Tag Archives: Small Business

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The Real Voices of Small Business


| By ThinkProgress War Room

What Small Businesses Really Think About the Issues

Republicans talk a lot about small businesses out on the campaign trail, but often times the “small businesses” they talk about are anything but. According to Republicans, Donald Trump, Oprah, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, and construction giant Becthel, the largest construction company in America, are all small businesses.

In order to clear the air, the Center for American Progress and Small Business Majority, an advocacy group for actual small businesses, talked to the owners of small businesses across the country about a range of issues, including taxes and Obamacare.

Here’s a couple examples of what we heard.

Small Businesses Aren’t Impacted by Expiration of Bush Tax Cuts

Mike Brey, owner of Hobby Works in Fairfax, Va., wants to set the record straight on the Bush tax cuts—cuts on those with income above $250,000. Despite some saying that allowing the cuts to expire will hurt small businesses, the vast majority of small business owners like him simply won’t be affected. Allowing the tax rates to go back to where they were will help bolster the economy and with it, Mike’s customer base—the middle class.

Affordable Care Act Makes Portland Business More Competitive

For Mike Roach, owner of Paloma Clothing in Portland, Oregon, providing health insurance for his employees is not just the right thing to do—it makes his business more competitive and helps him retain valuable employees. Mike explains how the Affordable Care Act has allowed him to pick up more of the tab of his employees’ healthcare premiums, a key benefit that keeps his small store competitive with the big chains.

Check out our entire series of small business voices HERE, which includes small business owners weighing in on taxes, Obamacare, public lands, clean energy, and more.

These are the real voices of small business, unlike the National Federation of Independent Business. Though the group purports to represent the interests of small businesses, it often advocates against their interests, is funded by millions of dollars from Karl Rove’s secret money group Crossroads GPS, and spends most of its time attacking the Obama administration and running campaign attack ads targeting Democrats. NFIB was also the lead plaintiff in the partisan legal attacks on Obamacare, though thankfully its efforts failed at the Supreme Court.

NFIB is in the news today because it recently hosted a conference call with Mitt Romney, the audio of which leaked yesterday. On the call Romney urges employers to tell their employees who to vote, something the Koch brothers and other CEOs have been caught doing in recent weeks. You can listen to the shocking audio of the leaked call HERE.

Evening Brief: Important Stories That You Might’ve Missed

The Defense of Marriage Act was struck down by a federal appeals court — in an opinion written by an extremely conservative judge.

Despite court order, Ohio’s GOP Secretary of State is still cutting back on early voting.

Romney’s economic policy director was lobbying for Wall Street just three months ago.

Virginia health commissioner resigns in protest of new politically-motivated, restrictive regulations on abortion providers.

No, Mitt Romney’s sketchy tax plan still doesn’t add up.

Maryland voters appear set to approve both marriage equality and a DREAM Act.

Why won’t the Romney campaign say where he stands on equal pay laws?

A tale of two Romneys.

Romney’s bizarro version of equal rights.

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This Week’s Top 3 On ThinkProgr​ess: The RNC Edition


This week was dominated by the Republican National Convention, and ThinkProgress was there to fact-check the claims of the GOP’s featured stars. Check out the important posts you may have missed:

1. FACTS MATTER: The Ultimate Guide To Mitt Romney’s Convention Speech

2. The 6 Worst Lies In Paul Ryan’s Speech

3. RNC’s Featured Small Business Owner: My Company Needs More Government Contracts

Best,

Igor Volsky Deputy Editor, ThinkProgress

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President Obama Speaks … Tax Credits


President Obama calls on Congress to pass a tax credit for small businesses that are hiring new employees or raising the wages and salaries of their existing employees to help spur economic growth, the third item on the President’s job-creating To Do List for Congress. May 16, 2012.More
 
 
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Pass the Jobs Bill NOW …Diallo Brooks, People For the American Way


“I urge you to do everything you can to PASS THE AMERICAN JOBS ACT NOW!”

 

The jobs crisis is hurting Americans and holding back our country.

Now is no time to play politics, it’s time to create jobs and put Americans back to work!

Tell Congress to PASS THE AMERICAN JOBS ACT NOW!

President Obama’s American Jobs Act is a vital piece of legislation to put Americans back to work and get our economy moving. Republicans and Democrats alike have no business putting the politics of next year’s election ahead of the dire needs of jobless Americans and their families, or for that matter, the need of ALL Americans to get our economy growing again.

The American Jobs Act should be passed in its entirety. It’s fair, it’s effective and most importantly, it is urgently needed.

Make sure you weigh in and tell YOUR members of Congress: Don’t play politics with the economy; act swiftly to pass the American Jobs Act.  www.pfaw.org

THANK YOU for stepping up and speaking out when America needs your activism the most.

–Diallo Brooks, Director of Field Mobilization

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Democrats in NYC GOTV for David WePrin …NY09 … VOTE TUESDAY


Watch David Weprin’s latest ad >>

#1. WEPRIN ENDORSED BY NEW YORK TIMES

David Weprin Endorsed by New York Times. In August 2011, the New York Times endorsed David Weprin for Congress, noting that he “promises to work to protect Social Security and Medicare” and would not “cut programs that serve the working and middle classes.” The Times wrote that Weprin has “far more expertise… and fiscal rationality.” [New York Times, Editorial, 8/30/11]

  • NYT: Bob Turner Economic Plan “Would Take a Magician.” The Times wrote that Republican Bob Turner’s economic plan “would take a magician” to work, which would mean reducing benefits for those on Medicare and Social Security. [New York Times, Editorial, 8/30/11]
  • Turner Willing to Cut Medicare and Social Security, Raise Retirement age, Increase Co-pays. In an August 2011 interview with the New York Post editorial board, Turner pledged to rein in government even if that meant “cutting spending on entitlement programs such as Medicare and Social Security.” He said that “an increase in Medicare co-payments also has to be considered,” and that it would be “easy” to raise the eligibility age on entitlements for people currently under 55 years of age.  [NY Post, 8/26/11]
  • Turner Wanted to Cut the Budget by 35 percent.  In an op/ed published in National Review in June 2011, Bob Turner wrote: “My desire to go to Congress was to fix what’s broken and go home. End subsidies. End government dependencies. Dramatically cut the budget by 30 or 35 percent.”  [National Review, 6/08/11]

Republican Bob Turner on Tax Loopholes

Also see: NY-1 VIDEO: Rowdy Debate Shows Intensity In Special Congressional Race >>

#2. WEPRIN CLOSES LOOPHOLES, TURNER LOVES THEM.

David Weprin thinks it’s outrageous that New York City’s small businesses end up paying some of the highest business taxes in the world, while big corporations hire expensive lobbyists so they can get big tax breaks and evade taxes in offshore accounts.  Bob Turner is a corporate executive who says he never met a tax loophole he didn’t like

Weprin Supports Small Businesses by Closing Loopholes. In August 2011, Weprin released his small business plan, helping New Yorkers by “closing loopholes and lowering overall rates.” Weprin would also “fight to remove tax incentives for companies that ship jobs overseas and use those savings to reduce tax rates for small business.” [Times-Union, 8/15/11]

  • Weprin: An Advocate for Small Businesses. Launching his small business plan, Weprin said that New York’s small businesses pay some of the highest business taxes. “While big corporations are able to hire expensive lawyers and lobbyists to secure special tax breaks, I’ll be an advocate for small businesses in Washington.” [Times-Union, 8/15/11]

Turner: “Never Met a Loophole I Didn’t Like.” “As a Republican, I never met a loophole I didn’t like,” Turner said at a debate. “I really don’t know.” Weprin cited tax breaks for companies moving jobs overseas as a corporate loophole he would like to close. [New York Times, 9/06/11]