Obama leads in money race with military

Here's a rather interesting development. Many continue to believe that despite a thoroughly demoralized military, having been so due to the wrongful Iraq war -- and a war fought with shoddy heavy equipment and inadequate personal armour as well as the cronyism in the awarding of service contracts; despite all that, most members of the military will still in the end rally around John McCain.

Perhaps they will, slightly, in terms of votes. But there's a bad sign for John McCain in the money game. Among troops deployed overseas, Barack Obama outraised McCain for contributions 6:1. Even within the GOP, the very anti-war Ron Paul outdid McCain 4:1.

This is a huge sign of dissatisfaction. If a decorated war hero, and a POW at that, can't engage his fellow men and women in uniform to rally about him instead of around a self-described "community worker" who eschewed the value of military service for the longest time, then the winds of change are blowing. And when they blow within the ranks themselves, people should stand up and take notice. Because the vast majority of those in uniform understand the meaning of honour, which the current Commander in Chief -- who was suspended for playing hooky on a medical exam -- can't seem to comprehend.

It'll take more than "God and the Flag" to win over an increasingly disenchanted public. And for those stationed overseas, it's harder to make their dollars stretch when it must be converted to Euros or other currencies on a tear against the greenback. The Euro for instance has retreated somewhat the last couple of weeks over inflationary concerns in the Eurozone back to about $1.50, but even within the US inflation has now hit 5.6%, a near twenty year high -- and I don't think those troops still at home got a 6% pay raise last year, as did not the rest of the civil service.

Short of a revolt, I think one vote to watch will be military ballots both home and abroad. If about 40% push Obama's way, McCain will have a long night on November 4.

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