Not going to weigh in too much on this - because American politics confuses the heck out of me and to be honest I'm not that interested in British politics either...

I just have to say I was slightly surprised by the way IRescue's post was abhorred. I can see why some people took it the wrong way, but honestly she did make valid points.

Yes, someday I will be old and maybe someday I'll have my own family to look after and yes, probably I will find it hard. But IRescue is right in saying that the young teenagers and adults who clench their teeth and bust a gut studying to get a place at university often have far less luxuries than the drop-outs pushing Vicky Pollard-style prams, because they are not leeching off government benefits. I just don't see the fairness in that. You want to pump out as many kids as your body can take? Fine. Just don't expect every other tax payer to finance those kids' playstations and your hair straighteners and whatever else.

Families and old people do need help, I am not denying that, but politics is all about saying what people want to hear - if you're seen to take pity on certain groups of people then the masses are supposed to like you. If you dare to care about those who are trying to make their way in the world, like university students, and are cleverer and more strong willed than perhaps the average person, you may not get the support of the masses. I suppose that's why the polcies are the way they are.

I'm dreading the bills I'll face at university. No matter how rich you are, you'd have a job on to pay it all quickly. I know that I will have to sacrifice a car (there's no way I could pay road tax and insurance for a young driver on top of fees) and take out at least one student loan which I'll probably still be paying way into my career. And yet my government would not want to help me because that money has gone to rehabilitate drug addicts and pay for some nineteen-year-old's tenth child.

On the topic of religion - quite frankly politics and religion should be in no way related, but studying some US politics I have seen it plays a surprising influence - way more than in the UK, in fact I would say religion is far too taboo to bring into British politics nowadays.

IRescue was referring to shove-it-down-your-throat preachers and people who have a very warped view of religious faith, not a true Christian. I have respect for people of every religion who practice their faith in a fair and loving way (which, all religions are supposed to be like anyway), but I do not respect brainwashers and people who tell me I'll burn in hell for being an atheist. In my opinion, people like that have more in common with Al Qa'eda than a true Christian faith.

I didn't quite understand the point made about John McCain being a closet racist, but no doubt there are people in the US who will vote based on racist beliefs.

End of lecture. Just a further note, I have had vehement disagreements with IRescue before, but I just don't see any reason to flame her here.