A candidate for public office needs two things to be successful — money and votes — and you get more votes with more money. The saying “money makes the world go ‘round” must have been derived from the role money plays in political campaigns. After all, without money a campaign is tied up faster than a calf in a championship rodeo roping contest.
Money helps candidates build name recognition, reach voters and fuel campaign operations. It pays staff; buys media placement and promotional flyers, mailings and signs; and funds travel so candidates can take their message to voters. Campaigning is expensive and needs money to drive impact.
A campaign gets money through individual contributions or political action committees. PACs like AgriPac are organized for raising and spending money to elect candidates. Money is the food and the fuel that PACs and campaigns run on. And who better than the people who produce the food to fuel the campaigns of candidates who support the food producers?
Both farmers and PACs need capital to operate. Farmers may go to the bank for capital, but PACs are the candidate’s bank. Without PAC money campaigns starve and candidates cannot be heard. Candidates who support MFB’s issues and positions need their voices heard, and AgriPac is a vehicle for achieving this.
I’m looking forward to sharing my thoughts on its importance at the AgriPac breakfast, Nov. 30 at the MFB Annual Meeting in Grand Rapids. My message is titled, “PAC-MAN: You Have to Play to Win.”
PAC-MAN (the video game) and AgriPac are about the same age: AgriPac was created in 1978, PAC-MAN in 1980. In the early 80’s PAC-MAN was all the rage. It requires speed, agility and a plan of attack to gobble up all the dots before the ghosts catch you.
PACs also must have a plan of attack to avoid having political ghosts haunt their mission of having a seat at the table when important issues come before elected officials.
Farmers feed the world. Money feeds candidates. Without money campaigns starve. Without money PACs fail.
You cannot spell imPACt without PAC money. AgriPac money affords you the speed, agility and impact to find, fund and support candidates who are favorable to the farming community. Favorable candidates become favorable elected officials. Without favorable elected officials you have unfavorable policies. Your role as an AgriPAC contributor drives even more effective influential action on behalf of Michigan farmers.
Do not let unfavorable elected officials set policies that will haunt you like the ghosts in PAC-MAN.
Roger Rickard is the President and Founder of Voices in Advocacy, which works with organizations wanting to inspire, educate, engage and activate their supporters to become even more effective influential advocates.
Support Friends of Agriculture
AgriPac needs your contributions to support candidates who have the wisdom to listen, an eagerness to learn, and the dependability to advocate for farmers’ rural way of life.
Help AgriPac elect candidates who are capable of crafting bipartisan, common-sense, and science-based policy, and recognize the importance of asking for input and feedback from farmers instead of making assumptions about farms, families, and businesses.
Contributions in any amount are accepted and can be made securely through PayPal or mailed to: AgriPac, 7373 W. Saginaw Hwy., Lansing, MI 48917. Personal checks can be made out to MFB AgriPac; make farm or business checks out to MFB FarmPac. Thank you for your support!
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