Get Out and Vote
Keep those thoughts in mind as we look at some other facts.
I heard a very discouraging report the other day. It said that in this particular community, less than one-half of the eligible voters had registered to vote. The day I heard the report was the last chance for potential voters to register for the upcoming election. And this is in a presidential election year when, typically, voting numbers are higher than normal. That is right. Only half of those eligible to vote even bothered to make sure they were registered. What percentage of those registered will actually vote? This should be very disappointing to all of us. We need to remember the number of wars that have been fought over the right to vote. Here we have the right to vote and only a percentage take advantage of that right.
What is the point of these two seemingly unrelated facts? The point is that many of us sit around and complain about the government’s intervention into our jobs and businesses. Yet when it comes to voting many of us continue to sit around and complain about the outcome without actually getting out and making sure that our voice is heard by supporting and voting for candidates we believe will enhance our position. We have to realize that the individuals we elect to represent us, whether it be on a local or national level, are the ones responsible for setting the policies that allow the rules which so greatly affect our businesses.
There are two things we know for sure about the upcoming election. The first and maybe most important for a lot of us is the fact that the election will be over. This will mean we can turn on the radio or TV and not be bombarded with negative ads about every candidate on the ballot. As equally important will be the fact that we will have chosen the candidates who, for the next few years, will have the power to greatly affect our businesses. We know the types of rules and regulations the current politicians have put into effect, so shouldn’t we want to have some input on who is being elected this time? Maybe we can provide some feedback into the rules which they consider making.
Now I am not naïve enough to think that the candidates we select are going to immediately make things better for our industry. But I do think that it is crucial that we express ourselves to those candidates who we feel will best represent the interests of our industry. We also need to continue a dialogue with those candidates to ensure that our feelings are properly transmitted.
The overall point is, regardless of your party affiliation, get out and vote. The same politicians we elect to office are the ones ultimately responsible, through various methods, for establishing the criteria for the rules which so significantly impact our business. Don’t wait until next year to complain about what happened in the election. Make your voice heard today by supporting candidates you feel will understand our business and be significant leaders when the issue of rulemaking is on the table.
Publication date: 10/29/2012
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