Given the precarious state of the economy, the high construction unemployment rate and the tumultuous political climate, it’s time for construction executives to make their voices heard by local, state and federal elected representatives. The November elections present the opportunity to support the legislators and candidates who advocate for the business community.
Voters heading to the polls Nov. 2 will influence the outcome of 36 Senate races and 36 gubernatorial races, many of which are considered toss-ups. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and Sen. Arlen Specter (D-Pa.) face tough re-election battles and are in jeopardy of losing their seats. The political tide seems to be shifting, with many Americans unhappy with the actions of their elected officials following the partisan approach to reforming the nation’s health care system.
The health care debate struck an emotional chord with Americans—both those passionately in favor of the reform measure and those staunchly opposed. A recent Rasmussen Reports national telephone poll found that one week after the health care bill passed, 54 percent of “likely” voters were in favor of repealing it, and only 17 percent believed the bill actually achieves its intended goal.
Health care is not the only hot-button issue that will arise during this year’s elections; more sweeping legislation impacting climate change and immigration reform may be on the table.
Following are a few ways construction businesses can stay connected and get involved on a grassroots level through education, communication and advocacy.
Education
Stay informed about issues critical to the construction industry and take time to educate others. Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) provides up-to-date information on its website on key legislative and regulatory issues. Visit
www.abc.org/comments for regulatory rulemakings and
www.abc.org/issues for detailed summaries of pertinent legislative issues.
Additionally, the
Free Enterprise Alliance (ABC’s issue advocacy arm) recently launched a new “Halt the Assault” campaign to bring to light the burdensome regulations placed on small business by the federal government. On
www.halttheassault.com, visitors can read about the latest news impacting small businesses, take action and even submit their own stories to be published.
CommunicationCorrespond with members of Congress via email, letter and telephone. Each time a federal issue demands action, ABC emails interested companies an action alert. These alerts are created to make it easy to contact elected representatives about issues that affect the business community. To sign up to receive action alerts, visit
www.abc.org/subscriptions.
Advocacy Hold elected officials accountable. Participate in face-to-face meetings with representatives to build relationships and personally discuss the issues impacting the construction industry. A member of Congress cannot effectively represent constituents without knowing where they stand on the issues.
One easy way to become an advocate is to participate in ABC’s
Legislative Conference, to be held June 15-17 in Washington, D.C. ABC members can meet with members of Congress and federal agency officials to lobby on issues that affect their businesses. The conference also features a grassroots breakout session on how to get employees involved in the political process.
“As a businessman, and especially as a merit shop contractor, I feel that the only proven, long-term, effective method of influencing state and national legislators and regulators is to participate in grassroots efforts,” says Ed Tanzini, president of The Tancor Corporation, Midland, Mich., and chairman of ABC’s Grassroots Committee. “A grassroots effort can convince our politicians that they can no longer ignore their constituents, or tell us that they know what is best for us better than we do.”
With November around the corner, now is the time to get more involved and become part of the solution. Construction executives can make a difference through education, communication and advocacy.