James Talarico

I then got to meet some of the kids who participated in the program.

It was life-changing for them.

And we can talk about countless examples of that where not only has a Republican done something risky, but I've done something risky in return because we're both out on that ledge of love.

We were talking earlier about politics doesn't move people anymore.

I mean, you read Common Sense by Thomas Paine.

You read Lincoln speeches.

You listen to Fannie Lou Hamer.

You read Dr. King.

And that changes the game because your politics should grow out of that morality.

There's a sequence here.

And I feel like what we're suffering from now, people start with their politics and then try to figure out the morality on top of that when it should be reversed.

Who are we as human beings?

Where do we come from?

Why are we here?

How should we live?

The politics should go out of that.

And so, yes, I mean, that's why I'm in politics.

I really do feel like this is a way that I can love my neighbor at scale through good public policy, reducing the cost of prescription drugs, reducing the cost of childcare, the cost of housing, all the things I've worked on in the legislature.

It was to love my neighbor, make their lives easier and better, help them become who they're supposed to be, to give the gift that they're supposed to give.

I think if we can infuse our politics with more of this spirituality, I think we could treat politics like a sacrament.