For too many, the dream of economic mobility has been replaced with a nightmare of economic stagnation.

In the end, I'm convinced we will all benefit if suspicion is replaced by discussion, innuendo by dialogue; if the emphasis in our debate turns from a search for talismanic criteria and neat but simplistic answers to an honest - more intelligent - attempt at describing the role religion has in our public affairs, and the limits placed on that role.

Every time I've done something that doesn't feel right, it's ended up not being right.

I somehow got this reputation of diddling and dithering. I don't remember dithering at all.

Decide exactly what you want to achieve. Do you want to help people, or do you want to be powerful?

Those two principles: We're supposed to love one another and we're supposed to work together to make the experience better. That's all the religion you need, really, to make a success of this planet.

Outrage is easy, cheap, and oversold. The nation needs less anger and more thoughtful reflection, less shouting and more listening, less dissembling and more honesty.