A few days ago, someone asked me why I decided to become a politician.  I answered, "I'm not a politician."  
   James Freeman Clarke, a US theologian in the 1880's, once wrote:  "A politician thinks about the next election.  A statesman, of the next generation."  With this in mind, think of the last great statesman...Lincoln, Truman, Eisenhower, or maybe JFK?  Many of these men faced tough decisions that were far from popular.  
   This led me to ask "Was Lincoln a politician or statesman?"  If he would have been an expedient politician, slavery could still be the law of the land.  Only white land owners voted in his day.  So in order to get re-elected, he would have sought the short term gain of votes as todays politicians do on a daily basis.
   But as a statesman, he recognized ending slavery was in the long term interest of the nation.  He chose short term pain, (another wedge between north and south) in exchange for long-term gain (a future of growth and prosperity as a unified country).
   Look at all of today's politicians and ask yourself, do they seek votes or national prosperity.  Then look at how they vote to raise taxes, expand government, and allow illegal immigration.  
   No, I told my inquisitor, I model myself after the character based statesman, I think Indiana and America deserve it!  I believe voters should demand it.