b'resident\'sAr t icleL 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - -1- Q Your Vote is Important! By Kurt Steinkuhler MRCA President , I hope you will enjoy this Con roofingindustry and other sectors.a strongpresence intheroofing ventionReviewissueofMidwestAwas on their agenda, but unfor industry.ManyoftheDemocrats lot Roofer. We had aconvention,tunately littleaccomplished.who wonwere moderate, oregreatwasven topin a-rate and beautiful new facil Some have cal led the elections anconservative- particularlyinthe ity. The weather cooperated nicely indictmentofPresident BushandSouth.rh slend Pe ap Democrats may we had sunshine for the day of ourthesituationin Iraq,butI doubta sympatheticeartoconc for erns golfandsportingclaystourna most people thought they were vot legalizingthestatusofimmigrant ments, and asnow the first daying against Bush as they voted forworkers, but forit looks like it\'s littlenow of the trade show brought in sometheirlocalcongressman.Otherprobably not hightheir aongenda. whomightotherwisehavebeenproblems plagued the conservativeWillthe same oldcon recerns working.Educationalprogramsleadershipthathaslongbeenaemerge? Withchange in theleaderwereattendedwell andwehadafriendtoAmericanbusinesses,ship,twe expect may change wha do encouragerecord number of exhibitors.includingthe fact they didn\'t passr businessregulationegardings, I Ihopeyou\'IsomelegislationlasthealthandsafetyrequiremenIts, allmembersmark your calen yeartimportantimmigration and fellowtha wastaxation? darnowfornextforbusiness.SeveralOne p of legislationthat the to exercise theiriece year\'sconventioncongressmenwereRepublican congress came close to civic duty to- October24-26,implicatedinb berypassing last year would have allowed ri2007, at the Gay scandals, and inappro "AssociationHealthPlans." Family communicate withlordOprylandpriatemessagesfromandcompanies with distiet roofingnResortandCon Rep.MarkFoleytood ls their electedownershipm e couldband ventionCenterinyoungcongressionaltogetherstate lines as memacross representatives andNashville.Withpages seemed to be thebers of associatio likeMRCA nsor nearly 1 boothslast nailthe coffin forother groups, a ingusto take participate in our00inllowsold for the 2007Republicansthistimeadvantage of larger pooldiscounts democracyinotherconvention,wearound.like un and really big c nionsompa ies are well on our way to another suc 2007budgetplanshavecol do.greath been ways.Thisideaasencourcessful event next year.lapsed this year, and congress failedaged by President Bushr several foInthewake ofrecentelections,to put the finishing touches on $70years,passed the House of Rep itreyou may be just as disenchanted withbillion incuts. Lame-duck con sentatives several times andost taxalmnational politicaleventsasI am.gressionalleaders areexpectedtomade itthe Senate this year. through Congr apparently metdayspunt the issue of completingWouldlegislation h p essfewerspend suchel your in 2007thanthe1948legislativeingbills tonextyear\'sCon business?I encour allfellow gressage body dubbedby President Trumanrather thantakethetime topiecemembers to exercise theiric civ duty asthe"Do-NothingCongress."together thelegislatio potentiallytocommunicatetheirelected n,with Many have called the 2006 electionthe finalactofthe"Do-Nothingrepresentativesandparticipate in results aof w some haveCongress."our de inways. rejectionhatmocracyother calledthenew"Do-NothingCon But if the good news is that dis Obviously, as thefer\'s AdvoRoogress."enchanted voters kick the cate, MRCA may send delegates to edincumThelegislativebranch stumbledbents out in disgu , the bad newsrepresentourcommoninterests stthis year in its efforts to pass billsmaybewhocameintoreplacewhen a priate. Everybody k s onppro nowlobbyingreform,immigration, andthem. But theremay yetbesomethat MRCA does objective research theestatetax.Theyauthorizedhope for small business - if we allandwill confrontmanufacturers to building a 700mile fenceonthework tocontact our electedrepre advocateforcon interests tractors\' Mexican border, but did nothing tosentatives.regardingproductper man , for cehelp contractors and H work We hope at thisthat the newa licatoragreeme andquesispanicpointpp nts ers that have proven they are hard congressionalleadershipwillbetio lebu p ices. nab sinessractworkingandhonest- althoughfriendly to small family-owned busiimmigrant labor is important to thenesses like those that still maintainContinued on page 13 3'