It all started when Ronald Reagan courted the religious right in his bid to win the Presidency. Now it's come to Christian leaders who use millions in tax-free donations to try to influence nominations for the Supreme Court and to subvert the First Amendment separation of church and State.

It's a mutual back scratching society.

Jimmy Carter did his share of pandering, too. Remember that he was the first presidential candidate to openly declare himself "born again". The roots were there, and Reagan began the fine-tuning process that became the well-oiled maching of the nineties. Thank Oðin that machine has started to rust.

Don'cha just love hashed metaphors (beyond mixed)?