I brought religion into this discussion because, when considering the case of the poor, the Bible has a lot to say about it. Also, most Republicans are Bible-thumping Christians, are they not? So it applies. And one would think the Bible's teachings & sentiments on this subject would influence their attitudes, political as well as private. It would appear, however, that other Biblical themes (particularly the Mosaic ones) get most of their attention.

I don't even claim to be a Christian. I ought not to know more about the Bible than most of these fundamentalist-types. And I didn't write the Bible, so I can't take the blame for what it says. If Jesus and his disciples were bleeding hearts, or too lazy and irresponsible to work, as O'Reilly would have it, or not worthy of compassion, as Limbaugh suggests, or perhaps ought to be kicked around a bit, as Beck thinks....or if the poor, rather than being blessed or held in esteem, are the scum of the Earth which deserved to be washed away by Katrina because they didn't have enough sense to leave the city...well, I can't help it if the Bible you purport to believe in & abide by rather condemns your point of view.

But when did the "man of sorrows" ever catch a break?