Are We Doing Enough to Help Small Businesses?

Wake up Alexis, please! We need people like you to. I have a small business serving Westchester county, NY with landscape supplies. We are on the edge of going out of business! This president and congress are destroying our business & this economy! Do you really believe only 3% of small business will be affected by this tax increase. Show me one company that does grosses less than 200k. By the time you factor in all your expenses, taxes and regulations there's nothing left. What about cap. gains taxes. They're already 28% in NY and this idiot wants to raise them! How will they pay for all this? Who is going to pay for all this socialism? Look at the mistakes of the Carter administration. These guys are doing all of them X 10! I find it maddening whenever there is a proposed tax cut reporters always ask "How are we going to pay for this?" When are you going to do an in depth analysis of How WE are going to pay for all this! We're can't, and that's why we're all so scared! I truly feel the economy is poised to rebound but the administration and congress won't let it! There are a few simple ways to end this madness now! Cut the cap. gains tax to 0. Freeze and reduce government spending. Eliminate all these rediculous environmental regulations on business, eliminate all federal, payroll and corporate taxes and institute a flat sales tax on purchases. You want to see economy explode with growth! That's how to do it.

I am a small business and have many friends and colleagues that own small businesses as well. Most of us who have run profitable businesses up until this past year are seeing our savings and all the "profit" from previous years run dry. This is not due to not having a website or being competitive as one of your guests stated...it is due to a lack of capital...not only for us but for the other businesses that use our services. We are not in the retail or manufacturing businesses, but are professionals who rely on other small businesses to grow and have the capital to invest in themselves and use our services to do just that. With all the capital drying up and banks still not lending, small businesses aren't able to make the investments that they would otherwise be making. We can't grow because they can't grow. As a small business we have had to lay off most of our staff and have cut spending. This cut in spending has affected other small businesses that rely on us for their income. Until the banks start lending again and stop calling GOOD loans on small businesses, more of us will fail. With small business failure, comes higher unemployment and the cycle just continues. Also understand that we are finding that some banks are wanting to lend money, BUT the FEDS are telling the NO more development loans PERIOD. We are also finding that people cannot sell their land/homes/commercial investments because they are competing against foreclosures.

My wife and I closed our business in November. We were first timers and made mistakes, but we bought the business in 2006, we live in the epicenter of the foreclosure mess in CA. Do I want a bailout? No. I want some fiscal responsibility from our legislators, state and federal. I want simplification of the entire process of owning a business. I had to hire three different lawyers, a CPA, a bookkeeper and legal doc prep services to get into business. I have 5 or 6 permits from different agencies, and far too many regulations, agencies, fees and taxes popped up along the way, even though I thought I did my homework. It's utterly ridiculous.

Hi, My wife and I are owners of a cafe franchise. I agree with your position that the gov't is not doing enough to help ease the starin on small businesses. Forget the disproportionate amount of money being thrown at large businesses, who account for far less jobs, but banking bailouts have nor assisted us in any way. The inability to get credit, and the reliance on the credit scoring system has basically paralyzed us. Due to the ineffectiveness of the SBA we financed our business on our own, using personal equity, cash and credit cards. As a result our credit scores declined a bit. Now, in dire need of consolidation funds there is no money to be found, as it's all directed to banks (who aren't passing it along), insurance companies, and transportation projects. In addition the ability of credit card banks to charge usurious interest rates hamstrings any business trying to generate positive cash flow. With this ability unchecked many see the failure of the banks as Karma.

What surprises me most about all this stimulus talk is that the government (read Obama administration) keeps throwing money at organizations that will most likely fail. AIG, GM are the best examples of this. Billions of dollars are being wasted on these two companies and others like them. As a small business owner in the home remodeling area, I've seen my business nearly dry up the last couple of months. Over and over again, I'm hearing from prospective customers that they are scared about the economy and don't want to spend the money right now. The contractors and other craftsmen I work with are all effected by the lack of confidence, not just in the markets, but in the government to make any real difference. Obama continues to spout the line "change America voted for." The change I voted for was for a leader who would actually make things better in this country, who could use his positive outlook, charisma, etc. to instill confidence that the country is on a better path. I haven't seen that leader yet and I don't think he actually exists.

There is no way OBAMA can make his plans work in this country, at least the country I have lived in and worked to build a business in. First of all I work for what I can achieve in business. Be if for profit or personal satisfaction, I do not do it for the Government. I work for my own family well being not Congress. When you take out all the incentive to work as I have for the last 30 years and the government comes along and piles on more tax just to pay for their social agenda, then you will loose me and thousands of producers like myself. Wealth redistibution is not on my list of thing to accomplish. I say let the free markets weed out the soft and slow and lazy crooks and let the hard working people reep their reward and not punish them for success. This is what America was built on along with a moral compass which has been lost in todays business and government enviroment. Too many road blocks in business as it is and when you add the total load of the government deficit to it that will be the death nail for the US as we know it.

The Government needs to help small businesses by promoting small construction tax incentives. Allow homeowners to deduct up to $50k per year in home improvement costs. Our company just lost two contracts worth $150k because the clients are concerned they will be targeted by the income redistribution of the new administration. Affluent Americans are scared to spend. This fear forces small construction companies to go under. Our company builds custom gunite swimming pools, and twelve months ago employed 13. Now we have 5, but may not survive this latest blow to our company. We are in our eleventh year of business and are Complaint Free BBB members.

I am frightened and angry. A group of employees got together and purchased our small manufacturing business last March - you know, living the American Dream We managed to sustain through 12/08 and then it's as if we hit a wall. I think the level of spending in Washington is insane! I think the administration and congress are scaring the hell out of the market. I feel like I am being pummeled every day with some new insanity out of Washington. Could they just please take a step back, stop "trying" to help and allow us to get back on our feet?

As a franchisor it is exceedingly frustrating that motivated people cannot open the economy-expanding, job-creating businesses that they desire due to a lack available capital. I have had to tap into personal funds to get by - thank goodness we had a few great years prior to 2009 and put some money away. As I have told my franchisees - "How can you be expected to run a successful business if you spend all your time worrying about your bills?" Simple answer - you can't - atleast not for long. Biz owners need lines of credit to get through the slow months - if we were not motivated people, we would not have started our businesses in the first place! Bob Phibbs rubbed me the wrong way with some of his comments. My wish for tax policy change? Give us a break on payroll taxes and incentives for health insurance. We want to pay well and provide insurance but boy has it gotten hard!

I watched the interview this morning and thought - they are just like politicians: "we can solve this by throwing more money at the problem with strings attached of course." I use to employ 25+ in the construction/repair business, I am now down to 2 and have no desire to hire. When you hire today it comes with too much regulation from government and an entitlement attitude from employees. In addition competitors hire illegals and our government officials do little to prevent that practice, it is illegal? Instead of throwing money and regulations at us, maybe providing universal health care could relieve a burden and level the playing field for big and small businesses. We need government to help by getting out of our way.

I'm actually less concerned about what the stimulus package will do for my small business. I learned long ago that the government is not here to help small businesses. In fact, I have only found it to punish those that do not conform to a standard "W2" existence. My biggest concern is not a specific policy but rather a change in perception by average citizens and our leaders. The perception is that the government is here to solve our problems - Not just some of our problems, but all of them. The government will not only fix our bridges and roads and protect us from our enemies, but it will also care for our health, our homes, our self-confidence, and self esteem - and all it will take is a few trillion dollars. I am angry at the financial institutions that failed our economy, but just because they are incompetent doesn't mean that all businesses are. In fact, the small businesses, the ones closest to the ground are the ones that can best restore our economy. If you are going to flood hundreds of billions of dollars, why not directly invest them in the local banks and small businesses. Forget helping the large financial institutions that failed so miserably to open up secondary markets. Why not just feed the money directly to the primary lenders that have a record of responsible lending and cut out the middle man?

You are correct! The government is not helping the small business. I believe in the American way. Let the 'Free Market system' determine who will survive in the business world. That being said. When the government took upon itself the duty of bailing out the greedy large business owners, they placed a large burden on the rest of us. We are the ones who stand to fall due to the market conditions. Where do the small business owners go to get the level of assistance that the large corporations have received. I can promise you this, if the small business had received the level of assistance that the big boys received they would added kmployees not reduces their staff as Citigroup and others did (Citi cut 70K employees last year with most of these being after the 'bailout').

It has been demonstrated repeatedly that President Obama has nothing but distain for all businesses and corporations. What he fails to understand is that businesses and corporations are made up of employees that have jobs, that have benefits, and desperately want some hope for the future. In the implimentation of his stated agenda that he promised during the campaign, and that is what he's doing. Unfortunately, that agenda is very markedly anti-business of all sizes, and the market reaction has been predicable. The more restrictions, taxes and requirements he forces onto businesses, the worse off the overall economy will be. We voted for him, so that's what we get. Paul, Cape Canaveral, FL

This was not an accident. It's far easier for the Gov't to control (own) a few super size businesses than a truckload of small ones. And that's where this is going.

First off, 99.7% of all employer firms are small businesses then it's next to impossible that only 3% of them would be affected by Obama's tax hikes. Any of these small business owners who's companies are LLC's or S-Corps have their business taxes reported on their personal income tax return. If you have a business big enough to employ 4 or 5 people it's pretty easy to bust the $250k mark in business profits, but more than likely you're trying to put that right back into your business to grow it. I run a small business. I have 7 employees plus myself. I've cut my salary in half this year so that I didn't have to make more painful cuts that would effect my employees, but if my taxes go up while my sales are lower than normal, then it could come to a time that in order to survive I have no other cuts to make other than my people. I don't want that to happen. Note that dispite cutting my salary in half this year, my income tax returns are going to show I made more than ever because I am an S-Corp and the first part of '08 sales were good. All of my S-Corp income will be reported on my personal income taxes and I'm about to get hammered bad enough. Obama wants to make that worse? Insanity. BTW-- I give far more, from a percentage perspective, to charity, church, and other organizations than the income tax returns of Obama or Biden showed over the last several years. Why is it they can steal my money when they have little record of cheerfully giving their own?

This isn't a stimulus package. It's a "get the vote" and spending package. Somehow lawmakers never get it. They do not support the people who create the jobs. Many times they seem more interested in getting re-elected than in helping the economy. A few billion out of almost 800 billion is not helping small business. Until small business starts inundating their lawmakers with emails and the general population realizes how important small business is to their personal well-being and also contacts their lawmakers, nothing will really happen. The only time Congress or the President listens is when the people stand up for themselves and let their voices be heard. We need support of jobs. Not some of these foolish programs. Yell loud and long. It's the only way small business will ever get any support. Every day I talk to clients who are small business owners across the United States. Their businesses are down 30-50%. They are worried about how they are going to survive. The interesting statistic is that unemployment is slightly under 8%, that means 92% are still employed. But the government with their programs is doing nothing to instill confidence in the people so that 92% just isn't spending. The government policies are making things worse not better. Is this the "change" people wanted? I'll put my faith in the business community to get us out of this recession by hard work and innovation.

Nothing has been done for small business. This is not a surprise. I am a small business owner. Banks have cut credit line on charge cards and notes. They at the same time have raised interest rates to the point nothing revolves. If the gov. is going to spend billions anyway the following would have stimulated the economy. Through a direct program enable business to consolidate loans into low interest loans with one percent int. for 7 years. This would payoff banks, and enable business to loosen capital for hiring, marketing etc. This would have immediate results and solve part of the banking liquidity problem. Ideally, just cut capital gains and stop collection of taxes for one or more years.

I'm the general manager of a small business that employs 76 persons. After watching the video clip this is what I think. Access to capital? We can get that as long as we show at least a break-even situation. Banks don't want to put their money into losers and as long as we struggle with profitability, banks are reluctant to put money into enterprises that are simply using their money to cover their losses. Marketing? Internet Web sites? Sorry guys, when you have trimmed your workforce to the bones, that stuff is fluff because the priority is taking care of the customers who still walk through the front door. For instance, we have trimmed the manager positions first here, empowered front line employees, and are using managers to fill slots when someone is on vacation or off ill. So what to do we need? We need to get the socialists out of Congress, the Senate, and the White House. They are destroying our customers wealth and confidence, they have already destroyed our confidence and are now busy destroying our potential to recover from this recession, and someone needs to remind all the SOB's sitting in the Oval Office down that they are not spending their money, it is our money that they are spending. I once worked in construction. I know exactly how quick the Porkulus Bill's money is going to trickle down. It's not going to trickle down. All we ask the is for them to respect private property including the money we have managed to eke out running a business.

I used to be a banker in South Florida but moved back to my native country of Canada three years ago to take over a business. I used to think the time was short until I moved my company to the U.S. as it has historically been less expensive to do business there than in Canada. No longer! It is now cheaper and more business-friendly to run a business based in Canada than in the U.S.! As a U.S. citizen, I never thought I would see that day. Personal tax rates are now lower up here -- straight across the board -- as well. And the personal savings rate is much, much higher! It's amazing to me that the U.S. is now more socialist that Canada. Wow, eh!

I'm a small business owner. We started as a non-union business and eventually were forced to move into a union. We are currently members of a Christian Labor Union. It is an alright organization. I'd prefer to be non-union, but do to the amount of local government work we do we have to keep the hard core Unions at bay. This economic mess is hurting most small business people just in getting a line of credit or extending it. This administration has no regard for small businesses. This card check instead of the secret ballot is Unconstitutional. You will see a lot of business go under because they are forced into unions and can not afford to meet the wage, benefit, and rediculous rules they enforce on them. The members of our union are already under attack by these hard core unions. The hard core union followed all of one of my respected competitors "also a Christian Labor Union member" employees to there homes to push them to change unions. They have made the statement that they are going to break the Christian Labor Union or any non-union company that doesn't join them.