Working the steps did not get me sober, the power of God rendered me sober. Before that I was a chronic relapser. I was six months away from a drink when I took the steps. The steps got me in touch with what got me sober. Making this a way of life keeps me touch with what keeps me sober, so therefore I don't believe it is a matter of me having worked the steps being the reason I am sober today. Like sugErspun said, it isn't about what I did seventeen years ago. I many who have worked the steps, but are drunk now as I type this. That is the reason I didn't vote either. There are no clearcut, black & white answers.
One thing to consider with chronic relapsers is that alcoholism can compounded by other mental illnesses and I know many who, unless they get treatment for whatever form of mental illness they suffer from that the steps don't work for. There are many variables here. When you throw in things like drug addiction along with the many social problems that come along with alcoholism, drug addiction, and mental illness, you can never say who will get sober and who won't. One thing I do know to be true though is that if a person has the capacity to honestly face him or herself and get in touch with the truely hopeless nature of acoholism, that person can recover.
Jim