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Gary Bauer

Senior VP of Public Policy & Culture

Policy & Culture

Through the Dobson Policy & Culture 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.

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Policy & Culture Updates

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Iran, War, and the Islamic Messiah

Once again, military conflict is raging in the Middle East and the Holy Land. American and Israeli armed forces are in harm’s way, fighting the Islamic Republic of Iran. How should Christians react to the news?

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Kneel or Else! Faith Under Fire

One of the Left’s many big lies comes most often from the LGBTQ lobby. They claim that all they want to do is live and let live. “Let us be who we are.” These were powerful arguments during the debate over changing the 3,000-year-old definition of marriage from the union of a man and a woman to the joining of two people of the same sex. But we have discovered over and over again that as soon as the LGBTQ movement gets power, the live-and-let-live attitude toward Christians goes out the window, replaced by an iron fist that demands we sacrifice the teachings of our faith. And it isn’t only homosexual issues. Don’t forget, President Obama tried to force Catholic nuns—nuns!—to subsidize abortions. His attack on religious liberty was eventually overruled by the Supreme Court. Joe Biden tried, too. Biden’s Department of Education threatened every school district in the country that if they did not allow boys into girls’ bathrooms, he would cut off their school lunch programs for poor students. Unbelievable! By the way, most of the media ignored this outrage. There are hundreds of examples like this, and JDFI has been in many of these battles. Here is ...

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The Culture War

Two significant events in recent days have highlighted the stark contrast in values dividing America today. Many observers refer to this battle of values as “the culture war.” First, let’s consider the Super Bowl halftime show. The Super Bowl is an iconic American sporting event. Millions of people from all backgrounds love football. The NFL had an excellent opportunity to bring Americans together with a halftime show that celebrated our shared values, especially this year as we celebrate America’s 250th birthday. Instead, the NFL’s woke leadership chose to divide the country by selecting Bad Bunny—a cross-dressing, Puerto Rican rapper—as the main performer for the halftime show. If you’re not familiar with Bad Bunny, don’t worry; that’s a good thing. His songs are full of explicit sexual content and vile lyrics. Unfortunately, he has a large following, particularly among young Hispanics. Days before the Super Bowl, Bad Bunny was on Saturday Night Live. Many Americans were insulted when he told us we needed to learn Spanish to understand his halftime performance. America is a multilingual society, but English is our national unifying language. Next, he appeared at the Grammys and denounced the enforcement of US immigration laws. In fact, he actually ...

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Featured

Rededicating America to God

We believe, as did our founder, Dr. James Dobson, that America’s only hope for the future is that we turn our hearts back to God. That’s one of the reasons we are excited about a historically significant worship event scheduled for this year. It is part of the celebration of America’s 250th birthday. The White House has announced a day of prayer, praise, and thanksgiving for May 17, 2026, including a special event on the National Mall in Washington, DC. Every American is invited. To RSVP, go here. The date of this event has historical roots. In 1776, the American colonies were facing the likelihood of a war with the British Empire. Armed conflict between colonial patriots and British troops had already exploded in 1775 in the Battles of Lexington, Concord, and Bunker Hill. More British troops were headed across the Atlantic. In January 1776, a firebrand “patriot” named Thomas Paine published a pamphlet titled Common Sense. In it, he called for complete independence rather than reconciliation with England. While all this was happening, the Second Continental Congress was meeting in Philadelphia. The delegates were confronted with monumental life-and-death decisions. They were divided by regional disagreements. Tempers often flared. Fear ...

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Featured

Wake Up, Church: The Lessons of Cities Church

On January 18, radical leftists invaded Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota. They shouted down the pastor’s sermon, intimidated the congregation, harassed women, and told children that their parents were Nazis. The disgusting attack prevented Christians from worshipping Jesus on Sunday morning in America! This invasion of a peaceful church service must not be forgotten. Dr. Albert Mohler, president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, said the event should be “a wake-up call for the church.” He added, “Fear-mongering is not a faithful option, but denial is not an honest strategy.”1 He is right, of course. We are not to fear, but we also must face the threat that persecution of Christians is a growing reality. During the Civil Rights movement, led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., black churches were vandalized, and worse. Those attacks drew widespread condemnation by all decent people. Thankfully, instead of stopping the Civil Rights movement, the attacks increased public support for it. Today, attacks on American churches are increasing, but they often are ignored by the biased media. Even outright violence, including murder of Christians, is downplayed. After a demon-possessed killer murdered two children and injured eighteen others at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis last summer, ...

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Featured

God’s Gift of Life

Dr. James Dobson was an articulate advocate for the sanctity of life every day of his life. He loved the annual March for Life and was always inspired by the young participants. This year’s right-to-life march in Washington, DC, took place just as a massive winter storm was building and heading east. In spite of the threatening weather, 100,000 brave souls descended on the nation’s capital to speak for our preborn children.

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Featured

Martin Luther King Jr. and the God of Life

Every third week of January since 1983, a person and cause have been honored. In 1983, President Reagan signed the Martin Luther King Act, which set aside the third Monday of January to honor the civil rights leader. The following year, Reagan declared the third Sunday of January as National Sanctity of Human Life Day to recognize the humanity and personhood of the unborn child.

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Featured

Saving America by Saving the Family

The Heritage Foundation, a major conservative think tank in Washington, D.C., is rolling out a set of public policy ideas aimed at encouraging marriage and childbirth, both of which are in serious decline. The agenda is expansive, ranging from larger tax credits for children to taking on the cultural malaise that discourages marriage and childbirth.

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Featured

George Washington v. Socialist Mayor Mamdani

This is an important year in American history—the 250th anniversary of the signing of our Declaration of Independence. Major celebrations and ceremonies are planned all over America. They began on New Year’s Eve here in Washington, D.C., where the Washington Monument, named after our first president, dominates the skyline. As night fell on December 31, 2025, a spectacular multimedia display of patriotic themes and images was projected onto the monument. Even in divided Washington, D.C., there was praise for this inspirational celebration of American history.

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God in America’s Founding

The year 2026 promises to be an extraordinary one for America and for every patriot who loves our country. This is the year we will celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of our Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. The Declaration, in my view, is the most extraordinary, significant political document ever written.

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Authors

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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