CLEVELAND (Ohio, USA) – American politics throughout history has been dominated by a two-party system. It will remain so in the near future as well as none of the third party contenders could impress the people. Americans on November 8 (Tuesday) will go to vote in what is being termed as ‘Election for the future’.

Hillary Clinton of the Democratic Party and Republican nominee Donald J Trump will contend for the coveted post of the leader of the ‘free world’ that is President of USA. The win of any of them will make history. Hillary’s win would make her the first woman president of USA and the White House will have Bill Clinton as its first gentleman while Trump’s win would be the first of any person who is not a politician. Tim Kaines of the Democratic party and Michael R Pence of the Republican party are in contest for the post of vice president. The American people will also be electing many members of House of Representatives and Senate as well as governors of some states, Mayors of many cities, District Court judges, county commissioners and many other public service post

Voting is not mandatory in USA like it is in Australia where you are fined if you do not turn up to vote. USA is considered as one of the greatest democracies in the world but interestingly the number of people turning out to vote has gone down since year 2000. This year 62 percent of the eligible voters are expected to vote. The number may come down from the expectations as presidential candidates of both parties are very popular among the population. They have polarized the political climate of USA. After attending rallies of both candidates the scribe realized that both are standing out with their supporters at extreme ends. There is no way further that they can move. Their charged supporters are blindly following them. Trump started it by playing to the audience and thriving on their fears about migration and economy. But Hillary was not far behind and added fuel to fire by countering each argument with her ‘pragmatic road map’ approach making some non-issues into serious issues.

Hillary has the cities support while Trump is hero of the rural areas and small towns. Both are equally poised to win the poll. The former draws power from the liberal voices in the country while the later has garnered the support of almost all the conservative forces. Hillary has been using the star power of Hollywood celebrities and other popular people while Trump has been relying on approach to appear simple to the country folk as if he was one of them. Le Bron James the Cavaliers forward came up at a Hillary rally on Sunday evening in Cleveland. Celebrities Jay Z, Beyonce and Katy Perry are supporting her. On final Monday night Bruce Springsteen and Bon Jovi would be at her rally to convince voters in Philadelphia. Hillary supporters are mostly educated and mostly graduates, whereas Trump’s supporters are those who in the past have been ignored by both the parties and find in Trump the answers to their grievances. They do not have degrees but have skills to earn a respectable income and are unable to do so. How far he is successful in doing that is another debate but right now he has created fervor unseen in recent times.

On Sunday night activist Yousaf Salami came in support of Clinton at her rally and appealed to the people to not allow Trump to put the country back by 50 years. Hillary in her address charmed her supporters by saying she will always be by their side and they should never give up on her. “There are powerful forces within and outside America that threaten us. I know there is anger and frustration in sections of society but that is not the solution. I have made a big infrastructure job plan.

“Some people say there may be gridlock in election. There can only be one if elected people and influential get together. Therefore, Mr Congressman and Ms Congress I ask all of you to understand that I want jobs for my people. We want things to be made in USA.

“We will guarantee equal pay for women’s work. And I want affordable childcare. My opponent has run his campaign on divisiveness, fear and insults and spent months pitting Americans against each other. I want the American dream to come true,” Clinton said at the rally.

Trump in his rally address on Sunday in Sioux City in Iowa called for “draining the swamp of corruption in Washington” and fixing a “rigged system in which political insiders can break the law without consequence.” He asked supporters that it was a now-or-never moment and that he was the last chance for voters angry about immigration and foreign trade.

For man in the street the real result of the election would come when the trickledown effect would change his life for the better. “It is so exciting to have Hillary as the first woman president of USA. I have asked all my friends to come and we will have a great time. We are living history and people should realize it,” Deborah Walker an activist at Clinton rally said.

Becca Kopp Levine, an attorney, who could not go to the Clinton rally, said she missed the event but was excited about casting her vote on Tuesday. “Matthew (her 10-month-old son) will be accompanying me. It is his first election and we want to make the most of it. Hillary would win the elections as she is the only hope against a person like Trump who cannot even talk in a decent way,” Becca said.

Vinesh Kumar (called Vinks by friends), owner of 7/11 shop in Charlotte, is all for Trump. “America has got itself into a lot of mess both at home and abroad. Only Trump can clean up this mess. Hillary represents the establishment and if she wins things would continue the same way. We will continue to be haunted by security issues and the business would continue its downhill slide. Trump has the guts to stand up against these corrupt people who gang up against anyone who want to change status quo,” Vinesh said.

The political firestorm continues till the climax on midnight of Tuesday when the final unofficial result would be announced. Things would return back to normal as many of the issues raised in the elections have been overblown. The whites, blacks, Latinos and Asians all live and work together in harmony. A few incidents should not change the things for worse.

Both the candidates speak of the American dream. I may be hard to anticipate what the migrants dreamed of when they started coming here since the last three centuries and what they still dream when they come here. USA remains a land of opportunity and has always proved to be a melting pot for all those seeking greener pastures. Hopefully it will remain so after the 2016 election.