Why Regulatory Change Happens – Part 3 POLITICAL REALITIES

Political Realities  Ah, political realities.  They’re everywhere all the time, aren’t they?  Yes, in every organization, every group and every situation.  When something happens on a large scale, like the mortgage meltdown events, you can bet that new political realities will quickly arrive. The political reality that exists today can be quite different next week.  But the subtext of the situation remains largely the same.  Congress and the Administration all face re-election.  Who among them is ready to go face an electorate proudly proclaiming “in response to the mortgage mess, I … did nothing”?  Not likely.  Politicians need verbs.  They need to say they “tightened, strengthened, ensured and enacted”.  Political realities can be tricky, but they can be the most significant (and most understated) motivator there is.  And politics isn’t just for politicians.  Understanding the political realities of a situation is important if you’re going to speak to people about regulatory change.