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Snowstorms and Elections
David Reddick, Ph.D. | Director – Public Policy Research
What do you plan to be doing on February 6, 2008?
If you’re like me, you’ll probably find yourself stuck in a line of morning traffic along the interstate, cussing under your breath about the snow quickly forming on your windshield wipers, and wondering why on earth the creator of the Gregorian calendar ever included the month of February in his calculations. Why couldn’t he have simply gone straight from January to March?
And, while you’re sitting there in traffic, you also may do what I do most mornings and tune in to Morning Edition on your local National Public Radio station. And this is what we’re likely to hear that morning:
“It’s now official...The results from Super Tuesday’s primary elections in 18 states have been tabulated…The next president of the United States is going to be either Hillary Clinton or Rudy Giuliani.
Yes, folks, mark your calendars. The nominating process for the current gaggle of presidential candidates is likely to be over on February 6 except, of course, for the final vote on November 4. Why we’ve become so obsessed as a nation in wanting to choose our presidential nominees in February of an election year is beyond me. I hope it’s not because we’re all anxiously awaiting the 272 days of mind-numbing commercials that we will have to endure from February to November from the two presidential contenders.
Pardon my cynicism about the current presidential nominating process, but the truth of the matter is that the 2008 elections are very important. Why? In addition to selecting a new president, it looks like voters in at least seven of the 34 U.S. Senate races will select new senators because the incumbents have chosen not to seek reelection. The potential vacancies in the 435-member House of Representatives are expected to be even higher.
At the state level, 11 gubernatorial jobs as well as the seats of 1,000 or more state legislators are at stake in 2008. And, in the five elected insurance commissioner races, Delaware and Montana voters will be selecting new individuals for those positions.
What all this means, of course, is that the balance of power in the U.S. House and Senate, as well as in several statehouses around the country, could change rather dramatically after November 4, 2008, and possibly in ways not beneficial to the insurance industry.
As insurance professionals, it behooves us to become more engaged in the 2008 election process. And three ways on how to do that come to mind.
First, we should learn as much as we can about the various candidates running for state and federal offices and whether their positions on the issues are congruent with those of our industry.
One good way is to surf the candidates’ campaign websites. In previous elections, NAMIC tried to help in that regard by creating stand-alone websites with links and information about state-office seekers. This year we’ve created a members-only blog that links visitors to websites for each of the 34 U.S. Senate races and all 435 congressional races, as well as the most relevant state races. In addition, the blog will include state-specific voter registration information so no one will have an excuse for not registering or voting in his or her state next fall. Visit NAMIC Online (www.namic.org) for a quick link to the site.
A second way to become more active in the 2008 election process is by understanding the role, function, and impact of the NAMIC Political Action Committee. This year, for the first time in its history, the NAMIC PAC raised more than $150,000. This figure exceeded the goal the NAMIC PAC board set in March 2007 by 30 percent. With the 2008 elections looming, it is even more imperative for the NAMIC PAC to reach its new goal of $400,000 to support state and federal candidates.
People who understand the role, function, and impact of a PAC are typically very engaged in the election process and become more personally invested in election outcomes and results. Once you give the NAMIC PAC authority to solicit your organization, it can begin to communicate directly with any individuals authorized to receive information about participating in this vital activity. The NAMIC PAC is one of the best ways to help elect candidates who recognize the needs and concerns of the property/casualty insurance business.
The NAMIC PAC has a website at www.namic.org/legactioncenter/ where you can learn more about its operation and activity. Questions about the PAC also can be sent to NAMIC’s PAC coordinator, Stephanie Sheridan, at ssheridan@namic.org.
The third and final way to become more involved in the 2008 elections is by joining colleagues from your state and participating in the NAMIC Congressional Contact Program. As you may know, NAMIC is unique among the national property/casualty trade associations in having a program like CCP that brings together member-company representatives and their congressional delegations to talk about important issues, such as extending the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act or protecting the industry’s limited antitrust exemption under the McCarran-Ferguson Act. These visits supplement the fine work of NAMIC’s federal affairs staff and help give NAMIC a real presence and influence on Capitol Hill. During 2007, a record 340 individuals from 35 states made the two-day trip to Washington, D.C. They spoke to more than 340 elected officials. For more information about the Congressional Contact Program, contact Georgiann Howell at ghowell@namic.org.
So, there you have it. Three things that you can do with your life beyond February 6, 2008. Look past any traffic snarls or snowstorms that you may encounter on that day, and become fully engaged in the 2008 elections. I intend to, and hope you will, too.
Posted: Monday, January 21, 2008 12:00:00 AM. Modified: Monday, January 21, 2008 3:22:21 PM.
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