Presidential Politics and Me

I have written several posts now about presidential politics, trying to predict what the election of certain candidates would mean for the workplace and for labor and employment law.  My sole purpose has been to provide useful information to you in whatever role you have in the employment arena.

I’m not a Democrat.  I’m not a Republican.  I don’t regard myself as a liberal or a conservative.  I guess that means I’m an independent, although if I disclosed my voting record in presidential elections since 1968 (which I’m not going to do), you might think me more crazy than independent.

What I definitely am is a labor and employment lawyer (almost 34 years) who has represented employers during that entire time.  Thus, when I consider a piece of legislation or a case or a candidate’s views, I’m inclined to consider first what impact those things will have on employers.  So, some of the things I say in the context of politics might sound as though I personally feel one way or another about an issue.  It would be a mistake to interpret what I say in that fashion.  That’s not what’s important anyway.  What I’m trying to do is give you an honest view of how a piece of legislation or a case or a candidate’s views will affect the workplace.  It’s up to each of us to decide whether that’s good or bad.

In trying to make that decision, some might conclude that while something isn’t particularly good for employers, it’s good for our society as a whole.  Some might conclude it’s good or bad for both employers and society.  Some might conclude all sorts of things.  The issues I’ve been blogging about are a slice of what should be considered in this election.  These issues are perhaps more important to us than the average bear because of what we do day in and day out.  I doubt that any of us will decide to vote for one candidate or another based on his/her stance on a particular piece of employment legislation.  But a candidate’s position on several pieces of legislation gives us more to work with.  I think it’s also important to pay attention to what the candidates say about these issues as the campaign proceeds. Even then, it’s still just a slice of what this election is about.

Good luck on making your decision.  I don’t know who I’m going to vote for yet.  November is still more than seven months away, and based on the way this campaign has gone so far, there’s no telling what will happen between now and then.