It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forevermore.
You will think me transported with enthusiasm, but I am not. I am well aware of the toil and blood and treasure that it will cost us to maintain this Declaration and support and defend these states. Yet, through all the gloom, I can see the rays of ravishing light and glory. I can see that the end is more than worth all the means.
— John Adams, July 1776
July 4th has always been my favorite holiday. I love the family gatherings, the cookouts, the smell of newly cut grass and of course the fireworks. It became special because my father, like his father, served in the U.S. Army. I was fortunate to grow up all over the world following my father from embassy to embassy.
Two July 4th holidays are permanently etched in my mind. In 1969 when I was six, my father was assigned to the U.S. Embassy in Moscow in the former Soviet Union. Our ever present Soviet "escorts" drove my family to the embassy to enjoy an all-American cookout that the Marine Corp security detail volunteered to prepare. In addition to the great food, we played softball, tossed Frisbees and lit sparklers smuggled in via the diplomatic pouch. For a few hours we forgot where we were. As we pulled out of the embassy on our way back to the Western embassy housing compound, I remember looking up to see the U.S. flag fluttering in the breeze - a colorful symbol among the dull grey sameness that was Moscow in the late '60's.
Fast forward to 1976. My family was in the U.S. for all of 25 days as we transitioned between overseas assignments. As luck would have it, it was June and July. My Mother, god bless her, was determined to expose my sister and me to as much U.S. history as she could in those 25 days. We toured Revolutionary War sites in reverse order from Yorktown to Lexington, Concord and Bunker Hill. We ended up in Boston in time for the Bicentennial. Every city, town and house we passed was decked out and the fireworks took your breath away. Having spent weeks reading monument plaques and learning about the founders and the citizen soldiers' sacrifices it made an enduring impression - even as a teenager.
As we celebrate the 234th anniversary of our country's independence, I urge you to reflect upon the blessings with which we have been bestowed. I urge you to reflect upon your favorite July 4th memories. I also urge you to reflect on our men and women serving in the far flung reaches of the world. Finally, I urge you to think of the sacrifices of those who secured our freedoms and keep the reasons they paid those sacrifices front of mind as November draws closer.
Sincerely,
Robb MacKie
ABA President & CEO
Amendment 1 - Freedom of Religion, Press, Expression
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
I keep a pocket version of the Constitution in my desk drawer. Even in the Google age, where you can find just about anything in a tenth of second, I like to pull it out from time to time for my own reference or to show to students. With the passage of time, it remains the single most influential document conceived by mankind.
The simple and yet powerful words in the first amendment are the foundation of the exceptional country that we are blessed to call home. It also is what separates our country from places like Iran, North Korea, and China. It is what guarantees all citizens a seat at the table and a stake in the outcome of our policy debates.
It is what guaranteed the President's right to scold the Supreme Court justices during the State of Union address. He lectured the Supreme Court over its recent decision to reject restrictions on political communications as enacted in the McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform.
First Amendment freedoms are most sacred when addressing matters of public policy, politics, and governance. The Supreme Court has repeatedly recognized that associations are vital participants in the public debate and that government attempts to stifle their voices in the public debate are unconstitutional.
We witnessed the exercise of these first amendment rights in all their unvarnished glory during the recent debate on health care reform. This bill passed by the slimmest of margins because of businesses and every day citizens exercising their free speech rights to petition their government.
Having lost the hearts and minds of the American people on health care, however, Congressional leaders are now bent on extracting their revenge on their opponents – businesses. The head of the House Democratic Reelection Committee and the former head of the Democratic Senate Reelection Committee are teaming up to eviscerate the first amendment.
Under the guise of “fixing” the Supreme Court’s decision in the Citizen's United case, Rep. Van Hollen (D-MD) and Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) are attempting to silence critics in the business community. The innocuous sounding DISCLOSE Act would effectively freeze businesses and their respective associations out of the political communication business.
Environmental groups, unions, businesses, and individuals all have a constitutionally-protected right to free speech that has been upheld by the Supreme Court. The DISCLOSE Act would undermine that protection and allow only the voices of certain politically-favored groups to be heard in national debates. The horrible irony is that as we commemorate the sacrifices of those who gave their last full measure to protect our freedom, Congress is considering legislation that would eviscerate the first amendment.
I recently crossed paths with a friend who works for the American Bankers Association. She was showing the strain of having her industry’s future debated by the U.S. Senate for the past two weeks. We agreed that it was better to be advocating on behalf of bakers rather than bankers these days.
I couldn’t help but wonder how ABA (bakers that is) would respond to a similar takeover or restructuring of the baking industry. After all, Washington policy makers haven’t hesitated to restructure whole swaths of our economy including the automotive, health insurance, student loan and now financial service industries.
As farfetched as that might seem, the list of food policy issues being considered by FDA, USDA and Congress that could dramatically impact bakers continues to grow – almost weekly. Unlike the full frontal assault on the banking industry, these initiatives are more akin to slowly turning up the heat on the frog in the frying pan. Before the frog realizes he is in danger, he is already cooked.
ABA and other food industry associations have been heavily involved in a host of issues including food safety reform, revisions to the dietary guidelines, advertising to children, childhood nutrition reauthorization, WIC and the First Lady’s “Let’s Move” initiative to address childhood obesity. However, the pan has been heated up with new proposals to implement front of pack labeling on food products similar to the Europe. Federal regulators also are considering modifying the nutrition facts panels and serving sizes. The combination of these issues make one empathize with the bankers – or at least the frog.
Unlike the frog, however, ABA members will be able to express their concerns with key policy makers at the upcoming ABA Policy Conference June 9 -11 in Washington, D.C. The ABA Board, the Allied Trades of the Baking Industry Board and ABA’s FTRAC will be leading the charge.
A highlight of the Policy Conference is a dynamic session entitled, “The Childhood Obesity/Hunger Paradox: How to Win on Both Fronts” with key leaders and nutrition experts in the U.S. Capitol. ABA and the Grain Foods Foundation will be announcing details soon. We also will visit with key lawmakers to push for nutritional health policy based on sound science. I expect a better outcome for bakers than the frog!
Energy, Focus Characterize ABA Convention
More than 400 baking industry leaders, a 12% increase over 2009, participated in a highly charged and focused ABA Convention. With an all-star lineup of speakers and panels focused on the key convention theme of “Rising to the Challenge, Leadership in Times of Change,” attendees had a wealth of takeaway information.
One attendee even went so far as to as to say, “I don't remember ever attending any conference, convention, annual meeting, seminar, post-graduate college course where the speakers were better than this ABA Convention’s slate.” High praise indeed, but also acknowledgement of the countless hours of strategizing and detail sweating by the ABA Professional Staff and many ABA members who make it happen.
Particularly gratifying was the significant increase in industry executives who attended and participated. The number of long-time ABA members, first-time convention attendees, as well as brand new members who fully participated was terrific to experience. Many attendees commented that they got a lot out of the speakers but also were able to conduct a lot of important business and some social networking.
One allied member even confided to me, “You used to measure a successful ABA Convention by the number of bakers you could entice to skip the speaker sessions and play golf. Now you measure success as the number of bakers you sit beside and learn from the speakers how to improve their businesses.” This year there were an abundance of new bakers from whom to choose to sit.
As much credit as the ABA staff deserves for putting on an outstanding convention, it really would not be possible without the generous support of ABA’s allied partners. The financial support and equally important, the commitment and ideas help make this the annual “can’t miss” event in the industry. Outgoing ABA Chairman Chip Klosterman said it best, “Many of our supplier members are feeling the effects of the economy. They stepped up again to support the convention and they have the deep gratitude of not only me but the entire ABA.”
Sincerely,
Robb MacKie
ABA President & CEO
The frantic push to enact health care reform legislation is expected to culminate in the next few weeks in the U.S. House of Representatives. The House Democratic leadership, with the support of President Obama, will attempt a complicated two-step process to pass health care reform. A defeat of either of the procedural steps will force Congress to start over, but the vote will be extremely close.
This heath care bill is opposed by an overwhelming majority of American businesses and the public. Many members of Congress are wavering from their previous support. It is vital that they hear from as many businesses and constituents as possible. Bakers can have a critically important impact on the outcome by urging Congress to START OVER.
The health care reform outline unveiled by the President before the recent health care “summit” at Blair House is the cornerstone of this strategy. The President’s proposal fails to solve the concerns bakers and other businesses had with the previous House and Senate health care bills. ABA strongly opposes the proposal that will, like its predecessors:
- Increase health care costs;
- Increase health insurance premiums;
- Increase taxes; and
- Expand the government’s role as regulator and provider of health care.
On February 23rd, the Wall Street Journal summarized the President’s plan by saying:
“The President’s Proposal" ... is in one sense a notable achievement: It manages to take the worst of both the House and Senate bills and combine them into something more destructive. It includes more taxes, more subsidies and even less cost control than the Senate bill. And it purports to fix the special-interest favors in the Senate bill not by eliminating them—but by expanding them to everyone.”
For many years, ABA and others in the business community have advocated for health care reform, albeit market-based reform designed to reduce the costs of health care while expanding insurance coverage to many of the working uninsured. It could be argued that as domestic manufacturers who are required to be close to consumers to deliver fresh products, the explosion in health care costs has disproportionately impacted bakers.
Sincerely,
Robb MacKie
ABA President & CEO
2010 ABA Annual Convention – Rising to the Challenge - Leading in Times of Change
Without a doubt, this past year has been tremendously challenging for our country and for our industry. Our country is experiencing the most difficult economic times since the Great Depression.
The current so-called, “Great Recession” has had a tremendous impact to our economic health and confidence in free enterprise. Once again, it will be the entrepreneurs and risk takers, including bakers and suppliers, that will lead our country back. While Washington and many states debate and argue over how best government can help, it will be the baking industry leaders gathered at the 2010 ABA Convention who will make the important decisions that will help start to put our country back on the right path.
The 2010 ABA Convention is designed to provide attendees with ideas, strategies and hopefully motivation to lead the economy back – one baker or supplier at a time. Governor Jeb Bush will highlight successful leadership strategies for businesses and government. Todd Jones with Publix will discuss doubling down on customer service and how bakers can collaborate on this business growth strategy. Rich Karlgaard of Forbes magazine will provide keen insights into the current status of our economy and where it might be heading. U.S. Chamber of Commerce President Tom Donahue will share his thoughts on how to restore confidence and support for our free enterprise system. Obviously having the right political environment to spur sustainable business growth is critical and Eugene Robinson of MSNBC and Bill Kristol of Fox News will debate this at the American Bakers PAC dinner.
The convention also will focus a little closer to the baking industry with a panel of members of the Grain Foods Foundation Clinical Advisory Committee providing valuable information for each baker to lead the debate over healthy lifestyles both in Washington and in their local markets.
Equally as important as the speakers and discussions, are the opportunities to network with peers, customers and suppliers. It is tempting to stay close to the business and trim travel costs during tough economic times, but it is precisely during these times that the industry needs to gather to share experiences, swap ideas and develop strategies. The 2010 ABA Convention, March 14-17, in Boca Raton, Fla., is the place to make that happen.
Sincerely,
Robb MacKie
ABA President & CEO
What a Difference a Year Can Make
It’s hard to believe that it has already been a year since Barack Obama took the oath of office as the 44th President.
2009 began with much enthusiasm for the President and his professed goal of governing from the middle. I freely admit to being cautiously optimistic that as President, Mr. Obama was going to resist the worst anti-free enterprise ideas of the left wing Democrats in Congress. Despite embracing many of those ideas, the results during 2009 were not as dire as originally expected.
A case in point is the card check legislation. As a result of the active engagement of ABA members and many others in the business community, this ill-advised legislation is currently stuck in neutral. There are many tough miles to go before health care reform possibly gets to the President, but the Senate bill is less onerous than originally conceived and substantially better than the House abomination.
Closer to the baking industry, ABA and the rest of the food industry have worked to craft meaningful bi-partisan food safety reform that doesn’t overly burden bakers. Additionally, ABA has successfully averted the more costly aspects of climate change legislation that is rapidly losing favor in Congress.
Bakers should not be lulled into complacency by these developments, however. Despite the ongoing recession and high unemployment, the President and Congressional leaders are not promoting pro-growth and less-government-regulation agendas in 2010. In fact, most major initiatives would put further constraints on bakers and other businesses and make it more difficult to access capital for growth.
Clearly, the American people are watching what is going on in Washington very closely with growing frustration and disgust. I will leave the political tea leaf reading to the “punditocracy,” but I have no doubt that like the 2006 and 2008 elections for Republicans, the November elections will have significant consequences for those currently in power.
I am looking forward to working with you and ABA member companies on leading the course that is best for the industry.
Sincerely,
Robb MacKie
ABA President & CEO
Policy Making by Urban Myth
The recent controversy over the science surrounding global warming is a clear precursor to the looming debates over obesity, nutrition and labeling policy.
I seriously doubt there is an orchestrated campaign to promote nutrition policy based on conventional wisdom rather than evidence. However, some of the recent pronouncements from the First Lady, Members of Congress and political appointees in the Administration seem to be factually challenged. A case in point is in the context of the Child Nutrition Reauthorization, where the First Lady called for more fresh and locally grown fruits and vegetables and less "processed foods" in school meal programs. One admires Mrs. Obama for weighing in on the subject, but pushing limited and expensive food choices with little difference in nutritional value is difficult to justify especially in a time of tight school budgets. It is a further disservice to the 18 million Americans facing hunger related issues.
Another case in point, the misinformed belief by some key officials at the Department of Agriculture and Food and Drug Administration that enriched grain products are of limited nutritional value. As the recent Myth vs. Fact brochure produced by the Grain Foods Foundation clearly illustrates, enriched grains are the key source of 8 of the essential recommended nutrients.
The ultimate case surrounding sugar has prompted serious calls in Congress for taxing certain beverages and foods containing sugar. Sadly, with rampant consumer confusion over what constitutes a healthy and balanced lifestyle our policy makers who should know better are caught up in promoting urban legend.
November 2009 - It's the Economy...
I recently met with a U.S. Senator for whom I have the greatest respect. He shared a chilling conversation he had with a member of the Senate leadership that ran to the effect of, “Just give us a little more time to take care of health care, climate change, taxes and federal spending and then we can focus on improving the economy.”
When asked whether I thought businesses, particularly small businesses could hang on much longer, I emphatically responded, “No, and with all of the new costs being dumped on them, there won't be much left to rescue.”
Certainly, the baking industry has been spared the most severe aspects of the current recession, but our customers have not. Each month the economy loses another half million jobs, production sputters along despite shrinking inventories, and consumer confidence continues to weaken. Regardless of whether one believes our economy has hit bottom yet, no one thinks the recovery will be immediate and robust. If the economy doesn't rebound quickly and strongly, I fear that bakers will share the impact facing other sectors of the economy.
Unfortunately, our leaders in Washington have taken their eyes off the ball. None of the front burner issues in Washington would create economic growth. In fact, they all could cost jobs, increase costs to businesses, and explode our national debt. Particularly frustrating is the apparent willingness by the President on down to talk about anything but economic recovery.
As Senator Lincoln (D-AR) said in regard to card check and Senator Lieberman (I-CT) said in regard to health care, with our economy in serious distress Congress and the President should be singularly focused on economic recovery before considering other priorities. Or as former President Clinton was fond of saying, “It's the economy, stupid.”
October 2009 — Regulatory Agencies Cranking up Agendas
The President recently bowed to political reality in stating that climate change legislation was being put off until 2010. His statement indicated that health care reform is priority one for the remainder of this year. Does that mean bakers can breathe a large sigh of relief? The answer is unequivocally no.
While legislation is on the back burner, the Environmental Protection Agency is just getting cranked up. There is much the EPA can do under the broad authority granted to the agency under the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act and other environmental laws. ABA is bracing for increased regulatory activity that could once again capture bakers in its grasp.
EPA is not the only agency pushing an aggressive regulatory agenda. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is pushing hard on issues such as diacetyl, combustible dust and, yes, even the oldie but goodie ergonomics. Other agencies, including FDA and USDA are all fully staffed and ready to roll out their own agendas.
ABA’s committees are all working through the details of these regulatory initiatives to determine what impact, if any, they will have on bakers. The ABA Energy and Environmental Health Committee and the Safety Committee have particularly detailed and prescriptive agendas with which to contend. Under very capable leadership, these committees are developing ABA’s strategies to these agendas.
The success or failure to avoid or at least mitigate the impact of these aggressive agendas will depend greatly on the thoughtful input of each ABA member represented on each ABA committee. One needs only to remember the tremendous savings to the industry as a result of the Energy & Environment Health Committee’s successful negotiation of the industry-wide settlement with EPA over refrigerants. Each ABA member should have an executive at the table to help tackle the coming regulatory wave.