The analogy isn't so much that all priests are corrupt like politicians, but that they both hold the same unquestioned position of power that allows them to be corrupt like politicians.

*slight wince* much as I'd like to bash the priestly profession, and much as i agree at a meta level that they offer nothing to those whose money they live off...at an individual level the majority of priests have a huge workload. Parishes are large. Lot of parishioners. Parishioners who will often turn to their priest for all kinds of help and in all kinds of emotional, physical or spiritual distress. Much of the job is essentially a kind of ad hoc social work. In poorer communities, if state assistance is not available, they are often at the frontline trying to make life a little better for people on the edge. From my perspective the solace they offer looks hollow and valueless; to those who seek such solace it may be a lifeline. Ad hoc social workers, some-time psychological councillors, debt advisors, family guidance councillors, community workers.

Most priests I know (and I know a few from my work), are hard working and not particularly well-paid. They are pretty much on call most of the time. They are heavily involved in community groups, often at the forefront of wider community activity. In fractured, working-class areas in particular, priests and vicars provide something which can come in many forms, but without which a community doesn't really exist.

A word on politicians: again, the majority of politicians don't have a national profile, are primarily involved in local matters, and are often a lot harder-working than people realise. I have lost my political verve, and have lost all faith in my own party. The system tends towards star-making, but star-making doesn't breed good politicians, it breeds stars. Meanwhile here on earth, ordinary elected representatives at various levels of the system, put in ridiculously long hours, for pay that would be laughed out of the private sector. The least useful work they do is what we hear about. The soundbites and the run for election, the populist policy announcements, the internal wrangles over party direction.

What makes it into the Britsh press, for example, is the long summer recess for members of parliament. Like work stops for them when parliament is not sitting. Actuallly, your average MP has their busiest time during the recess, because they can cram in all the local visits and campaigns they don't have time for when they're at the House of Commons til 1am on a Thursday morning. An MP's office is expected to help all sorts of people on all sorts of matters. From the single mum who feels she's been wrongly treated by her council authorities, to the asylum seeker trying not to be deported, to the local school who's fighting closure, and the employees of a major firm that's closing.

It's like any profession: some people work fucking hard.

I once heard a pastor describe his job as such: every work day for him was someone else's worst day of their life. And then every once in awhile he got to do a wedding.

Catholic priests do pay taxes as well.

Partially correct. If you are serving in a theater of war, you're exempted on income earned in the time you were there. The rest of your military compensation you pay income taxes on, with some modifications on your state income tax picture per the Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Relief Act of 1947.

This being a somewhat extreme but by no means unusual example of policy made in support of capitalism -- in roughly the same category as limited liability. Just cushier -- and lobbyists worked very hard to get it that way. The essential idea at the bottom is to facilitate prosperity, for with prosperity facilitated, things are better for simply everybody.

Especially Big Oil. :rolleyes:

...and the lobbyists and the politicians they bought. In their view I think thats pretty much, as UG said, "simply everybody."

... and nobody was really poor, at least, nobody who mattered ... [/Douglas Adams paraphrase]

...but nowhere near as much as the big sugar oligopoly.

Bloody hell, we sure do pay taxes. Federal and state (depending on your state of record). Given that as you move around you can change your state of record and the first chance anyone has to get to a state that has no state taxes most change to that state. But federal taxes are paid on all income. And with the exception, as Congress grants the right, to have income which is earned in declared combat areas may have portions not subject to tax for defined periods of deployment.