[03cavPA]

Well, the republican party may have gotten into bed with some of the more reactionary Christian groups in this country, but that's on them. This country hasn't had a government that could be called Christian for years, but that's my opinion.

I'm not a republican. I haven't been for a long time. I registered Independent in the late 70's and never looked back.

The rat holes I refer to are many government programs that suffer from serious cost over runs, wasteful spending practices, and general mismanagement. Some suffer from a decided lack of accountability to the taxpayers who pay the bills. Pork is rampant in most pieces of legislation, designed to do little more than garner votes in the next election.

Surely you have similar problems in the UK? You yourself referenced the subprime loan debacle that nearly cost us our version of civilization. There were a couple of "minor" govt. agencies affectionately known as Fannie and Freddie that had some involvement in that economic skirmish in the War on Poverty. It may be our ultimate undoing yet. I'm not a corporate apologist, either. I don't care for the mortgage industry's involvement in what could be called "money changing", to use a biblical phrase.

I make no apologies for my cynicism. Many cynics end up that way through observation of the events and people around them. History is a good teacher, especially when you've observed it first hand. It's purely a matter of personal perspective, but we've all been there.

However, I think it is our responsibility as humans and neighbors to help each other, rather than rely on the government to do it. Governments by nature exist to control, rather than help. Human beings elected to privileged positions generally succumb to the intoxicating effects of power and just can't help themselves.