Wake Up Call
Jun 6th, 2011 | By Dawn R. Rivers | Category: Policy MattersOne of the more interesting moments during the Senate Small Business Committee hearing covered in this week’s microbusiness news was Chairwoman Mary Landrieu’s reaction to one particular bit of witness testimony.
The witness involved was Eric Blinderman, a young restauranteur who had a great deal of difficulty getting financing to (a) start up his business ten years ago and (b) purchase a building into which to move his business now.
Senator Landrieu was upset by his testimony because she did not know that, in these United States, the deck is stacked against self-employment and entrepreneurship.
It’s not supposed to be that way … or so they say.
We’re told that we should get into exporting. But exporting is complex and paperwork intensive. That’s why it’s not especially attractive to many microbusiness owners.
Another standard piece of advice for small business owners is to pursue federal contracts. But federal procurement is also complex and paperwork intensive. It, too, is not especially attractive to many microbusinesses.
Congress, when it’s in the mood to be nice to small business owners, habitually passes legislation designed to help us save money on our taxes. But tax breaks are also complex and paperwork intensive. You know the rest.
Are we starting to see a pattern here?
Too many people on Capitol Hill persist in believing that it makes sense for microbusinesses to do business the way IBM does business, relying on strategies that are complex and paperwork intensive.
But why would we want to do business in ways at which IBM excels and at which we rather spectacularly don’t?
I’m not sure which is more distressing, the fact that this economic system doesn’t work well for us or the fact that Senator Landrieu didn’t appear know that.
