Recently I taught a class at Western CUNA Management School, and was joined by professors Pam Leavitt of the Credit Union Association of Oregon and Keri Bailey of the California Credit Union League. While listening to each of their presentations I noticed that every one of us harped on the fact that banks do a much better job of instilling the importance of political involvement than credit unions. I’m not sure why this is. Don’t get me wrong—I think we’re getting better, but I also think that we rise heroically to the occasion when threatened only to go back to business as usual when things calm down. Unfortunately, we keep going back to business as usual circa 1958, not 2008.
If you haven’t gotten involved in advocacy yet, you might actually find that you enjoy it like Daris and Andrew. Here are a couple of important tips and tricks to ratchet up your credit union’s commitment to advocacy in 2009:
1. Mark your calendar for two important conferences: the Washington State Governmental Affairs Conference, February 5-6 in Olympia, and the CUNA Governmental Affairs Conference, February 23-26 in D.C.
2. Budget an issue? The Washington State Governmental Affairs Conference (WGAC) is very reasonably priced. The CUNA GAC is admittedly pricey, but the Washington Credit Union Foundation has professional development scholarships available.
3. WCUF scholarships are awarded in three cycles. Unfortunately, this makes it a little awkward for those who need a scholarship for either the WGAC or the GAC so be sure to get your scholarship applications submitted by the due date: Friday, October 10.
4. What to budget? Registration for the WGAC generally runs about $250. The Olympia Red Lion runs approximately $125 a night (figure two nights at most). Add transportation costs from your location and a lunch, and you’ll probably be covered.
Registration for the GAC cost $795 this year ($400 for credit unions with under $35 million in assets). Hotels in D.C. are pricey, and you should budget about $265 a night (five nights). There’s lots of food provided at the conference, but you should probably budget for a couple of meals out as well. Transportation is a little trickier with gas prices being what they are. You’ll probably take taxis to get around, so budget $100 for that.
You’ll also need to get there, of course. There are three airports you can fly into: Reagan National, Dulles or Baltimore. Reagan is virtually downtown. Flights generally run about $550 (right now anyway) and another $15 to get to your hotel by taxi. Dulles is about 40 miles away from downtown D.C., costs about the same to fly into, but will cost you more to taxi to your hotel. Budget-conscious travelers may instead want to fly into Baltimore since it generally costs about $150 less, and is about the same distance from downtown D.C. AND there’s a free shuttle to a regularly-scheduled train that gets you to Union Station. From there it’s a very short taxi ride to your hotel.
More information about these conferences and League room block information go out closer to the end of the year.
Mark and I (and maybe even Daris and Andrew) hope to see you at one of these events. We’ll even chill the grappa for you…
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
From the Congressman's Desk...
Steve Dahlstrom of Spokane Teachers Credit Union in Congressman Reichert's chair.
Mark Minickiello running the show...
Top 10 Observations
Here my top 10 observations when we were meeting with Members of Congress and the Senators or their aides.
1. No matter how much information you have, if you can't make a concise argument in 2 minutes you won't make as much of an impact.
2. The best argument consists of what you bring as far as real life situations or anecdotes. If you can personalize the argument and have the member or aide connect with how it affects your members, you have a better chance of them remembering.
3. No matter how much you study the issue, or study the talking points, you won't have all of the answers. The staff, Mark Minickiello, Stacy Augustine, and Colleen Kelly, were very knowledgeable and able to answer the tough questions that came up. The unanswered questions were great opportunities for a follow-up with the member.
4. If you work on the hill you are either under 25, or over 50...
5. Grappa is great!
6. The length of time the member meets with you is directly related to the fear of not getting re-elected.
7. Many times you are not the first to have approached the issue to the Member, which reinforces the need to share your point of view as this will be the first time they have heard your thoughts on the issue.
8. Washington D.C. has very beautiful buildings, and is definitely "recession proof" in the construction industry.
9. Ethiopian Injera bread is very filling (thanks for the warning Christine)
10. Often times meeting with the aide or the policy advisor is the best way to ensure your voice is heard. You cannot expect every Member to know every issue and be up on every topic. Often times you have more influence with relationship with the aides and the advisors and it is so great that we have a presence in D.C. to help with that.(Thanks Colleen!)
1. No matter how much information you have, if you can't make a concise argument in 2 minutes you won't make as much of an impact.
2. The best argument consists of what you bring as far as real life situations or anecdotes. If you can personalize the argument and have the member or aide connect with how it affects your members, you have a better chance of them remembering.
3. No matter how much you study the issue, or study the talking points, you won't have all of the answers. The staff, Mark Minickiello, Stacy Augustine, and Colleen Kelly, were very knowledgeable and able to answer the tough questions that came up. The unanswered questions were great opportunities for a follow-up with the member.
4. If you work on the hill you are either under 25, or over 50...
5. Grappa is great!
6. The length of time the member meets with you is directly related to the fear of not getting re-elected.
7. Many times you are not the first to have approached the issue to the Member, which reinforces the need to share your point of view as this will be the first time they have heard your thoughts on the issue.
8. Washington D.C. has very beautiful buildings, and is definitely "recession proof" in the construction industry.
9. Ethiopian Injera bread is very filling (thanks for the warning Christine)
10. Often times meeting with the aide or the policy advisor is the best way to ensure your voice is heard. You cannot expect every Member to know every issue and be up on every topic. Often times you have more influence with relationship with the aides and the advisors and it is so great that we have a presence in D.C. to help with that.(Thanks Colleen!)
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Always Learning in D.C.
Every time I come to this town I learn something new, even though I’ve been in the government relations biz for fourteen years.
Hands-down this was our best Hike the Hill thus far. It’s hard for me to put my finger on exactly why, but sitting and chatting with our legislators about key issues has never felt so comfortable. Most of the meetings had a “fireside chat” feel to them. Everybody contributed to the conversation and had a perspective that added value. I guess you could just say that it just “clicked”.
Here’s three things I learned during this year’s Hike:
1. Interchange fees are even more complicated than I thought they were. It is seriously tough to explain how they are calculated to a MOC (Member of Congress) when some are a flat fee, some are a percentage fee, and fees vary depending on whether the consumer’s card was or was not present. If I have a tough time understanding it, it’s really hard for the MOC and their staff to understand. When things are this convoluted, I think there’s suspicion of profiteering. We should definitely spend some time trying to boil this issue down into and understandable outline for everybody who is trying to get their hands around the issue.
2. It’s a lot easier to ask a legislator to NOT publicly support a bill (by co-sponsoring it or expressing public approval for it) than it is to get a legislator TO publicly support a bill. Legislative offices are naturally deliberative in their decision making, so if you give them cogent arguments concerning a legislative issue, they’re probably going to be wary of publicly supporting a possibly contentious issue.
3. And this final thing I learned comes at the expense of League VP of Legislative Affairs Mark Minickiello: grappa (Italian brandy) should be sipped, not drunk as a shot. And I think that’s really all I need to say on that subject. (Hey Mark, guess what you’re getting for Christmas from me??)
Hands-down this was our best Hike the Hill thus far. It’s hard for me to put my finger on exactly why, but sitting and chatting with our legislators about key issues has never felt so comfortable. Most of the meetings had a “fireside chat” feel to them. Everybody contributed to the conversation and had a perspective that added value. I guess you could just say that it just “clicked”.
Here’s three things I learned during this year’s Hike:
1. Interchange fees are even more complicated than I thought they were. It is seriously tough to explain how they are calculated to a MOC (Member of Congress) when some are a flat fee, some are a percentage fee, and fees vary depending on whether the consumer’s card was or was not present. If I have a tough time understanding it, it’s really hard for the MOC and their staff to understand. When things are this convoluted, I think there’s suspicion of profiteering. We should definitely spend some time trying to boil this issue down into and understandable outline for everybody who is trying to get their hands around the issue.
2. It’s a lot easier to ask a legislator to NOT publicly support a bill (by co-sponsoring it or expressing public approval for it) than it is to get a legislator TO publicly support a bill. Legislative offices are naturally deliberative in their decision making, so if you give them cogent arguments concerning a legislative issue, they’re probably going to be wary of publicly supporting a possibly contentious issue.
3. And this final thing I learned comes at the expense of League VP of Legislative Affairs Mark Minickiello: grappa (Italian brandy) should be sipped, not drunk as a shot. And I think that’s really all I need to say on that subject. (Hey Mark, guess what you’re getting for Christmas from me??)
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Interchange Fees in the News
I noticed in the USA Today this morning there was the article Credit Card fees eat up gas profits. I understand that sometimes gas station owners are unfairly targeted as the "fiends" of the rising gas prices and that their profit margins on gas is slim (however the gas brings in the customers to the mini-mart where they regain their profits), so it looks like the National Association of Convenience Stores are attempting to target the credit card companies and interchange fees as "culprits" to take the heat off of them.
They do reference the interchange income reform bill in the article, which seems timely as this is one of the issues we will be bringing up on Wednesday. Perfect time to share our voice on this issue!
Looks like the saying holds true in world of politics, "even if you don't play the game, someone else will."
They do reference the interchange income reform bill in the article, which seems timely as this is one of the issues we will be bringing up on Wednesday. Perfect time to share our voice on this issue!
Looks like the saying holds true in world of politics, "even if you don't play the game, someone else will."
Arrival
Well we finally arrived last night after 8+ hours of flying. I am glad that we followed Joe's recommendation to fly into Reagon National Airport. The last thing you want after a long flight is a 50 minute cab ride. With the way the flights were scheduled we ended up flying in on Monday so that we could be fresh and ready to go on Wednesday morning, on the plus side this gives us the day to explore Washington D.C.
Daris and I pop-quizzed each other on the plane on the issues and I feel more confident now on the talking points.
Daris and I pop-quizzed each other on the plane on the issues and I feel more confident now on the talking points.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
What's on the Docket for D.C.
I’m so glad you’re both coming to D.C.!
Here’s what we’re going to talk to our Members of Congress about while we’re there:
Regulatory Relief – we’d like some, thank you very much! Right now we have three regulatory relief bills in play: CURIA (H.R. 1537 & S. 2957), CURRA (H.R. 5519), and the omnibus credit union, thrift and bank regulatory relief bill (H.R. 6312), which certainly confuses things. We’d still like to see CURIA pass since it has PCA and MBL reforms in it, but the omnibus bill has already passed the House. In the Senate, this is one of our first opportunities to speak to our Senators in person about the importance of supporting Senate CURIA.
Interchange Fees – let the free market determine interchange rates, not the government.
Mortgage & Credit Card Reform – protect the consumer from shady lenders, but please don’t implement reforms that are excessively burdensome to the good actors in the lending community like credit unions.
Data Security – let’s see some federal legislation that allows a credit union to sue a negligent data breacher to recoup costs associated with proactively protecting consumers from fraud and identity theft. This type of activity should be encouraged!
I’m glad Joe is taking the time to chat with you both about the issues. He’s a savvy character. We’ll also get a briefing from the CUNA staff while we’re there, and you can read up on our issues by perusing the briefing sheets and talking points we’ve sent you (if any members NOT attending the Hike would like a copy of our briefing sheets, just give Mark or I a call).
Bring your comfy walking shoes! We’ll see you there!
Here’s what we’re going to talk to our Members of Congress about while we’re there:
Regulatory Relief – we’d like some, thank you very much! Right now we have three regulatory relief bills in play: CURIA (H.R. 1537 & S. 2957), CURRA (H.R. 5519), and the omnibus credit union, thrift and bank regulatory relief bill (H.R. 6312), which certainly confuses things. We’d still like to see CURIA pass since it has PCA and MBL reforms in it, but the omnibus bill has already passed the House. In the Senate, this is one of our first opportunities to speak to our Senators in person about the importance of supporting Senate CURIA.
Interchange Fees – let the free market determine interchange rates, not the government.
Mortgage & Credit Card Reform – protect the consumer from shady lenders, but please don’t implement reforms that are excessively burdensome to the good actors in the lending community like credit unions.
Data Security – let’s see some federal legislation that allows a credit union to sue a negligent data breacher to recoup costs associated with proactively protecting consumers from fraud and identity theft. This type of activity should be encouraged!
I’m glad Joe is taking the time to chat with you both about the issues. He’s a savvy character. We’ll also get a briefing from the CUNA staff while we’re there, and you can read up on our issues by perusing the briefing sheets and talking points we’ve sent you (if any members NOT attending the Hike would like a copy of our briefing sheets, just give Mark or I a call).
Bring your comfy walking shoes! We’ll see you there!
Monday, June 30, 2008
Preparing to Hike the Hill
Just one week to go and we're off to the League's annual Hike the Hill to educate, persuade, and enlighten the members of congress on legislative issues that affect credit unions.
In preparation I have received a draft agenda from the WA League that outlines meeting times on Wednesday and Thursday with 5 congressmen. I expect our final agenda will have a full schedule. I also received a position paper that outlines the issues that we will be addressing; mortgage reform, regulatory relief(CURIA), member business lending reform, prompt corrective action reform, field of membership reform, data security and interchange fees. The position paper provides a small paragraph that details each issue and where credit unions stand.
My CEO, Joe Robertson, will be briefing Andrew and I this week. We certainly appreciate his insight as he's been very active in governmental affairs and can provide valuable information on what to expect and how to make our visit as successful as possible.
I am honored to have this opportunity to support and protect credit unions - this proactive approach is an effective method on educating our lawmakers and regulators that credit unions serve a vital purpose and are different than a bank.
In preparation I have received a draft agenda from the WA League that outlines meeting times on Wednesday and Thursday with 5 congressmen. I expect our final agenda will have a full schedule. I also received a position paper that outlines the issues that we will be addressing; mortgage reform, regulatory relief(CURIA), member business lending reform, prompt corrective action reform, field of membership reform, data security and interchange fees. The position paper provides a small paragraph that details each issue and where credit unions stand.
My CEO, Joe Robertson, will be briefing Andrew and I this week. We certainly appreciate his insight as he's been very active in governmental affairs and can provide valuable information on what to expect and how to make our visit as successful as possible.
I am honored to have this opportunity to support and protect credit unions - this proactive approach is an effective method on educating our lawmakers and regulators that credit unions serve a vital purpose and are different than a bank.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
1st Post
I thought I would start out this blog with a little bit of an introduction. I have worked for a credit union now for just a little over a year. In that short amount of time, I have become quite the advocate of credit unions and what they represent.
In my role in Marketing and Business development I have had numerous opportunities to share the credit union philosophy with local businesses and individuals. As I have said many times over "I just can't sell something I don't believe in." That has been a major sense of pride in my job as I have no qualms about promoting my credit union and other credit unions in the area.
I have no "Political" experience as you might call it, but I have established relationships with the "who's who in the zoo" in my local area as a son of a retired police officer in town, and in my many job functions in the community.
When my CEO approached me about going to Hike the Hill I was a little nervous and unsure of what to expect, I guess that would still hold true. Not only would this be my first Hike the Hill, but also my first time to Washington DC.
Our first talking points arrived in my inbox the other day and I have been reading up on the legislation and issues that are important to us as credit unions. My first thought was "wow" so many regulations and legislation either already up for approval or coming down the pike. I could see how just keeping up with State, Local and Federal policies would be quite a daunting task.
My CEO has asked that I have lunch with him as he explains "politicking 101" and also shed some insight on some of the Acts and Bills in the briefing. As he would put it "no one likes politics, but if you don't do it, someone else already is."
I agree that it is important to have a voice, with our representative system we can all have access to our "voice" and we should do our part to make sure our "voice" is heard. If I remember my political science class correctly; we are only 3 degrees of separation from our President with our political system. But unless we take that first step and talk to our Representatives...it might as well be 80 degrees of separation.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
