Socialism and Virginia's military vote

Latest polls suggest Barack Obama enjoys a healthy lead in the crucial swing state of Viginia. Yet, in a state that has voted Republican for the past fifty years, fears "socialists" may be taking hold of Washington are rampant.

Enjoying some autumn sunshine in his neat back garden, Lieutenant Colonel Robert Arnold sums up his fear of Barack Obama and Democrats: "They take from the rich and give to the poor. I thought that’s why we fought communism…our country’s rapidly becoming socialist as far as everything being controlled by Washington."

 

Socialism. It’s a word we’ve heard from Democrat opponents throughout our tour of America’s swing states.

 

It’s especially prevalent among the military community dominating the Hampton Roads region, which is home to the biggest naval base in the world.

 

Retired soldiers like Robert went to Vietnam to wage war on communism.

 

So Barack Obama’s desire to "spread the wealth a little" makes him recoil in horror.

 

Robert is by no means an ordinary American: a distinguished serviceman who spent nearly 30 years first in the air force, then the army, specialising in chemical and nuclear weapons.

 

But he’s typical of the very conservative Republican tradition in Hampton Roads.

 

They want government to be small enough to slip in your back pocket.

 

It’s no good pointing out that a Republican president – George W. Bush – sanctioned the part nationalisation of some of America’s biggest financial institutions to stop the US economy from imploding completely.

 

Financial socialism, as many call it, has changed Wall Street and the American financial landscape forever.

 

But Republicans like Robert equate this unprecedented government intervention with Obama and his economic plans to raise taxes for the wealthy.

 

That’s why even though Obama has a healthy lead in the polls here in Virginia – 51 per cent of the vote compared to McCain’s 40 per cent, according to AP’s latest survey – he might not turn Virginia blue just yet.

 

After all, this is a state that hasn’t voted for a Democrat in nearly half a century.

 

Never mind the smears questioning how American Obama is; big government is decidedly un-American and a frightening prospect for many voters in this election.

 

It’s bound to be on their minds when they head to the ballot box in less than a week.