Beginning hours after an assassination attempt on a presidential candidate, the Republican National Convention took on added significance this year. In my role as President and CEO of International Franchise Association (IFA)traveled to Milwaukee for a policy roundtable titled “Franchising, the American Dream,” with U.S. Representative Kevin Hern (R-OK), who co-chairs the Congressional Franchise Caucus, McDonald's franchisee Jimmy Williams and hotelier Jyoti Sarolia.

Matt Haller and Jyoti Sarolia Credit: Matt Haller

To be clear, IFA is non-partisan and does not take sides in presidential campaigns. We'll be in Chicago for the Democratic National Convention in August, and we're working with anyone from any party who defends our priorities and fights for franchise small business owners. It's also why we partner with POLITICO and CNN with Milwaukee-based Batteries+. We created a brand activation at the POLITICO/CNN Grill where we gave away wireless battery chargers to over a thousand attendees over four days, communicating the franchise's economic benefits to convention attendees with a QR code that linked to IFA's Open Opportunity Campaign.

Connected: Look 2024 Franchise 500 Ranking

Political conventions are always exciting, and this year was no different, especially since COVID-19 limited in-person celebrations in 2020. The buzz and energy were palpable. In my conversations with various actors from all walks of life, some commonalities emerged. Here are four of them.

1. Unions and franchising are not incompatible

The fiery speech of Sean O'Brien, president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, caught people's attention. It marked the first time a team has addressed the RNC in its 121-year history. of Wall Street Journal the headline was, “Trump Judges Union Vote.” The Democratic Republic is not used to speakers in their convention, talking about “economic terrorism”. But as O'Brien pointed out, the Teamsters have previously supported Republican candidates, including Presidents Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan and George HW Bush.

For the franchise community, O'Brien's presence served as a reminder that we have a compelling story to tell, and we need to tell it.

First of all, our model provides nearly 9 million direct jobs, and not a single one is being outsourced. Second, franchise jobs pay up to 3.4 percent higher wages and offer higher rates of paid time off and other benefits than non-franchise jobs, according to data from Oxford Economics. Third, franchises ARE small businesses and that is the benefit of our business model.

Connected: 7 ways the expanded joint employer rule would hurt franchises—and your wallet

While we won't agree with the Teamsters or other unions on many things, one thing we do agree on is that policymakers need to focus on creating good jobs right here in America, and that's what they're doing the franchisee community. Even as our brands open new franchises overseas, we are bringing money to shore in the US through the flow of royalties paid to operate an American brand abroad, creating a net trade gain for the US economy.

We must again push the idea that the franchise model and unions are incompatible. It is false. We can and have both. It is true that the main agenda of the trade union policy, e Law PRO and an expanded definition of joint employer, and franchising cannot coexist, but unions are not inherently an adversary. It is their history of policy priorities that would bring down the franchise that we oppose.

2. Franchising is the re-alignment of party lines

Second, traditional political and party lines are realigning, creating another golden opportunity to expand the franchise tent. For example, public opinion polls have shown that former President Donald Trump won that much 30 percent of the black vote – nearly three times higher than 12 percent won in 2020.

Here again, exclusivity has an important role to play. Franchising has higher rates of business ownership among women, veterans and minorities. In fact, more than a quarter (26 percent) of franchises are owned by people of color, compared to 17 percent of non-franchise businesses.

Paul Calkins (IFA), Speaker of the House Mike Johnson and Matt Haller (IFA) Credit: Matt Haller

As Clement Troutman, an IFA member, US Navy veteran, author and franchisee of Maryland-based Tropical Smoothie Cafe, wrote in a column for Washington Times Observing Juneteenth, “recent years have been challenging for Black entrepreneurs. From challenges accessing capital to a disproportionate impact stemming from the pandemic, Black small business owners face major obstacles.”

Clement noted, “Franchising can help, but only if elected leaders do their part in creating the right business environment.” These are wise words and lessons that all candidates should heed if they want to expand their political base of supporters.

3. JD Vance has sided with the franchise in the past

There was much scrutiny of Senator JD Vance following his selection as the vice presidential nominee, and nearly every conversation I had with members of Congress and others in Milwaukee centered on what to do with Senator Vance's selection. Should Trump win, many see him as the GOP's natural standard-bearer in 2028. During his two years in the Senate, Vance has raised eyebrows by deviating from traditional Republican orthodoxy. For example, he has marched on union picket lines and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chairman Lina Khan famously praised as “one of the few people in the Biden administration who I think is doing a pretty good job.” However, when it came to franchise issues, particularly the joint employer, Senator Vance sided with the franchise. When the stakes were highest during this spring's repeal of the common employer rule, Vance stuck with us, and it shows.

4. The next president will have a big impact on the franchise

Members of the franchise community — like all voters — are evaluating their presidential election through the prism of past policies. We have a sense of what second The Trump and Biden administrations may appear to be evaluating their previous time in office. Of course, the IFA is much more focused on economic and regulatory visions than we are on political ideology. What is the plan for job creators?

Connected: Decoding the Massive Impact of the NLRB's Common Employer Rule

For example, the individual tax provisions in Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) are set to expire next year. The law significantly restructured numerous aspects of the federal small business tax system, including reductions in individual and corporate tax rates, a new 20% deduction for pass-through business income, 100% investment bonus depreciation capital and a new limitation on the business interest deduction. The GOP platform specifically calls for tax cuts, and many members of the Ways and Means Committee who will write the next tax bill, including Chairman Jason Smith of Missouri, Vern Buchanan of Florida and Lloyd Smucker of Pennsylvania, have all emphasized the importance of ensuring pass-through businesses like most franchises are treated fairly in the next round of tax reform.

Beyond tax issues, the next president will choose his FTC chair, who in turn could update the Exclusivity Rule, something that hasn't happened since 2007 — the same year the first iPhone was introduced — and will make appointments to the NLRB, including the general counsel, which is arguably the most powerful position in that agency.

The stakes are high for both franchisors and franchisees. We do not vote monolithically or along strict party lines. But one thing is clear, the list of issues facing the franchise is long and the importance of having a seat at the table is more important than ever. Thanks to the support of so many IFA members and what our brands, franchisees and suppliers do every day, I am confident that whatever November brings, the franchise will continue to thrive and IFA will be at the forefront fighting for the most interest good of the franchise. .