Auto Care Insider Volume 102 - 23
By: David Pinkham, Manager,
Government Affairs
GREAT news, fellow auto care
professionals. For the first time in recent
memory, AAPEX does not conflict
with Election Day. That means that
we no longer have to vote absentee
(or forget to vote absentee), and can
partake in the patriotic ritual of voting
in-person on Tuesday, Nov. 8.
OK, maybe you are not that excited.
Perhaps that has something to do with
your feelings toward the candidates,
the election process or government in
general, which is totally understandable.
Over the last five years, polling has
consistently shown congressional
job approval hovering just above
single digits. Meanwhile, in what
some have called the most important
presidential election of our lifetimes,
voter satisfaction with the candidates
now sits at 33 percent. Don't be
surprised if that number continues to
fall as we get closer to Election Day.
So if you feel disillusioned by
government or just plain exhausted
by the 24/7 media coverage of the
political horserace, you are certainly
not alone. However, the mistake people
often make is grouping electoral
politics in with public policy, which
are two entirely different institutions.
Yes, your preferred candidate needs
to win in order for them to have an
impact on actually influencing policy,
but how often do we vote someone
in without knowing anything about
them simply because they align with
a particular party or because you
heard something about the other
candidate that may or may not be true.
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It's no secret that
most Americans only tune
into politics every four years and only
take the time to form a few opinions
about the presidential candidates.
Yes, the presidential race is a cultural
phenomenon that certainly has an
impact on the direction of our country.
However, when compared to the impact
of all the down-ballot races, whoever
wins the White House may have the
least impact on you and your business.
Therefore it is critical that you
also focus on the other candidates
on your ballot, from congressional to
state to the city council. How will each
candidate, if elected, likely vote on
the issues that have a direct impact
on your bottom line? The auto care
industry has a wide range of issues,
from labor regulations to vehicle
data access, which will be affected
by the many state and federal races
happening around the country this fall.
So how can you determine
who to vote for in November?
We are in the midst of campaign
season and there are plenty of ways to
connect with the candidates, whether
at the federal, state or local level.
Attending a candidate's town hall to
ask about specific issues is a great way
to get to know them and formulate an
opinion on whether they'd be someone
you can trust to endorse policies you
support. Take some time to do your
research on the candidates and invite
one or two out
to your place of business to
introduce them to your employees
and point out the impact you're
having on the local economy.
If you are feeling that political
angst shared by many of your
fellow Americans, these outreach
tactics are a great way to reclaim
that civic enthusiasm you had when
you first entered a voting booth.
Government is often times a
source of frustration, especially
for the business community, but
it can also be a great ally in your
efforts to grow your business. As a
constituent, it is your choice whether
you decide to get engaged and
truly learn about the elected officials
seeking an opportunity to represent
you in future policy debates.
If you decide to take action, when
you step into that booth on Nov. 8, I
promise you'll feel as though you're
casting a vote for someone you know
and who will serve your best interests.
www.autocare.org
23
http://www.autocare.org
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Auto Care Insider Volume 102
Auto Care Insider Volume 102 - Intro
Auto Care Insider Volume 102 - Cover1
Auto Care Insider Volume 102 - Cover2
Auto Care Insider Volume 102 - 1
Auto Care Insider Volume 102 - 2
Auto Care Insider Volume 102 - 3
Auto Care Insider Volume 102 - 4
Auto Care Insider Volume 102 - 5
Auto Care Insider Volume 102 - 6
Auto Care Insider Volume 102 - 7
Auto Care Insider Volume 102 - 8
Auto Care Insider Volume 102 - 9
Auto Care Insider Volume 102 - 10
Auto Care Insider Volume 102 - 11
Auto Care Insider Volume 102 - 12
Auto Care Insider Volume 102 - 13
Auto Care Insider Volume 102 - 14
Auto Care Insider Volume 102 - 15
Auto Care Insider Volume 102 - 16
Auto Care Insider Volume 102 - 17
Auto Care Insider Volume 102 - 18
Auto Care Insider Volume 102 - 19
Auto Care Insider Volume 102 - 20
Auto Care Insider Volume 102 - 21
Auto Care Insider Volume 102 - 22
Auto Care Insider Volume 102 - 23
Auto Care Insider Volume 102 - 24
Auto Care Insider Volume 102 - 25
Auto Care Insider Volume 102 - 26
Auto Care Insider Volume 102 - 27
Auto Care Insider Volume 102 - 28
Auto Care Insider Volume 102 - Cover3
Auto Care Insider Volume 102 - Cover4
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