The American people need no course in philosophy or political science or church history to know that God should not be made into a celestial party chairman.

The American people need no course in philosophy or political science or church history to know that God should not be made into a celestial party chairman.

People expect Byzantine, Machiavellian logic from politicians. But the truth is simple. Trial lawyers learn a good rule: 'Don't decide what you don't have to decide.' That's not evasion, it's wisdom.

Way down deep the American people are afraid of an entangling relationship between formal religions - or whole bodies of religious belief - and government.

In the end, I'm convinced we will all benefit if suspicion is replaced by discussion, innuendo by dialogue; if the emphasis in our debate turns from a search for talismanic criteria and neat but simplistic answers to an honest - more intelligent - attempt at describing the role religion has in our public affairs, and the limits placed on that role.

The Republicans believe that the wagon train will not make it to the frontier unless some of the old, some of the young, some of the weak are left behind.

Entertainers and sports figures achieve fame and wealth but find the world empty and dull without the solace and stimulation of drugs.