Misunderstood politics

I just had a pretty disturbing conversation with my dear neighbor. I am not much for politics and I am not especially knowledgeable or anything, but I got chills hearing her ideas! She told me she was extremely frightened before the election on Tuesday, and I immediately got a feeling where this was going...

She thinks that if Obama become president the entire country will disappear down “socialism’s hell hole”. She told me that in the 60s she heard the then president speaking. Something like "if we are not careful our children and grandchildren will rub elbows with communists on the streets".

I don’t think she realized I am actually from Sweden, a country that the US often consider being mainly a socialist country, even though it is really a capitalistic country with socialistic elements, with its progressive income taxes and public sector. (And considering Swedes are pretty materialistic it is doubtful if Sweden ever could become a fully socialistic country). I calmly tried to explain to her that socialism is not the same as communism, and that it does not have to be something negative. Socialism does have the benefit that it cares for the people as a whole. Benefits such as paid maternity leave, subsidized day care, free school lunches, great public transportation, greatly subsidized health care and free dental and health care for children, elder care and so on.

Sure, Sweden has really lost its footing in regards to these benefits, but as far as I understand, nobody has to go bankrupt to pay for a needed surgery? Perhaps you might have to wait for certain surgeries, but at least you will get it. In any way, Obama’s “socialistic tendencies” does not mean the US will become a socialistic country over night, not even if he was elected for the entire term of office of 8 years. Maybe he can do the US the favor of implementing some benefits, similar to those in Sweden, and there is no way in hell the US would suffer from that, quite the opposite. And communism would never have a chance in Sweden or the US, in regards to the fact that would mean totally abolishing capitalism!

I think all the whining I hear form Americans regarding Obama and socialism is in large part based on ignorance, nothing else. People are simply scared of the unknown...

The neighbor further told me she is not going to vote this year, since she has no confidence in McCain either, even though she is a Republican at heart. In my opinion that takes away her right to complain. The worst part was when she started talking deliriously about governor Palin, and how wonderful she is, and all the great things she has accomplished as a governor of Alaska. That was my prompt to excuse myself and go home… We better not get into a discussion about that lady and her scary values…