Today's Hotelier - October 2016 - 26

GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS elected to two terms to the Senate from New York and ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination for president in 2008. She then served for four years as Secretary of State under Obama. Clinton's campaign theme is "Stronger Together." According to her campaign, she supports policies that will make the American economy more inclusive, such as raising the minimum wage to $12 per hour and increasing access to capital for small businesses. "We're stronger when every family in every community knows they're not on their own, because we're all in this together," said Clinton. "If we stand together, if we work together, we'll all rise together. We'll be stronger together." While Clinton emphasizes that change and reforms are still needed, she has largely tied herself to Obama's presidency, vowing to "defend and expand" Obamacare, for example. Americans generally approve of the president's job performance, and that's what Clinton is trying to capitalize on. CONTROL OF THE SENATE AT STAKE The Republicans' slim 54-46 seat majority in the Senate is being vigorously challenged by the Democrats, and the math is in the latter's favor. Eleven seats are considered to be competitive this fall, and only one is being defended by Democrats. The remaining 10 have put Republicans on defense throughout the country, with their control of the Senate at stake. Two key races for both sides are Sen. Pat Toomey's re-election fight in Pennsylvania and the Democratic pickup opportunity by Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-Florida) against Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Florida). SEN. PAT TOOMEY Toomey, a Republican, faces Democrat Katie McGinty in a race to win the favor of the diverse Pennsylvanian electorate. AAHOA PAC and local AAHOA members have supported Toomey for his vocal opposition to proposals that would hurt small business, especially Obamacare. Toomey has voted to repeal the healthcare law and replace it with patient-centered, free-market reform. "Instead of having the federal government control healthcare decisions, dictate prices and essentially socialize the health-insurance industry," Toomey wrote in a recent op-ed, "We can leverage the power of the marketplace to force greater competition and empower consumers to decide what works best for their families." REP. PATRICK MURPHY In Florida, Murphy opted to give up his House seat to run for what was originally an open seat as Rubio had decided to run for the Republican nomination for president instead. Rubio eventually reentered the race after bowing out of the presidential contest. Murphy has been supported by AAHOA PAC for his strong stances in favor of small business concerns, most notably the Commercial Real Estate and Economic Development (CREED) Act, which reauthorized the Small Business Administration's loan guarantee program. Murphy's sponsorship of the CREED Act helped move the issue to the forefront and the program was permanently reauthorized in 2015. "Startups and small businesses are the most efficient jobs creators in the United States," said Murphy. "But the greatest single bottleneck preventing these businesses from taking off is access to capital." The control of the House is less up for grabs, with the Republicans holding a strong 247-186 majority over the Democrats. Nonetheless, individual races are hotly contested by both sides and a wave election where a large number of incumbents lose is never out of the question. 26 | OCTOBER 2016 | TODAYSHOTELIER.COM IF YOU CARE, GET INVOLVED Casting a vote for your candidate of choice is just the first step in being involved in the political process. If you really care about the direction of our country and specific challenges you face as a small business owner, here's how you can get more involved. 1. DONATE. Campaigns are expensive. There are yard signs, mailers and ads to buy. Whether it's to AAHOA PAC or directly to a candidate's campaign, your donation of $1 or $1,000 will help the cause. 2. PLACE A YARD SIGN. Your property can be a billboard for your candidate. Contact the campaign and ask for a yard sign to indicate your support and to spread the word. 3. VOLUNTEER. Campaigns consist of hundreds of volunteers and supporters. There's lots to do, from placing yard signs to walking in parades to canvassing neighborhoods. You'll not only support your cause, but you'll also meet people who are all working toward the same goal. http://www.TODAYSHOTELIER.COM

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Today's Hotelier - October 2016