Parliamentary historian and commentator Peter van der Heiden is visiting America. Especially for Vox readers, he interprets the mood of this polarised country.

I would advise anyone to do as I did and take a road trip through the US. Whizzing over the highways not only gives you a kaleidoscopic view of the magnificent landscape, it also – especially if you stop often enough for a chat – offers some insights into the American psyche. Or better still, into the psyche of Americans. Because Americans are almost like regular folks, and can vary quite a bit. Not that I pretend to fully understand them now, even though I have spent quite some time in the US, but some things would strike even the most hurried of visitors.

Fed up with scandals
It goes without saying that my anthropological expedition was focused on the homo americanus politicus, the political American. How do people around here feel about politics? What do Americans consider important? And does this differ per state, per county, per city? The greatest common denominator I found was that America is kind of fed up with these presidential elections. Fed up with all the scandals surrounding both Trump and Clinton, who, in the nick of time managed to add yet another e-mail scandal to her collection.

‘My visit to the Trump office was an anthropological shock!’

This does not mean that people are not interested in the elections. What we don’t realise in the Netherlands is that American elections are not just about electing a President and Congress, but that pretty much all American electorates are up for grabs. Elections for the sheriff, the county judge, the public prosecutor, the state senate, the school board – I even saw a campaign for a coroner! – all take place at the same time. These local elections are far more important for ordinary Americans, because they are voting for their neighbours and the choices they make have an impact on their direct environment.

Landslide for Trump
This is reflected in the multitude of campaign posters. Street corners are filled with them, and it is often hard to find a poster for Trump or Clinton – let alone for Gary Johnson, the ‘third candidate’. Preferences do vary: the more peripheral the place, the more Trump supporters. In urban centres, Hillary seems to have the upper hand. Since I primarily travelled through the countryside, my perspective is somewhat warped. On the basis of what I saw and heard, it’s going to be a landslide victory for Trump. The few lost Democrat souls I encountered were not impressed with this argument. It looks like a lot, they told me when I spoke to them in a local campaign office, but the cities carry a lot more weight, so it will all turn out all right, even though it might be a close call. I must admit they were very cliché Democrats. One over-excited lady of the retired school-teacher type and a gentleman who hated anything even remotely related to the Trump topic.

What will happen if Trump loses?

To get a more complete picture I also visited the local Trump office – that was a real anthropological shock! What a bunch of Hillbillies! Totally incomprehensible fanatics of the kind that make you worry about what will happen to this country if Trump wins – or perhaps even more if he loses.
Slowly but surely people are beginning to realise that 8 November will be exciting – but perhaps less exciting than the day after. What will happen if Trump loses? People are talking about a civil war – so far metaphorically, but Trump’s hard-core supporters are militant and armed to the teeth. I am glad that I will be safely home by then, well in time for our own elections.