“The penalty that good men pay for not being interested in politics is to be governed by men worse than themselves.”
-Plato, philosopher (427-347 BC)
“Get into politics, or get out of business”
-Reg Jones, Former NEMA Board member and GE chairman
Beginning in 2004, NEMA partnered with the “Prosperity Project” of the Business-Industry Political Action Committee (BIPAC). The Prosperity Project promotes good government by helping employers and their stakeholders learn about the people and policies that impact their jobs and industry and by providing them tools they can use to shape political and policy outcomes.
The NEMA program never tells anyone how to vote, but provides information about candidates and their positions on issues. Studies have shown that the more informed a person is about voting, the more comfortable a person is about voting. The NEMA program is premised on the following:
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Employees and other stakeholders want information about economic/business issues and candidates from their employers.
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Employees tend to believe information about economic/business issues and candidates when it is delivered properly and effectively.
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Better educated employees and stakeholders become motivated participants in political and public policy efforts, and increase voter turnout.
Business and employer activism has steadily grown since 2000, and, for the first time in recent history, business election educational impact in the workforce equaled that of organized labor. In 2004, there were nearly 12 million voters who said the information they received from their employer was the most credible they received during the election – an increase of 3.5 million (or 44 percent) over 2002. Fifty-three percent of voters surveyed wished their employer would provide more information about issues and how they impact their jobs.
NEMA will continue its get-out-the-vote efforts through member companies to inform and educate employees about important business and economic issues, and to encourage them to vote.
