Minding Your Business

I have been reading lately about building business and personal finance. One of the common themes among the various authors is the following:

Mind your business. The idea being that if you don't watch out for your business, nobody else will.

For some reason, this popped into my mind during the most recent debate between Angela Engel and Spencer Swalm (10/3). For a moment I didn't realize why and then it hit me. Both candidates are doing just that: they are acting on their beliefs and running for office to 'mind their business' or, more generally, their interests. What it comes down to then is what their interests are.

For Mr Swalm, he cares about his business: selling insurance. He wants minimal regulation and he advocates health spending accounts. His interest in these areas are genuine. The insurance industry and the people who sell insurance would LOVE to have free reign and new guaranteed product to sell.

Mr Swalm also cares about YOUR business. Specifically, he indicated he will legislate based on his conservative religious values. I imagine this covers the gamut: what you do at home, how you worship, what you teach your children, who you care for. Those are all fair game.

Angela Engel is in the same boat. She too is minding her business but, luckily for us, Angela’s business is OUR business. Angela is an education professional having been a teacher, school administrator and education policy advisor. She knows her stuff and Angela knows that educating our children and building an educated workforce helps everyone in the state and allows our state’s businesses and economy to grow strong.

So when you go to vote this November think about your business.

Do you want to support the insurance industry? Do you want someone legislating your activities, lifestyle, and choices based on his conservative beliefs?

Or do you want your children to get a high quality education. Do you want your small business to grow strong with highly educated employees? Do you want our state’s economy to prosper with a dynamic and creative workforce?

I think we all want the latter. We need to tell Mr Swalm to go back to minding his own business. More importantly, WE need to be out there showing our support for Angela Engel. WE need to get out the vote and get her into office. Because, after all, everyone needs to mind their business and Angela’s business is OUR business.