Journal Date: May 8, 2024 Sen. Mike Braun of Indiana was supposed to be a true leader. He was supposed to be our American hero.

He had the right resume. He was a self-made millionaire who made his fortune the American way.

He earned it. He had a storybook American background. He was a star athlete in a small town in Indiana. He married his high school sweetheart, Maureen, who was a cheerleader.

He moved home after college to help his father run the small family business.

When times got really tough he got tougher and smarter. He turned what was a bankruptcy event into a catalyst to reinvent himself and transform into a much larger, more profitable business venture.

He became a multi-millionaire.

Not content to stay home and simply run the business, he invested himself in climbing the political ladder from local school board to state representative to U.S. Senator.

He was working to make a difference. He embraced Tom Coburn and his legacy.

He publicly stated he introduced the No Budget No Pay Act, as his first action, as a direct nod of respect to Tom Coburn.

He not only admired Coburn, Coburn helped him by campaigning for him.

So what happened? Life in Washington, D.C., happened. Mike Braun did not change Washington. Washington changed Mike Braun.

Did Mike Braun wake up one day and decide to renege on his promises, serve himself and turn his back on work he began?

No. But in the end that is exactly what happened.

Coburn talked about it when we were together. Coburn wrote about it in his book.

Washington corrupts virtually all good men and women who dare crawl into the abyss it has become.

Does this make it right?

No, of course not. What is right is established by God and recorded in the Bible.

God wrote the 9th commandment as recorded in Exodus 20 to make it clear we are not to deceive.

Sorry to say it, Mike, but when you tell someone, like you did me, right to their face you will “definitely call a meeting” among your fellow senators to discuss the “No Budget No Pay Act.”

And then have your staff actively and intentionally refuse to do anything to follow through on the promise, you have in fact engaged in deception.

Why would Senator Braun make such a promise to begin with?

The answer is simple. The promise is consistent with his values. The promise makes common sense. The promise represents being true to his commitment to continue Coburn’s legacy and fight the national debt.

Why would Senator Braun then turn right around and break the promise?

Because in Washington, life is busy. Because in Washington, the oxygen (that is the time and resources of you and your staff) gets absorbed by the people and organizations that bring the money.

So if you are Senator Braun and you are trying to decide what to concentrate on and one group is a shoestring organization inspired by Tom Coburn calling on God’s power with very little money, and the other group who is seeking your attention is the healthcare industry with approximately 3,310 lobbyists with an annual budget for lobbying Washington of $750 million, guess what you do?

You guessed it. Braun made a promise to us based on principle and then proceeded to push us out of the way to cater to the money.

What does the Bible say?

Matthew 6:24-26 says, “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

Braun made his choice. It is not consistent with God’s values. It was entirely consistent with Washington’s values.

Who will suffer as a result? America, aka our grandchildren.

Then he made it even worse.

He quit.

You see, working in the U.S. Senate stinks.

Sure it is prestigious.

Sure it can be very lucrative.

But if you are essentially a patriotic American entrepreneur, which I think fits Braun, it stinks.

The place is a dysfunctional nightmare. And worse yet, every day you are reminded of just how sick and twisted the whole thing has become.

Back home in Oklahoma or Indiana, you can retreat to rural landscapes where virtue and values still run deep.

You can put our problems out of mind.

You can’t do that in Washington.

Furthermore, if you have political clout, you can simply change political jobs and become governor instead of senator.

Governor is much more fun.

As governor, you get to stay home; no more trips to Washington.

As governor, you are the head honcho, not merely one more cog in the big mixed up mess.

It is way better. So what is wrong with choosing an option that is better for you and your family?

Well, nothing if you are merely seeking to serve yourself.

Which is what most Americans have come to believe is the name of the game.

But wait a minute. What does God say?

Jesus said, “Whoever wants to be great among you must seek to serve, not to be served.” - Matthew 20:26-28 Jesus also said, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the Kingdom of God.” - Luke 9:62 Doggone it, that’s tough! Sorry Senator Braun, it sure is.

Maybe go complain at Arlington Cemetery, just across the river from Capitol Hill, to all the graves of all the American soldiers who gave their lives for your freedom.

You put your hand to the plow. Now you are leaving the fight because it serves you better.

Coburn said, “I want the man who is willing to take a bullet right to the forehead.”

If you are reading this and you think I am stretching it, go to our website and hear him say it for yourself.

Yeah, Mike, it’s tough! It is called sacrifice. It is what built America. It is the only thing that is capable of saving America. It is what American heroes do.

Sorry that is not you. Do we quit? No we don’t quit. We press on. That’s what true patriots do.

For our Common Good, R. Brian Walter Matthew 20:26-28