The reply is signed Gary L. Bauer, but who knows. I e-mailed various religious leaders, including Bauer's "Campaign for Working Families" (Al Gore's own cause), with the question: What do you see as a greater affront to Christ this holiday season: Harry Potter or Santa Claus?

"In some ways, the greatest affront is the commercialization of Christmas, which has turned it into a holiday for getting things instead of a time to reflect on the greatest gift of all time!"

When I sent e-mail queries to contacts at various political websites, I expected some rantings of couch potato crazies. But the response of Mike Silverman of TurnLeft.com was reasonable enough, and I can't help but agree. One of my questions was about people's view of big government since Sept. 11, and what it means for social programs, and here's what he writes:

"I think the events of Sept. 11 and what has happened since have made a lot of people realize the importance of the government -- not so much a new view as simply the re-assertion of an old view. Namely, that when the country is threatened, there is no other institution that is capable of protecting and acting for all of us then our government. Private industry does great in providing consumers a wide
choice of soda pop flavors and laundry detergents, but when it comes to matters of life and death, only our democratically-elected (at least usually :-) government has the authority and capability to act in all of our interests. At least that's my 2 cents!"