FaRm -
From the Afghan war perspective, we (America) stopped reporting it too, because it became a backwater fight, and it was going very, very well. We had taken the country, the Taliban was in disarray, and Democracy was going well (in effect, where Iraq is now).
Of course, we pulled out some of the soldiers, let them self-govern a little more, and the bad guys came back....Not a fantastic situation.
Going back to OP, I think a lot of people changed their views after the recession. A lot of people have a horrible understanding of what free-market economics are, and merely assume that the government's role is very weak, whereas it's very involved. They then assume this meltdown was due to too little government, rather than too much, or too stupid.
Oh, and about religions teaching 'socialism' - Speaking from a Christian perspective:
1) Christianity never forced anyone to give. Although it represents a pure form of socialism from Acts 3-Acts 7 between quasi-communal property rights, welfare, and the like, it was all instigated from a voluntary point of view, not a government/forced point of view.
2) OT laws required the tax rate (effectively 10%) to be used every 3rd year (in effect, 3.3% of net taxes) to be spent on the poor and needy. However, the usage of the tax was under the taxpayer's discretion, not the governments.
3) Giving isn't mandated as required to get to heaven, but it's championed as one of, if not the, highest virtues in Christianity. Pulling up the verses associated with giving of time & money to the less fortunate would require quite a few pages of this forum.
Overall, religion (at least mine) champion the personal responsibility of every person to give to help the poor and needy. It was never required, forced, or coerced, but it was certainly stressed as a major Christian virtue, and at least for awhile, and in some churches, it's done right. The important part of this is that churches, and other groups that take charity as a personal responsibility tend to do a much, much better job of taking less money to do more when it comes to social welfare.
Back from the dead, I'm afraid.
