The only source of power in the world is a political power. Individuals, per se, don't have power. Nevertheless, it is the individual that wields the political power of the Nation. The issue becomes an individual matter from this perspective. We are as 'safe' as the leader of any Nation wields his/her political power. At this point, we are concerned with democratic forms of government, not autocratic forms. So, how are leaders chosen and what motivates leaders. The 'how' of choosing a leader is a political problem. The 'motivation' of chosen leaders is a more personal issue. What motivates a politician to 'run' for office? Of course, that's a very personal isssue and a very complex one, even for the person seeking office. But, we can delineate a few general parameters of any 'seeker' of political power. S/He chooses to spend her/his life in office. S/He has a life and a duty. As everyone else, even a politician has a right to a 'life'. But, unlike everyone else, s/he has duties to a government. In a democracy, those political duties should gravitate toward the people at the Bottom. Increasing the freedom and equality of the individual and protecting those Rights, at home and on the International sphere, is the sole purpose of government. Why else organize the One and the Many in a democratic form? Of course, there are many other collateral and sub-issues that tie-in to the major one, but we're right back to the question of why 'run' for office, but this time we're on a more personal scale. Why 'run'? The political reasons have been sketched above, the personal reasons have to relate to the personal welfare of the individual. Of course, his/her lifestyle changes for the duration in office. How about his/her personal wishes after s/he leaves office? Most have a different life-style from the one they had before and they are in high demand for 'social and political' functions. But, were decisions made, while in office, to bolster and help personal priveledges after leaving office? In different words, were decisions based on economic reasons designed to increase a personal economic value as oppossed to a political value? If so, the decision was not a political decision based on democratic values. At every step, an office holder is faced with the welfare to 'himself/herself' and the public duty to the welfare of the individual in a democracy. Public office reaps many benefits, but it is also the most arduous office in the world. A real 'States-Person' has 'the general welfare' of the individuals at the front of all his political decisions; s/he already has a confortable personal life. The distinction between a 'States-Person' and a politician is sometimes based on which of the two is sacrificed, the personal or the public.