Go read up on the whole Number-Of-The-Beast thing and mix that with a heavily Christian-influenced view of politics (which is there, even in the politics of not-particularly Christian people). We are talking about a country where some people view having a Social Security Number as a Very Bad Thing. Don't even get me started on the Hillbama-gunna-take-er-gerns crowd. They'll be blaming Obama for whatever well into the next decade.

We are a majorly paranoid society, for no particular good specific reason that I can see.