I feel like we’ve run this meme further than is useful; there’s absolutely criticisms to be had about how the separation of church in state operates within American government but it’s hardly the only “developed” (hate that word but you know what I mean) country to have a government that takes for granted Christianity as default; Britain, after all, has a state church – for (pun slightly intended) Christ’s sake – that definitely bleeds into the way its government thinks about what a religion is and how much “religion” gets support.

I’m not saying I wouldn’t prefer (and hope we move towards) a more strict and complete separation but let’s not pretend America is astonishingly unique…

I’m not too familiar with his record before running for the Senate, I’m afraid, but, presuming it was sufficiently different that people had wanted to vote for him and no one had been sounding the alarm, part of me wonders if something had happenned when he had his stroke.

It’s, obviously, not a given but brain damage can cause personality changes. I have very little evidence beyond speculation but I do wonder, from time to time.