These might be a few reasons why.

There are more than a few members of the religious right who think that just because their side won the 2004 elections, they should be running the country.

The far left, of course, was filled with every bit as much hubris when Democrats owned the presidency and Congress.

But those who base their politics on their religious beliefs and think the nation should, too, might want to be careful about what they wish for.

In Iran, two women were recently sentenced to death for "crimes against morality," apparently the result of having sex outside of marriage.

That’s the kind of thing that happens when those with a religious agenda take over a country. In Iran, it’s the wacko Muslim mullahs. Back in the 15th century, it was Ferdinand and Isabella helping Torquemada crank up the Spanish Inquisition.

In America, we’ve always had zealots around to annoy us and tell us we’re going to hell if we don’t believe everything they believe.

Except now, an alarming number of these chauvinistic characters have important government jobs.

For some reason, Kansas, once so appealing to a little girl named Dorothy and her dog, Toto, seems to be the epicenter for religion-government foolishness.

Kansas Attorney General Phill Kline is demanding two abortion clinics provide him the complete, unedited medical records of 90 women who sought to end their pregnancies.

Kline, a former talk-show host, failed congressional candidate and ardent abortion opponent on religious grounds, wants the women’s records containing their names, medical history, details of their sex life, birth-control practices and psychological profiles.

Intelligent, learned and moral people can be found on both sides of the difficult abortion debate. People of goodwill can disagree, and both sides make effective arguments.

But Kline, who has offered to defend placing stickers in school textbooks insisting evolution is just a theory, is widely regarded as a wingnut.

Unfortunately, he’s a wingnut who happens to be the attorney general of the state of Kansas.

This case isn’t so much about abortion as it is privacy and the right to have beliefs different than those in power.

"I have the duty to investigate and prosecute child rape and other crimes in order to protect Kansas children," Kline said at a news conference.

He’s full of it, of course. He abusing his power to impose his personal beliefs on women. The clinics — to their great credit — are fighting the attorney general’s demands in the Kansas Supreme Court.

On Tuesday in Topeka, Kan., another nutcase, the Rev. Fred Phelps Sr., managed to get 47 percent of the city’s voters to vote for repealing an ordinance that prohibits discrimination against homosexuals in municipal hiring.

This is the same character who led his church members in picketing gay beating victim Matthew Shepard’s funeral with signs saying "God Hates Fags" and "Matt in Hell."

We can take some comfort that the repeal was narrowly rejected and that even most of those who oppose gay rights distance themselves from Phelps’ hate-mongering.

But Toto, I don’t think we’re just in Kansas anymore.

The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments Wednesday about whether the Ten Commandments should be displayed on government property.

The Bush administration is among those telling the justices there’s nothing wrong with the government endorsing the 10 tenets that are the backbone of Judaism and Christianity.

I’m Jewish, and proud of it. My ancestors were hanging around waiting for Moses to descend Mount Sinai with the tablets, but I have all kinds of problems with our government being in the religion business.

The first commandment is "I am the Lord your God."

That’s not a secular nod to our country’s legal heritage. It’s an establishment of religion, and that’s something the First Amendment says would make Americans who are Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu or atheist second-class citizens.

Prayer in schools and religious symbols where laws are made are OK as long as they reflect the views of the majority?

C’mon, if it were "There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is his prophet!" on government property all over America, don’t you think Jews and Christians would be the first to squawk?

And they would be absolutely right to do so. Just as those trying to keep the Ten Commandments off courthouse walls are absolutely right.

Many of our founding fathers were deeply religious men, but they had the good sense to notice that mixing religion with government had really screwed up Europe, and they didn’t want that to happen here.

The United States is by far the most religious of all industrialized countries. Religion hasn’t needed the government’s help to thrive here. Our government, for all its faults — doesn’t need the help of organized religion, either.

An America without the freedom to practice or ignore religion just wouldn’t have a prayer.

Sam Pollak is editor of The Daily Star. He can be reached at spollak@thedailystar.com or at 607-432-1000, ext. 208.