ABA Banking Journal - August 2008 - (Page 14) briefing ABA Chairman’s Position ABA Resources Continued from page 15 BRADLEY E. ROCK CEO, Smithtown Bancorp brock@aba.com them in courses, monitor their progress and print reports for internal or bank examiner use. Students have internet access to courses with their own user name and password. Involvement now in fall elections will pay off later AUGUST IS A TIME FOR REST AND reflection. Families are on vacation. Students are anticipating the start of a new school term. And in election years, August usually provides the last quiet days before the campaign begins in force after Labor Day. Not this year! This presidential campaign has been under way for months—more than a year, really— complete with rallies, polls and cable TV, which has brought us almost 24/7 coverage. It will only intensify. Congressional campaigning hasn’t really kicked in, yet. Amidst all the excitement, bankers should remember that we, too, have a vitally important role to play in the coming elections. Few of us will have an opportunity to sit down for a meaningful conversation about banking policy with Sen. John McCain or Sen. Barack Obama. But many of us should be able to get some time to talk with our congressional candidates, and perhaps even our Senate candidates, about what matters to us. This is an excellent time to seek out your local congressional candidates. They want to meet with influential community leaders when they are running for election or re-election. Help them understand your bank’s role as an economic engine in your community—and beyond. This is also an opportunity to talk about the uneven competitive environment we face. Explain that laws and regulations may be well-intended when they are written. But when we have to comply with their cumulative impact, they create a costly burden that keeps us from doing what we should be doing—serving our customers and communities, and growing the economy. If you thought your involvement in ABA’s grassroots activities was important before, as Al Jolson once said, “You ain’t seen nothin’ yet.” We’re electing a new President and Vice President, one-third of the Senate and the entire House of Representatives. And we’re doing this in the midst of a war, an economic downturn, and high prices at the gasoline pump and the grocery store. Many of us have our favorite candidates. But regardless of who is elected, there will be fundamental changes in Washington, D.C. next year. And we must be prepared. Any change in the Presidency also means a new White House staff, new Cabinet officers and new advisers at the highest levels of government. There will be new priorities and new ways of looking at public policy, including policies affecting financial institutions. In time, there could be new appointees to the federal regulatory agencies. The new Congress, the nation’s 111th, could have new leadership. There will surely be new members elected, and new members serving on the key committees that handle legislation that’s important to us. And that’s where we can make a difference. There is no more effective advocate than a hometown community banker—especially one who is already well-known to your congressman. And the more your member of Congress knows about you and the role your bank plays in the economy of a community, the more effective you will be. Reaching out to candidates now will help all of us next year, when we will be talking with members of the next Congress about new legislative and presidential initiatives. I’m not going to make any election predictions. But I will predict that the more active we are in the political process now, the more effective we will be with a new Congress and a new administration when the time comes. As I have said before, the well-being of our banks and our industry depend upon it. BJ ABA membership webinars If you want to learn more about how your bank can leverage all of the services and resources offered as part of its ABA membership, a monthly series of Membership Webinars can bring you quickly up to speed. The next two free webinars are scheduled for July 31 and Aug. 28. From exclusive legislative and regulatory analyses to products and services to boost your bank’s bottom line, ABA has everything you need to stay competitive. You will also learn how to easily navigate your way to answers at www.aba.com. To learn more or to register, e-mail ABA Director of Member Outreach Heather Harrell at hharrell@aba.com. Cherry blossoms and banking advocacy ABA’s 2009 Government Relations Summit will be held March 29April 1 in the nation’s capital, and the start date coincides with the beginning of the National Cherry Blossom Festival. Registration for the conference, which will feature a lineup of influential lawmakers and regulators, is free for ABA members. Bank CEOs attending the conference are encouraged to bring their colleagues, both to hear first-hand detailed briefings from Washington insiders and to advocate for the industry on key issues. Learn more at www.aba.com or call 1-800BANKERS. 14 AUGUST 2008/ABA BANKING JOURNAL Subscribe at www.ababj.com http://www.aba.com http://www.aba.com http://www.aba.com http://www.ababj.com
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