With just 42 days remaining until the national elections on Nov. 6, it’s clear that general aviation has a lot riding on this year’s election. A host of regulatory and tax issues affecting the industry are on the table for the next president and Congress. For that reason, it’s important that the voices of everyone who supports general aviation are heard, according to officials at the National Business Aviation Association.
Those officials note that NBAA’s work on behalf the industry is most effective when incumbents and challengers hear from voters on the local level. Nothing influences candidates more than a call or an email from a constituent and voter.
NBAA has an online “Election 2012” resource to help inform people in the business aviation community about all candidates, from the presidential contenders, to the congressional candidates, to those running for a seat in the legislature in each state.
The resource also maps out four simple steps for people to get involved, and help ensure that the candidates elected in November are aware of the industry’s priorities:
- Determine who the candidates are in your district. By entering an address and zip code, the site directs users to a list of their local candidates for the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. The site also enables users to find information on specific candidates by performing searches using a last name.
- See where the candidates stand on issues affecting general aviation. Among other information, users can find out whether a candidate is a member of the general aviation caucuses in the House or Senate, or if a gubernatorial candidate has issued any state proclamations supporting GA.
- Tell candidates in your area where you stand on GA issues. The site puts users in direct contact with the candidates’ websites and campaigns. You can call the campaign office, send an email or attend a political event. Explain to candidates in your area why business aviation is important to you and everyone in your community. Users also will find guidelines on contacting candidates.
- Vote! The NBAA site connects users directly to the Vote411.org web page so voters can find their local polling place.
