the old nugget: There can be no peace without the Prince of Peace. That is, however, for a future time.
We taste of this kind of government when we allow the Saviour His proper place upon the throne of our individual lives as we accept His authority as Lord over all. This is what helps us to make the right decisions - such as, to whom shall we vote for?
Indeed, I would not like to see any religion, even mine own, become the religion of the state. I believe that our founding fathers, though not specifically Christians, but biblically-minded, saw the best government as that where, as you state, man is permitted to rule over his own affairs and conscience - rather than having some despot - as I fear we now have.
Thank you for reading.
American presidents do not govern by their religion, they govern by how their religion HAS TAUGHT THEM. Since we are mostly a Judeo Christian country, most people believe in God, the Bible and the Ten Commandments as a way of governing or how they function in life. This is as it should be. A leader’s religion even if devout is a guide, not a hammer.