NMA E-Newsletter #739: Rebuilding the National Motorists Association

By Stewart Price, NMA President

As we’ve gone through a leadership change, you may have felt like a passenger in the backseat going down an unfamiliar road in the dark. I certainly don’t want you to feel like that. But it’s on us/NMA to communicate clearly, concisely and timely. Let me hit the high beams on the road ahead…

As I’ve shared before, we are reinventing the NMA. This is a rebuild not an oil change.

We need a different structure and more capabilities to keep pace with the rapidly changing regulatory landscape. We are seeing trends such as automated enforcement proliferate and accelerate (speed cameras and red light cameras as one example).

  • Just this past week, SB23-200 in Colorado has been sent to Governor Polis for signing. This particular bill paves the way for expanded use of automated enforcement throughout the state.
  • In Texas, we mobilized efforts through our local activist Henry Stowe and Terri Hall of Texans United for Reform and Freedom (TURF) to track a wave of onerous bills that have been sent to Governor Abbott for signing, most notably SB-1663 which allows municipalities to arbitrary set speed limits without requiring traffic engineering studies. Wow.

What attracted people to the NMA decades ago – the repeal of the 55-mph national speed limit— was a big-bang event, but now it’s death by a thousand paper cuts.

It feels like a slow, painful death. Auto enforcement. Traffic calming. Tolling. Congestion taxes. The list goes on. Let’s not forget the systematic neutering of the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) through an FHWA-driven committee, specifically the dilution of the 85th percentile as a time-tested scientific approach to setting speed limits. Note: The revised version of this key federal document is expected to be released this month.

Numerous members have raised questions, and valid concerns, about what the NMA is doing. What are the NMA priorities, you ask? Have we abandoned our roots in speed limits?

If we tried to fight on many fronts in the past, we’re going to move from a shotgun to a rifle. As an example, we have established criteria to guide our priorities. We ask ourselves these questions:

Q: What is the magnitude of the issue? How big of a threat is it to your freedom? Does it impede your ability to travel or is it just an incremental bite out of your pocketbook?

Q: If it’s a particular piece of legislation, could it set a precedent that might spread to other states if not challenged? What is the risk-reward?

Q: Where is the actual bill in its lifecycle and can we stop it or merely slow it down?

Q: Do we have a viable, effective position we can articulate? Or is our stance too complex, nuanced or convoluted?

Q: Last but not least, do we have the knowledge, tools and resources to win?

We need more activists!

Today we have X number of activists in a handful of states. I am amazed at how engaged these people are, what they have accomplished, and their level of dedication. Jay Beeber (our new Director of Policy & Research) and I are reaching out to meet with our activists. Going forward we are going to publicize our efforts in what will be called, “Victory Lane.”

To battle legislation, we need more boots on the ground. Please let us know if you’re interested in being an activists. We will arm you, train you, and support you!

P.S. As we continue to build out our infrastructure, staff, and systems to bring the fight to those who do not respect your rights, your freedom, and your lifestyle.

Now more than ever, we need donations to fund these investments for the future. Please give if you can!

We need to increase our speed!

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