Well TonyC:
I didn't take A320fumes comments to say that. I understood it to mean that politicians use these issues to get votes. As to the validity of the issues...well that's unimportant to them. As to how they actually feel about these issues who knows. But for many of them, taking a side; walking the party line; or bringing division among the peope is all a means to an end. Power!
I don't believe that this is the case will all politicians, but certainly too many.
Onfinal