Few people are unaware of the massive political divisiveness that has many Americans extremely concerned about the outcome of that nation’s most contentious presidential election in its history.

When President Delano Roosevelt made the statement during the Second World War that ”the only thing America had to fear was fear itself”, there was probably no thought then that the time would come when America would actually fear itself.

That seems to be the case with only days left before the nation votes for the next President of the United States.

What many Americans, along with nations around the world, are most worried about is what direction the country will take depending on whether Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump is placed in that hot seat in the Oval Office of the White House.

With both presidential candidates struggling with issues that have many voters confused over which candidate would be best suited to handle crucial economic problems at home, while possessing the diplomatic skill to cope with international situations that hold the potential for global conflict if poor judgment is used.

Washington has had a reputation that real progress has been stalled, with politicians more concerned about remaining in office than serving the needs of the people. With the Democrats and Republicans blaming each other for a lack of progress, GOP candidate Donald Trump seized on the opportunity to tap into that sector of disgruntled Americans — and he convinced many that he would change things once in office.

Most observers know Washington is not changed by a few words or bold promises.

However, Trump solidified sufficient support to propel him as the GOP choice for the presidency.

Early in his campaign, he ran into troubled political waters when he announced a plan to ban all Muslims from entering the United States. He also wanted to deport millions of illegal immigrants, as well as build a wall to halt the flow of Mexicans into the US.

Even more starling was his statement that Mexico should finance the project.

Many leading Republicans were stunned and alarmed at those proposals, which many felt went against the grain of the American culture. Indeed, a number of prominent Republicans withdrew their support for Trump, with some actually vowing to vote for the Democrats.

Clinton was holding steady for the Democrats as she slammed Trump for moving away from democratic principles that promote freedom and respect for all religions and people of different races.

The former Secretary of State lost no time in putting her vast experience on international matters before her supporters and her knowledge of vital problems at home that needed to be addressed with a bipartisan approach.

She was doing well until an issue of using a private server while in office raised numerous questions resulting in an FBI investigation to determine whether confidential materials may have been breached.

Although the FBI found no grounds to support prosecution, it did state that she was extremely careless in using such a system. For a moment it looked as though the matter was over; that is, until the FBI announced a few days ago that more material had emerged that could have some significance. With only days before an election, it remains to be seen whether the latest disclosure will affect Clinton’s momentum — in most polls she is favoured to become the next president. Of course, in politics things can change within the hour.

While Clinton’s e-mail issue has hurt her image of trust, Trump took a steep dive with support from women after he was clearly heard making lewd remarks of what he could do to women simply because he was a star. Before the release of that tape, he had a trail of insulting remarks about women that continues to hurt his campaign.

But even more disturbing was that Trump said he would accept the election verdict only if he wins. Some of his supporters were openly stating that a civil war could erupt if Trump does not win.

Many experts feel that it is nothing more than hollow threats, but they are even more concerned that Trump has not openly condemned anyone who chooses violence over the democratic process. Some people are so concerned about what they perceive as Trump’s reckless and disrespectful attitude that a few have expressed a desire to leave the country if Trumps wins.

The world can only watch and wait and hope that whatever decision is made will be in the best interest of freedom, respect and peace. America’s stability is vital for many countries that depend on continued growth to make the world a safer place.