COLUMBUS, Ohio — Former Ohio Gov. John Kasich claims he understands how to move America forward without relying on the Statehouse or Capitol Hill.
Kasich has a new book called “Heaven Help Us,” and he believes ordinary Americans and faith communities can work together to make a difference.
His sixth book is a collection of true stories about Christians, Jews, and Muslims who use faith to improve their communities.
“So the fact of the matter is, a person can use either a church, a synagogue or a mosque to take an idea whether it’s solving human trafficking or poverty or homelessness or literacy, any of these things you hook up with your, with your organization, and they’re going to give you support,” says Kasich.
Kasich describes his new book, “Heaven Help Us,” as a collection of true-life anecdotes about inspirational people doing remarkable things.
“One is the shootings in down in Charleston, South Carolina, and how people forgave the shooter and what forgiveness is all about, or a guy who started passing out groceries in the back of a pickup truck inspired by Mother Teresa, who’s now feeding over a half a million people every single day,” he told CNN.
Kasich gathered stories from across the country in the hopes of inspiring ordinary Americans and, perhaps, American leaders.
“What has surprised me, Colleen, about politics is it seems as though too many of these folks are just interested in their own political hides and not the country,” according to him.
Kasich is concerned about Trump’s tariffs, the situation in Ukraine, and the failure of lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to speak out against them.
Kasich was known for standing up for what he believed in, even in the face of fierce opposition, such as the contentious Senate Bill 5 attempt to prohibit collective bargaining for public employees.
“Or when I expanded Medicaid, it created a hubbub,” he joked. “‘You know, he’s a Republican, and, you know, what’s he doing there, expanding things.'” It didn’t matter to me. This is what I needed to do when I disagreed with my own party on several issues.
That’s why I was there: to accomplish something. I look at a lot of people today and say, ‘Why are you there?’ Or, ‘Why am I here just to be a political operative working for a party?’ I am a Republican, but it was my vehicle, not my master.
So I’ve been surprised that more people haven’t spoken up and gone their own way, even if it means losing an election.
In 1997, President Bill Clinton and House Budget Leader Kasich worked together to create the last American balanced budget. He believes it is time for today’s leaders to make tough decisions.
“And that’s back to what is your purpose, what are you trying to do, and it’s okay to be a leader,” Mr. Kasich said. “It’s okay for people to be angry with you.
A leader’s path may be lonely at first, but if it is just, people will follow. This needs to happen. Colleen, I’m just begging people to get it. It must happen before we end up in a catastrophic situation.”
Kasich is a CNN political analyst and bestselling author.
