The Real Job Killers

By Keith R. Schmitz

Health insurance companies.

Some tip of the iceberg stories about small business' struggles with health insurance coverage from the AHIP protests in Chicago today.

Small Biz Looking for Relief

By Keith R. Schmitz

For many this will be counter intuitive.

Wisconsin Citizens Action in conjunction with Small Business Majority released a survey that was taken of 200 Wisconsin small business employers. Unlike other so-called small business advocacy groups, Small Business Majority is not a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Republican party.

Granted many, but not a majority, of small business owners are Republicans. For the purposes of the survey, the 33% of those Republican owners reflects the political breakout of that group.

Quick highlights. Of those small business owners surveyed, most are not or cannot offer health insurance to their employees, and only 16% say their access to coverage is excellent.

About 62% are calling on the government to do some kind of health care reform and 75% agree with the statement that more people would start a business if it wasn't for the cost of health insurance. On the issue of reforming health care as a means of getting the economy back on track, 72% of small business owners are in agreement.

I have always felt that though many of them strive to become big businesses some day, small business owners have a lot more in common with the population at large. Unless we reform health care fewer small businesses will be sustainable, let alone make it to the Fortune 500.

Compromise Suggestion on Taxes

Keith R. Schmitz

Many GOP critics accuse the Democrats of taking the African-American vote for granted. 

I think the same is true the other way around when it comes to small business. The GOP IS the party of big business, and if they were sincere about small business they would advocate better anti-trust enforcement, serious solutions to healthcare and administration of the Small Business Administration to help small business. 

A good example is the GOP's willingness to let the Big Three automakers go into bankruptcy, delivering collateral hits to their small business suppliers. As a small business, the GOP certainly does not speak for me.

As usual they are holding small business hostage when it comes to our economic turnaround. The point being made is that if taxes are increased on those making over $250,000 year would be a hit to small businesses. 

My good friend on the right Mike Frederick pointed out in the NY Times last week that he would have less money to plow back into the business if his taxes are raised. Though I dispute that only a minority of small business people are any where near $250M per year, point taken.

Actually the solution could be rather simple. Why not design a credit for someone who owns a small business based on their number of employees. As usual, some will find ways to fake their way around it, but audits could extract the fakers.