I know it's difficult for my American friends to acknowledge it, but part of the reason that religious conservatives, Christian conservatives and others, have been so successful is that they tap into the commonsense instincts of so many Americans.

I don't see that kind of political strength coming from the religious left - because they don't seem to be terribly representative of ordinary people, ordinary Americans, the values that ordinary Americans have. They don't seem to be terribly representative. They do seem to be out of step with the mainstream.

The reason this did not apply to religious trusts is because there is no way of monitoring what goes into the donation box at a temple or other place of worship.

The only reason we can come up with is that they are being targeted because it is a religious club.

Howard Dean's statement makes it clear that he wants to muzzle America's churches and religious groups from professing what they believe on important issues facing our society.

If a religious community is not registered with the authorities, that is no reason to restrict it. We cannot allow the mistakes of the Soviet period to be repeated. We must respect religious freedom.