While there has been plenty of action aimed to help businesses deemed too large to fail, Congress has done little, if anything, has been done for small and medium sized enterprises.
And, with Republicans in control of the House and Democrats in Control of the Senate, and a four-year Presidential term at stake, the performance of the American Congress is apt to remain consistent.
Unfortunately, being consistent means more inaction for small and medium sized businesses across America.
When you think about the problems facing small to medium sized businesses across America, it is almost inconceivable that we, the American taxpayers allow Congress to get away with it, but not only will they not face any punitive action, but most of them will get re-elected.
Perhaps in better times, it would be acceptable as Thomas Jefferson said something to the effect that a government that governs least governs best.
Now, however, despite the economic chaos, there are incredible markets opening in developing in emerging countries around the world are because small businesses do not have the latest tools available, much of those markets are being filled by goods and services from other economies. Hundreds of billions.
Let's look at just a FEW of the opportunities Congress has had to act in 2012 alone. For the purposes of discussion,we will omit the authors and their party affiliation Many of these bills enjoyed bi-partisanship, though some did not, and granted, even though not all of them SHOULD have become law, the wholesale abandonment of the process should have at least kept us all wondering:
1. SB3277 - Go Global Act 2. SB3197 - Woman's Small Business Ownership Act 3. HR5183 - Small Business Incubators Act 4. SB3197 - Small Business Common Applications Act 5. HR5851 - Increasing Small Business Lending Act 6. HR5829 - Small Business Fairness Act 7. SB3210 - Veterans Small Business Opportunity Act 8. SB 3405 - Veterans Small Business Protection Act 9. HR6271 - Family Farm and Small Business Tax Relief Act 10. SB3218 - Small Business Export Growth Act 11. SB3217 - Startup Act 2.0 12. SB3334 - Protection of Homes, Small Biz and Private Property Act 13. HR6037 - Small Business Lending For Jobs Act 14. HR6078 - Contracting Opportunity Expansion Act 15. HR6102 - Startup Innovation Credit Act for Small Business Hopefully, by now the point is well illustrated. There are many more bills that that could have been listed, however, if Congress will not act, what is the point? How many of these became law? Zero. How many were even seriously discussed? Zero. Some of them did get a committee vote but only because they were introduced by powerful Committee Chairs.
While Congress did, in fact, pass one economic development measure, the Jumpstart Our Businesses Startup Act, most, if not all of the benefits aimed at truly small businesses were arguably usurped by larger firms as the definition of a 'small business' was raised to 1500 employees or less. Most of the truly small businesses have 500 or less and more realistically, 20 employees or less. But it's easier to generate campaign contributions with 1500 employees so guess where most of the benefits went?
Only if you, the small business community, become better informed will any of this change. In the coming weeks and months, we will begin that process and we can only hope that the American Congress will follow the lead of other governments around the world and recognize the true value of small business and begin to create the policies that will create jobs and allow the genius of sleeping within. Please join us. Sign up at our site listed below.
Made in America is truly a great label. Now only if we could get Congress to go to work and make a few laws to help out the cause.
For more information on SmallBizLobbyist, visit our site as www.smallbizlobbyist.com
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