I usually get why politicians do what they do, even if I don’t agree. A politician’s idea of long-term is to the next election — so that’s usually either two or four years, occasionally six. But that’s it.

Most politicians don’t care about a legacy. Some are better than others, but have you ever noticed how few of them ever achieve statesmen status? In my lifetime, the only two Arizonans who clearly achieved it were Barry Goldwater, the real founder of the modern conservative movement, and Mo Udall, a liberal Democrat who represented Southern Arizona in Congress for 30 years. They both ran for president and probably would have been better at the job than the two guys — Lyndon Johnson and Jimmy Carter — who beat them.

But to illustrate the point about short-term political thinking, consider the idea of opening the Rosemont Copper Mine in the Santa Rita Mountains 30 miles southeast of Tucson. The politicians who’ve weighed in on it so far are opposed to it.

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It’s going to be a mine unlike any other in Southern Arizona, using state-of-the-art sustainability techniques to preserve water resources and recognize the scenic and conservation values of the area. All the while providing jobs to about 450 people being paid an average salary of $59,000 a year. Not to mention that it would be one of the very largest taxpayers in Pima County.

But who can blame some politicians for opposing the mine? It’s the politically expedient thing to do when you’re  Republican Pima County Supervisor Ray Carroll, who depends greatly on the votes of the retirees who live in the Green Valley area — and do they ever vote. They worry the mine might spoil their view of a pristine area. Never mind the fact the mine is on the other side of the mountain range and won’t look very much like the pile of tailings that’s already in their backyards from the Sierrita Mine. Or that the area is already riddled with shafts from more than 150 years of mining.

U.S. Reps. Gabrielle Giffords and Raul Grijalva have also voiced opposition to the mine, which makes for an interesting juxtaposition of two Democrats on the same side of an issue as a Republican. You’d think Democrats would join union leaders in their support of creating hundreds of high-paying jobs.

The deal is, as long as these politicians can keep the mine out of operation, it’s easier for them because they won’t have to worry about trying to appeal to the voters who would move into their districts because of their new jobs.

As any good salesperson knows, it’s a lot easier to find people who will say no. The tough part is finding someone who’ll put it out there and say yes.

Then again, that’s what makes a statesman.

Someday they’ll be pulling ore out of the Rosemont Mine. It might not be in my lifetime or in the political lifetimes of Caroll, Giffords or Grijalva, but it will happen. Somebody will say yes.

Contact David Hatfield at dhatfield@azbiz.com or (520) 295-4237.