I’m with her.
And it’s not just because I think the person running against her is the most unqualified candidate to ever be nominated to become the President of the United States. That would be like telling all of our customers that they have to adapt HD video because SD video is “bad” without giving them the reasons why HD is better.
Although I strongly support Hillary Clinton for many reasons, I’ve boiled down a few reasons why she is the right choice for the AV and IT industries.
Support for the Technology Industries
Clinton has a detailed initiative for technology and innovation. It starts with investing in science and STEM education, investing in technology R&D, committing to a world-class digital infrastructure and advancing America’s global leadership in technology.
She is committed to using technology to provide better services to the American people and make the government simpler, smarter and more effective. This will be good news for all AV integrators and especially for integrators who sell to the federal government.
Other Opinion Columns on 2016 Presidential Election:
What a Donald Trump Presidency Would Mean for Your Business
What a Zoltan Istvan, Yes, Zoltan Istvan, Presidency Would Mean for Your Business
The Ugly Truth Behind Hillary Clinton’s and Donald Trump’s Tech Policies
Support for Small Businesses
The AV Industry is primarily a small business industry, certainly on the commercial integrator side of the industry and mostly for the vendor side. Anyone who has listened to one of the presidential debates has heard Clinton talk about her father being a small business owner. This is more than just campaign fluff (although SNL’s spoofs might lead you to think otherwise, see below).
She really is committed to making it easier to start and operate small businesses. Her plan calls for easier access to capital, cutting the red tape required to start a business, simplifying the federal tax laws for small businesses and giving small businesses an effective recourse to take on the predatory pricing behavior of big businesses (although this last one might really be campaign fluff as she is competing against a billionaire known for stiffing small businesses.)
Saturday Night Live’s take on the third presidential debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump:
Focus on Health Care
Another significant way to improve the business climate for small businesses is to improve the Affordable Care Act or Obamacare. This might be Clinton’s highest priority.
She will not replace Obamacare; she will make it more effective. She is looking to bring down the out-of-pocket costs, reduce the cost of prescription drugs and increase access to cost-effective community health centers. With Clinton’s help, we can make sure that healthcare costs do not become the most expensive component in an AV equipment rack.
Glass Ceilings Need to Be Broken
Everyone reading this column likely realizes that the AV industry is male dominated—from field technicians all the way up to ownership.
I’ve talked to a lot of people who are looking for ways to actively recruit more women into the AV industry. When Hillary breaks the glass ceiling to hold the highest office in the country, it will give young women in high school and college the confidence to take technical training and to pursue jobs in businesses that have traditionally been held by men.
We can hope that some of these young ladies will look at the video and audio technology around them and decide that they would like to know more about the AV industry.
And, when they do, I like to think that they will walk into a AV integration company knowing that if Hillary Clinton can be President of the United States, then they can become great AV technician and engineers.
Jerry Gale is a professional services marketer for Alpha Video and Audio, Inc.
