| Plexus Consulting Group | Articles by Plexus Authors | ||
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Associations Can Help Ensure Government
is Well-Deserved |
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Since Plato first addressed the subject in "The Republic," wise observers of the human condition the world over have noted that, for better of for worse, societies tend to have the governments they deserve. Anyone who feels inclined to denigrate the action or inaction of the federal government should pause and ask if they are not simply getting the government they deserve. Associations have a special responsibility in tracking or otherwise representing the interests of their members as regards public policy initiatives. This is why more association headquarters can be found in and around Washington than any other urban area in the world and why associations are the largest employer of Washington-area residents after the federal government For these nonprofits, government lobbying is an important focus of what they do and considerable time and resources are spent on this activity. But there are many more nonprofit organizations whose legal structures and missions do not allow them to have this same intensity of focus on government affairs. What role in government-related activities, if any, should they play? If nonprofits exist at all, it is because they have proven their commitment to bettering some aspect of the society they inhabit. Shouldn't awareness of an individual's or organization's civic responsibilities occupy some part of this picture? Certainly the need is there. US voter participation in federal elections has steadily declined over the past 4 decades to the point where fewer than 45% of Americans eligible to vote actually take the time or show the interest to vote on election day. Compare this to 72% voter turnouts for the United Kingdom and 60% for Canada (figures from the Population Resource Center). The problem is more than indifference, in many cases it is outright ignorance. Typically fewer than 50% of Americans know how many senators there are or how many years are in a Representative's term of office (from surveys conducted by the National Constitution Center). How can such citizens, who more likely live highly commendable lives in every other respect, expect to have a government that lives up to their standards and expectations? As this year's elections near, perhaps it is time for all nonprofits to determine if there is something they could and should do to encourage greater civic awareness and participation within the audiences they serve. Even organizations that do not have any specific political agenda can encourage awareness of the issues as well as the privilege and responsibility all Americans have to vote their convictions. Maybe association execs should give themselves a civics literacy test. If you represent a membership organization, how many congressional districts do your members cover? What are the local, national and international policy issues to watch? What policy issues are critical to your organization, and do your members know the association's position on them? The Bush administration and this congress have been known to be especially friendly to associations and to the private sector in general, but that does not meant they read minds- or even that their position on certain key policy issues are always as enlightened as they should be. With so many key issues in flux and a national election approaching, isn't it time for your organization to assess its civics IQ? |
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Reprinted by Permission