Duty of Hope: Armies of Compassion

"We have always found our better selves in sympathy and generosity. Americans will never write the epitaph of idealism. It emerges from our nature as a people, with a vision of the common good beyond profit and loss. Our national character shines in our compassion."

--Governor George W. Bush

As President, Governor George W. Bush will commit himself and the nation to mobilizing the armies of compassion - charities and churches, communities and corporations, ministers and mentors-to save and change lives, as he has done in Texas. These groups are proving that real change comes from the bottom up, not the top down.

That is why Governor Bush envisions a different role for government-a role based on the belief that government should turn first to faith-based organizations, charities, and community groups to help people in need. Resources should be devolved, not just to the states, but to the charities and neighborhood healers who need them most and should be available on a competitive basis to all organizations-including religious ones-that produce results. This is the next bold step of welfare reform.