NACS Expects Little to Change From Election Outcome

ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- The debates are over, the political ads are gone and talk of possible 2016 presidential candidates has already begun on some news stations, but for now the 2012 election is in the history books. President Barack Obama will occupy the Oval Office for another four years, Democrats will retain control of the U.S. Senate and Republicans will retain control of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Aside from that, what do the election results mean for the convenience store industry and the NACS, the Association for Convenience & Fuel Retailing agenda? According to the association, not much will change.

NACS' main objectives and issues still remain front and center: credit and debit card fee reform; a retailers' ability to sell motor fuels in a safe manner without unreasonable risk of liability; equitable and reasonable enforcement of regulations; a level playing field for all who compete in the c-store industry; and economic policies that will allow convenience and fuel retailers to make legitimate business decisions and grow their businesses.

"Yesterday's vote will likely have little effect on how NACS pursues these objectives and the specific issues that we advocate," the association explained. "With a status-quo outcome for the nation, it is unlikely that any significant shift in priorities or change in direction will be necessary for NACS to effectively represent our membership."

The NACS Legislative Committee is scheduled to meet next week to begin prepping the association's agenda for the next Congress. In addition, the NACS Political Action Committee is also meeting next week to review the performance of NACS political efforts, rally resources for the rest of 2012 and begin preparing the association to be active in the 2014 elections, according to NACS.