A few weeks ago, I had the honor of attending the CIAB (Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers) Legislative Summit in Washington, D.C. (aka “the District”). There is always a charged energy in the District, but it’s particularly palpable during an election year. And even more so during this election year, which highlights two candidates – Trump and Sanders – who tread so far outside the mainstream on completely opposing ends of the spectrum. This dynamic has the District – and really the country as a whole – off its axis a bit. But whether your blood runs red, blue or any shade of purple and regardless of the outcome of this election, trust the process…
I trust the process.
Politics is messy business. Laws are rarely passed in perfect, neat packages. Great laws get passed all the time with not-so-great parts hitching a ride. They are passed to move the needle forward; then they must be cleaned up. It’s a slow, painstaking, beautiful process called democracy. And my experience speaking with our elected House and Senate members/offices from Wisconsin might shock you: Republicans and Democrats agree on lots of stuff. If you get your news from MSNBC or Fox or a News Show (Maddow, Hannity, etc.) this probably flies in the face of everything you hear and watch. Here is another one: Capitol Hill is teeming with really intelligent people. I mean, smart, passionate, engaged, good people. Regardless of party, people on the Hill take their roles seriously and need us to get involved to inform their work.
I try to make a concerted effort to plug in every day. From M3er’s to clients, peers on the Wisconsin business scene to family and friends – I’m listening. I hear what they’re saying about what is working, what’s not and what needs a tiny nudge to fall to the “is working” side of the line. I carry the culmination of those conversations with me every day – and I carried it to DC. When I have the opportunity to plug in with an elected representative – who is also plugged in – I get a real charge out of participating in the process and being on the field, in the game. That’s how the system works. When your voice is heard in Washington, we get results. If the opportunity presents itself, get in the game.
