Politics is a full-contact sport: don't get caught on the sidelines.

To clarify this situation, legislation was introduced by Reps. Tim Mahoney (D-Fla.) and Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.), which IFA fully supports. Specifically, the bill removes the incentive for attorneys to file these suits, while simultaneously preserving a consumer's right to sue in the event a business's negligence causes identity theft.

Team Franchise

It doesn't take a great deal of knowledge about franchising to know the issues laid out here are not what this team is fighting for. In fact, these are at the top of IFA's defensive priorities. Labor issues such as card check and Family Medical Leave Act Expansion will always be important to small and large employers. And arbitration restrictions, ADA "reform" and drive-by lawsuits are legal matters that would keep any business owner up at night.

With the combined forces of its own political strength in numbers and money, franchising is becoming an ever-growing force to be reckoned with as well. IFA's grassroots advocacy site, www.franchisingvotes.com, has enabled Congress to hear from literally thousands in franchising on various issues in the last two years alone.

Coupled with IFA's political action committee, FranPAC, franchising has been able to support candidates who understand what issues matter to the franchise community. Thanks to its contributors, FranPAC has grown in recent years from $199,310 in the 2004 election cycle to $356,245 in 2006. FranPAC is on target to break the $500,000 mark this cycle.

Perhaps referring to the nation's future in the context of a sporting event diminishes the importance of the issues at hand, but the opposing sides in America's policy battles certainly fall into defined teams. Every member of the franchise community must take it upon themselves to reach out to elected officials and tell them what they are doing right or wrong. Those elected representatives have the power to decide the future of those businesses and without the correct information those decisions are likely to be painful.

For more information on the issues affecting the franchise community and how to get involved, visit the Government Relations section of IFA's Web site www.franchise.org.

Note: Campaign money figures are from www.opensecrets.org, the Center for Responsive Politics.

Troy Flanagan is director of government relations of the International Franchise Association. He can be reached at 202-662-0792 or tflanagan@franchise.org.