I have to say, as a member-owner with a vested interest in the good rates and yields I get from my credit unions (yes, I belong to more than one), I would expect that they do everything that’s possible to safeguard their ability to continue such exemplary service. One requirement is to engage all elected officials with a purpose of helping them understand how a piece of legislation might benefit or detract from a credit union’s ability to provide such quality financial services, and in particular, services benefitting that elected official’s constituents. God knows, if a credit union does not provide such counsel or advocacy, others will, and I’m willing to bet the outcome would not be very ­appealing to the credit union community at all.

However, advocacy can’t stop there. It must also include the members of every credit union, even though they consist of Republicans, Democrats, independents, and nonpartisans, alike. Should such a minefield of political views and philosophies be seen as a legitimate reason to excuse all credit union execs from their lobbying responsibility because they don’t want to offend anyone?

Engaging members and lobbying their support should not be viewed as playing politics but rather as an effort to educate by offering unbiased facts and information. After all, education is one of the cooperative principles defining the credit union business model. Right?

There’s no denying it. Lobbying must have its rightful place at every credit union. Above all, we must never allow the negative bickering and innuendos that seem to characterize the current state of America’s political process to permeate our own way of thinking and stymie our ability to communicate and represent what’s best for credit unions and their members. We should not be uncomfortable to lobby but uncomfortable because, just maybe, we all could be doing a better job at it.

Walt Laskos
Principal
The Laskos Group
Temecula, Calif.