“Now that the dust is beginning to settle on the 2020 election, the path forward for our nation is becoming a little clearer. Although the election results fell short of the surging blue tide promised by Democrats, the culture in Washington will nonetheless shift back to a progressive-leaning agenda, led by President-elect Biden and the House of Representatives. Regardless of what happens in Georgia, the Senate tradition is to take a conservative position when it comes to the decision to vote at all. The upper chamber takes its role as the ultimate step in the legislative process seriously and approaches legislation thoughtfully, not vigorously.

That doesn’t mean change won’t happen. In fact, change could be tumultuous in the short term as a bitter lame duck Congress is forced to negotiate coronavirus relief, economic stimulus packages and the federal budget. Meanwhile, businesses and families continue to suffer from the coronavirus as the infection rate remains stubbornly high.

But here’s the good news: The long-term outlook is generally positive, and that’s not just good ol’ fashioned American optimism talking. During the Great Recession, our economy imploded from within due to systemic failure; this year, it was sideswiped by an outside enemy that has a limited and somewhat predictable lifespan. While we must build a better foundation to withstand future pandemics, our economic and financial foundations are in relatively good shape.

So how do credit unions move forward now – right now – knowing things will get better but not knowing exactly how we will get there?

Let’s step back from examining Election Day weeds and take a look at the big picture: The mood and the philosophy of the Biden Administration. President Trump’s approach to political negotiation was so vastly different from his predecessors that it changed the tone of America. The Biden campaign promised a return to comparatively congenial times, and the voters spoke…”