Congratulations! If you’re reading this, you survived another contentious, high-stakes, winner-take-all, feast or famine, glory or ruin, future-of-the-nation-at-stake congressional election. Frankly, you’ve earned a break, but this isn’t the time to take one.
Since Election Day, every television pundit, newspaper columnist and beltway blogger has bloviated about what the results (or apparent results) mean for the parties, for the president, for the nation, or for the future – distressing as it is, the countdown to the 2016 presidential campaign has begun.
What do they mean for you? On Nov. 4, “the people spoke,” and we need to figure out just what they said about the future of aviation maintenance. Daniel Fisher, vice president of legislative affairs for the Aeronautical Repair Station Association (ARSA), has looked beyond the ballot boxes and vote tallies and glimpsed what is ahead for aviation policymaking.
Click here to read Daniel’s in-depth election analysis. http://www.aviationpros.com/article/12018676/
The faces and office decorations on Capitol Hill may change, but as Daniel notes, once a bad idea has been unveiled in Washington (and aviation maintenance providers have seen many of them) it never goes away. Perhaps he’s right, but even if we can’t eliminate a bad idea, we can outshine it with good ones.
Some of the results aren’t even official – several key races are heading to runoff elections and won’t be decided until nearly next year – but start now. Get to know the new faces in Washington and remind yourself about who’s been there before. The 114th Congress will be sworn in on Jan. 3 and from the first drop of the gavel they will face a pivotal year for aviation policy.
Take a breath. Take the stack of campaign mailers out to the recycling bin. Let’s begin.
Brett Levanto is Director of Operations for the Aeronautical Repair Station Association. He joined the firm in March 2014 after 4 years as an analyst for the U.S. Marine Corps. While a Civilian Marine, Mr. Levanto provided analytical, planning and consultant support to the commanding generals and civilian directors of Headquarters Marine Corps staff agencies. In 2004, Mr. Levanto graduated magna cum laude from the George Washington University. He received a Master of Public Policy from the College of William and Mary in 2009.
