11.   But not many politicians want to defend the current system, mired as it is in chronic dependency and the breakdown of the family.

12.   But it was clear that politicians wanted him to discuss abortion.

13.   Democratic politicians want to know how severe new political restrictions will actually be, and how they can be challenged.

14.   Despite the high stakes involved, no politician wants to take responsibility for putting hundreds of thousands of government workers on furlough the week just before Christmas.

15.   Elections are coming up next summer, and all these politicians want to keep the electorate sweet.

16.   Few politicians want to repeat the experience by actually closing something down in Frankfurt.

17.   Few politicians want to risk being seen as voting against the Stars and Stripes.

18.   Every politician wants to hobnob with you.

19.   Friday, behind the polished walls of the US Supreme Court, there was a hushed discussion about what the law said, not what the politicians wanted.

20.   In an era when getting tough on crime is almost universally admired, few politicians want to invite an attack ad accusing them of coddling criminals.