It was late on Super Tuesday while reading through various musings on the state of the race for the White House when I read a quote from a pundit that really spelled things out. “Until at least the year 2044, every political science doctoral candidate’s dissertation will need to include ‘with the exception of 2016.’”

Elections generally have a semblance of predictability. We often can guess which candidate will rise, and certainly which ones will fall. Six months ago, NOBODY predicted we’d be where we are today, myself included, on the verge of possibly electing a reality television star and real estate mogul to the highest office in the land; a true outsider.

What concerns many is the known “unknowns,” as Don Rumsfeld coined, regarding what was then the new age of terrorism. With most candidates for president, they stand on a political platform largely supported by the party elders; based on generations of tradition and history. But that may all go away and fall into the hands of an unknown quantity; a true outsider who hasn’t spent years in the governor’s mansion or on the floor of the United States Senate.

The truth is we don’t know what the next president may do. But, we have other avenues to confront these unknowns.  This is through ASA PAC and the help we provide to our allies in Congress.

Winston Churchill once said, “Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the others that have been tried from time to time.” Thankfully the First Amendment gives us the ability to influence one-third of our government, by supporting our allies in the House and Senate. With the support of our members and many of our volunteer leaders, we’re able to give the PHCP-PVF industry a voice in the halls of Congress. There is no better way to support your industry in Washington than through ASA PAC. Join us today!

Visit www.asa.net/Advocacy/ASA-PAC for more details.

This article was originally titled “We were all wrong” in the April 2016 print edition of ASA News in Supply House Times.