Kasich Predicts Return to Traditional Values
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Former Ohio U.S. Rep. John Kasich (center), the keynote speaker at the Leadership Trust meeting, with John and Arlene Trifilio, who are from Finneytown, Ohio. |
Kasich said his parents encouraged him to strive to do his best in whatever he chose to do, and in that context, he spoke about the importance of leadership, ethics and accountability, particularly when what you believe in and espouse is not a popular opinion. As an example, he recounted his first attempts as a member of Congress to push a plan to balance the budget and the persistence it took to achieve success. He also spoke of the importance of taking a stand as an individual, being part of a team and being responsible for your actions whether as an employee, a member of Congress or a parent.
Kasich also addressed popular culture, decrying today’s celebrities such as Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan and rapper 50 Cent as poor role models for America’s children. But the good news, he said, is that in his opinion, America’s pendulum will swing back to more traditional American values.
Other speakers included NFIB Executive Vice President Dan Danner and NFIB/California Executive Director John Kabateck, who teamed up to talk about health care. Danner addressed NFIB actions on health care at the national level, and then turned it over to Kabateck to briefly cover developments in various key states, including California, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and others.
Kabateck also discussed what isn’t working in states such as Massachusetts, Hawaii, Maine and Vermont, pointing to them as examples of why NFIB has deep concerns about new taxes and health-care mandates. (For more information about action on health care nationally and in your state, look for the December/January issue of MyBUSINESS magazine.)
In another session, David Selden, a partner with the law firm Ballard Spahr Andrews & Ingersol LLP, and Karen Harned, executive director of NFIB’s Legal Foundation, discussed a particularly hot issue, immigration. Selden presented “Immigration 101,” looking at everything from important forms with which small-business owners should be familiar, to questions they need to consider in the hiring process.
Harned focused on proposed changes to “no-match” rules. Employers receive a no-match letter from the Social Security Administration when an employee’s name and Social Security number doesn’t match what the SSA has on file. These new rules would require employers to resolve the discrepancy within 90 days.
If the discrepancy isn’t resolved in that time employers would be forced to fire the employee, or risk severe civil or criminal penalties. The implementation of the new rules is currently tied up in court, a case in which the foundation has filed an amicus (“friend of the court”) brief.
Attendees also had the opportunity to participate in roundtable discussions led by Jerry Pierce of Restaurant Equipment World in Florida and Phil Smith with CAPTEL in Washington, D.C. Participants had a number of suggestions for improvements to a new political section of NFIB’s Web site, www.NFIB.com/ProtectFreeEnterprise, as well as how to better communicate with members on issues and action needed.
For example, while members like e-mail, they expressed some concern about the volume of messages they receive and want to be sure that important messages from NFIB are clearly identifiable. In addition, they want targeted messages, something that will be addressed when NFIB implements a new CRM system in 2008.
