Former governor reveals lessons learned in service

Dr. Otis R. Bowen, the 83-year-old former governor of Indiana, took the podium at the College Republicans call-out last week with a small disclaimer for his audience.\n"This isn't a rip-roaring political speech," he said, smiling. Instead, what the 75 people who filled Wylie Hall 005 Wednesday evening heard was an oration on what Bowen called "lessons I've learned from places I've been." \nDrawing from his book, "Doc: Memories from a Life in Public Service," Bowen spoke briefly of his years as an undergraduate and medical school student at IU in the 1930s and of serving in the Army medical corps in Hawaii and Japan during World War II. Lessons learned, respectively: "The straight-A student does not necessarily make the best professional person," and "War is truly hell."\nBut Bowen focused his speech on the importance of civic participation and the values of serving in public office. During the course of more than 25 years in public office, Bowen said he came to realize that "everyone, at some time in their life, should serve in an appointed position or an elected position at some level of government." \nPublic office, he said, provides an invaluable opportunity to learn about issues in-depth and gain an understanding of the real workings of government, and to develop a tolerance of different political attitudes.\nBowen began his political career in 1952 as Marshall County Coroner and was elected state representative in 1956. After his first term, he lost re-election by four votes. Bowen was elected state representative again in 1960 and served in that office until he became Indiana's 42nd governor in 1973. As governor, Bowen championed a reduction in property taxes and the creation of a medical malpractice statute, both of which the state legislature passed. \nIn 1985, after four years away from office, former President Ronald Reagan tapped Bowen for the position of secretary of Health and Human Services -- a position Bowen said he wasn't too enthusiastic about at first.\n"(Before being selected) I recall saying, 'Boy, that's a job I'd never want,'" he joked. "But when the president calls you on the phone and asks you to take a job, you don't say 'no.'"\nAs secretary of a department with a nearly $400 million budget and around 300 programs under its umbrella, Bowen said he quickly found he had many responsibilities but very little authority. Despite this, Bowen told his audience, he learned that "bureaucrats are really not bad people" and that the majority of his colleagues and peers were hard working and conscientious.\n"The problem really with politics is not the thousands who are in it but the millions who are not," he said. Bowen added that the president, vice-president and other cabinet members "are just like the rest of us and not any smarter than anyone in this room."\nThe former governor took a few questions from audience members, mostly dealing with President George W. Bush's health care and tax platforms. Bowen said Bush's plan for social security reform "has a lot of good points" but he questioned whether older people, if given more investment options, would really be adequately informed and interested in making those decisions. \nOn the tax issue, Bowen suggested the creation of a Constitutional amendment clearly explaining and defining property taxes and how they might be collected.\nIU College Republicans alumnus Jim Holden gave a short presentation on the newly-formed IU CR Alumni Association. Holden said the association will act as a fund-raising arm and a public relations arm for College Republicans. In addition to assisting with costs for fliers and campus events, Holden explained the alumni association can help alert the community to liberal goings-on at IU.\nKent Benson, former men's basketball standout and member of the IU All-Century Team, stood up at the end of the meeting to thank Dr. Bowen and all in attendance.\n"Right now, you all are what this party's all about," he said. \nBenson then concluded the evening by leading everyone in prayer for the victims of the Sept. 11th terrorist attacks, for their families, and for the nation's leaders.