Elected officials are shaping our future every day and the livelihood of your business is being affected. State, local and federal governmental entities have their tentacles in the tax, health-care, banking, pension and investment "pies." Every product, every sale, every transaction you make is "touched" by the government. To ignore the reach of the government would be irresponsible. Anyone in the insurance business—anyone who wants to stay in business—should be part of the legislative process. We have the right to devote time, talent and resources to help elect candidates of our choosing. Millions of other citizens are actively trying to influence our national government toward their opinions of a better America. NAIFA members must do the same.

NAIFA asks members to take care of themselves just like they have asked hundreds of clients to take care of their families by investing in life insurance or a long-term care insurance policy. How? With a contribution to IFAPAC.

There is another thing you should do after you contribute to IFAPAC—become a legislative contact. Your NAIFA grass-roots program—the Advisors Political Involvement Committee (APIC)—is always looking for more enrollees. What does being a legislative contact entail? It means responding to NAIFA Action Alerts by contacting your elected representatives when there is an important NAIFA issue being acted upon on Capitol Hill or at the State Capitol. It might mean joining a group of your fellow NAIFA members to visit your representatives and staff at the district office to discuss NAIFA concerns. And it might mean attending a fundraiser to show NAIFA’s support for a candidate.

After all, it’s your PAC. It’s your PIC.

So what should you do? If you’re already an IFAPAC contributor, go find a NAIFA member who isn’t. Find out if she still keeps up with legislation affecting the insurance industry. Find out if she still keeps an eye on her legislators’ voting records. Find out if she is willing to start pulling the wagon instead of sitting in it. And if that doesn’t spur you to action, think about this—only 23 percent of NAIFA members contribute to IFAPAC. In other words, the 77 percent of the membership that doesn’t contribute receive the benefits of IFAPAC free of charge! That’s not fair.

If you’re already an APIC contact, find a NAIFA member who isn’t. Invite her to your next meeting with a member of Congress or the member’s staff. Show your colleague that there is no need to be intimidated. They put their pants on, one leg at a time, too.

Now, you’re wondering if this is going to work. Let’s try this. Think of the times your friends have approached you and have asked you to become involved in a charity. Would you have participated in this particular charity? Even though the cause might have been very worthy, you might not have opened your wallet or donated your time because you had other causes to which you already devote yourself. But because someone you knew asked you to give, you gave. Many of your fellow NAIFA members will say "yes" to your request for an IFAPAC contribution and to becoming part of the APIC Legislative Contact program because they trust your judgment. Share your knowledge and experience, please.