John, I am increasingly concerned about how elected leaders and candidates are using religion as a political weapon.
Like many Americans, I am a person of faith, and I happen to be a Christian. My faith is something that is deeply personal to me and it helps guide me in the journey of my life. In Christianity, we teach kindness, love, compassion, understanding and seek to better control our inherent human emotions that can lead us to do things we may later regret. And the reality is that none of us is perfect. We are all flawed individuals, but it's our efforts to be better that define who we are and how we can ultimately make a positive impact for others.
When we have candidates who demonize other religions or use faith as a weapon to tear down political opponents, we all lose a part of what makes America so great. When we are told that people are "evil" because they practice other religions or have different opinions about policy issues, that only further divides us and makes it that much harder for us to return to a country where people can look at each other with a sense of compassion and understanding.
I don't write about my faith frequently, but sometimes we need to speak up when we see something we think is wrong. Here's a clip of me discussing this recently: |
MORE UPDATES: Tackling America’s Youth Mental Health and Substance Use Crisis |
As a co-chair of the Bipartisan Policy Center’s Youth Mental Health and Substance Use Task Force, I recently visited Capitol Hill to advocate for evidence-based, actionable policy recommendations to help address our nation’s severe youth mental health and addiction crisis. In my role as a fellow for the Bipartisan Policy Center, I will help build a national strategy to reduce the prevalence of undetected and unaddressed mental health and substance use problems in youth. |
There is so much complexity in our health care system, from how many providers we train, to how and where they are allowed to practice, to how they are paid – and so little of it is designed with children and youth in mind. We need to invest in policies that will reshape the future of health care delivery for youth and their caregivers. |
Providing a Beacon of Hope to Republicans Disappointed with Direction of the Party |
I recently had the opportunity to address participants at the Principles First Summit in Washington, D.C. The event focused on the power of principled leadership and the importance of putting country before party. You can watch my video remarks here: |
John, I think we all fear that this year's presidential election is going to be brutal, but I remain hopeful that the American people - despite the efforts of Trump and others who seek to divide us - will weather this storm and reinvest in our hearts to connect with others we disagree with to make a positive difference for others.
We are stronger together and I'm so proud to have your support in this vital mission to heal America. One of the realities is that we need to raise the funds to continue rallying support for this agenda. Will you consider chipping in with a secure online donation right now to help? Thank you! -John |
