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Gary Bauer

Senior VP of Public Policy

Policy & Culture

Through the Dobson Policy Center, we focus on issues related to righteousness in the culture, such as the sanctity of human life, the God-ordained institution of marriage, parental rights, freedom of religion, and other liberties guaranteed in the Constitution and Bill of Rights.

Critical Issue #1

The Next Generation

There is a fierce battle being waged now in our nation’s classrooms for the hearts and souls of our children and grandchildren. Make no mistake, the left and the secular culture are manipulating the…

Critical Issue #2

The Sanctity of Human Life

All life is sacred and is a gift from Almighty God. Sadly, however, many people in our society no longer understand or acknowledge the sanctity of human life.

Critical Issue #3

Marriage & Family

Marriage serves as the foundation for every dimension of human life. Everything of value rests on it, including procreation and the care and training of children.

Critical Issue #4

Religious Liberty

The first item listed in the Bill of Rights within the U.S. Constitution addresses the issue of religious liberty.

Critical Issue #5

The Judicial System

Thomas Jefferson warned repeatedly about the emergence of an out-of-control judiciary that would destroy the Constitution and, along with it, America’s fundamental freedoms.

Critical Issue #6

Capitalism vs. Socialism

Democracy and capitalism have made our nation the most powerful and successful in the history of the world.

Critical Issue #7

The Nation of Israel

The Jews are God’s chosen people, and Israel is covenant land given to the Jews by Jehovah as an everlasting possession.

Policy & Culture Updates

Featured

Christ On the Mall

Earlier this month, President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump participated in the annual lighting of the National Christmas Tree on the Ellipse in President’s Park. This event has become part of our “civic religion.” Its Christian roots are obvious, but the gospel of Jesus Christ has faded a bit into the background. As America has become more diverse, a consensus has grown suggesting it would be inappropriate to be too overtly Christian at the tree lighting. In December 2024, then-President Biden lit the tree and dedicated it to “A Season of Peace and Light.” He spoke of “the peace we feel as we pause and reflect on our blessings and the light—the light we see as we gather with loved ones that cherish our time together.” He then referred to a phrase in the Christmas carol “O Holy Night” that says, “His law is love, and His gospel is peace.” The “His” in the song obviously refers to Jesus, but apparently saying the name of Christ would be in bad taste in diverse America. At the very end, God did get a shout-out. Biden ended with the exhortation, “And may God bless you all. And may God protect—may God ...

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Featured

Thanksgiving Terror

Millions of Americans across our great country gathered with family last week for Thanksgiving. I hope you enjoyed all of God’s blessings. Memories were made that will last a lifetime. Sadly, for one West Virginia family, Thanksgiving will hereafter forever remind them of 2025—the year their precious daughter was assassinated in Washington, D.C., by an Islamist terrorist who should not have been in America.

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Featured

Be Thankful

All of us at the Dr. James Dobson Family Institute (JDFI) are looking forward to celebrating Thanksgiving, as you are. I love this uniquely American holiday. But it’s not just a day off work or a day devoted to parades and football (not even to turkeys and pumpkin pies!). As the name implies, Thanksgiving is about giving thanks to God for the blessings we enjoy.

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Featured

Distorting the Gospel: The Need for Discernment

One of Dr. James Dobson’s top priorities was increasing Christian participation in the privileges and responsibilities of citizenship. He knew that every major problem facing America would not be solved without the active involvement of Christian Americans. Followers of Jesus Christ must be in the public square, offering biblical insight on issues including parental rights, racial reconciliation, economic justice, and ending corruption.

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Featured

Why the Church Needs a Biblical View of Israel

Why are more Christian young adults less likely to support Israel? Gary Bauer and Michele Bachmann offer their insights.

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Policy & Culture

Israel and the Church: What Many Christians Miss

Antisemitism is on the rise - in the most unlikely of places! Gary Bauer and Michele Bachmann discuss why more Christians and Conservatives are losing their support for Israel.

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Policy & Culture

Conservative Antisemitism: When the Right Misunderstands Israel

Antisemitism is on the rise - in the most unlikely of places! Gary Bauer and Michele Bachmann discuss why more Christians and Conservatives are losing their support for Israel.

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Policy & Culture

Jesus Wasn’t a Socialist

There is a growing effort by political forces on the Left to convince Christians that socialism and its “father” Marxism are closely aligned with the teachings of Jesus. Nothing could be further from the truth. Nonetheless, this lie is gaining adherents. Christians must be discerning to avoid being deceived.

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Featured

Are American Christians Abandoning the Jewish People?

Of all the hatreds in a fallen world, none is more pervasive and persistent than hatred of Jews, God’s covenant people. Antisemites on the Left, from Marxists to Islamofascists, have rioted on the campuses of our “elite” universities. Hate crimes in major US cities, such as New York, have exploded. Zohran Mamdani’s campaign for New York City mayor was built on antisemitism and hatred of Israel. Antisemites are now serving in Congress. Historians have shown that countries that tolerate and promote antisemitism almost inevitably embrace other evils and often lose freedom. America must confront this evil or suffer the same consequences.

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Featured

The Power of Prayer

Sophia Forchas is a 13-year-old student at the Annunciation Catholic Church and School in Minneapolis, Minnesota. On August 27, Sophia was with her classmates for the beginning of the school-year worship service. During the service, a demon-possessed assailant opened fire on the students, killing two and injuring thirty. Sophia was grievously wounded. I don’t casually use the words “demon-possessed.” The killer hated Jesus. He drew a picture of himself looking in a mirror with a demon staring back at him. Doctors were not hopeful about Sophia’s prognosis. A bullet was lodged in her brain. She was placed in a medically induced coma. Fearful that the brain swelling would cause more damage, part of her skull had to be removed. Doctors doubted she would ever fully recover. Yet in late September, a recuperating, smiling Sophia returned home and was reunited with her family and friends.

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Gary Bauer

Gary has an accomplished career in the public policy field, having served in numerous leadership positions during the past several decades. He participated in the Reagan administration as Under Secretary of Education, and then White House Head of the Office of Policy Development. After leaving the Reagan White House, Gary became president of the Family Research Council and senior vice president of Focus on the Family.

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A word from Dr. James Dobson

Dr. James Dobson

“Public policy” refers in other contexts to politics, such as elections and political parties. That is not what we mean by the term. Our focus is on issues related to righteousness in the culture, such as the sanctity of human life, the God-ordained institution of marriage, parental rights, freedom of religion, and other liberties guaranteed in the Constitution and Bill of Rights. This is an incomplete list but should be illustrative. Of course, we are also opposed to policies that are anti-biblical, such as critical race theory and other efforts to propagandize and manipulate the minds of children. We oppose the entire LGBTQ ideology, as well as adultery, premarital sex, and matters that most conservative Christians view as contrary to Scripture. At the heart of our belief system is a biblical worldview, such as absolute truth and the teachings of Jesus. We are committed to the family as outlined in the Book of Genesis, a view of the family that is under vicious attack from within our culture. We are here to defend the family with every resource. Indeed, defending and promoting these beliefs and the truths in God’s Word are our raison d’etre, our reason to be.
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