Obama and McCain in a Town Hall Debate: Some Small-Business Questions
Here are two questions that I would love to see aimed at the presidential candidates when they debate tonight in Nashville.
For Barack Obama:
Senator Obama, you insist that 95 percent of Americans would receive a tax cut under your plan and that only the fabulously wealthy would see a greater tax burden. But your tax “cuts” for lower- and middle-class Americans come in the form of tax credits that expire as a family moves up the income ladder, resulting in, some researchers have shown, significantly higher marginal tax rates for some families. If we really want to encourage people to start businesses, shouldn't we make the tax code simpler and easier to plan around, rather than stuffing in more exemptions that could cause a potential entrepreneur to wonder if boosting his or her income is worth it?
For John McCain:
Senator McCain, you actually sounded like a maverick when you told a crowd in Michigan that lost auto jobs “aren't coming back” and that Michigan workers should develop new skills for a new economy. But, having voiced support for $25 billion in loans for the Detroit auto industry, your actions seem to express the opposite sentiment: that we should hold on to the old economy for dear life. How can Michigan develop a new economy if large, failing companies are receiving a bailout from the government that small entrepreneurs could never hope to receive because they don't have the same political clout?
Tags: debates | presidential election 2008 | small business | Barack Obama | John McCain
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economy
If you want 4 more years of CEO golden parachutes, including the worst President in history, and want to be dragged down the DOW to the tune of 7Trillion, and dragged thru Iraq for Billions ELECT JOHN ####### McCain
economy
and if you thought the bail out was a gloomy figure...take a look at Obamas 875 BILLION dollar World Poverty bill, to be paid out in completion by 2015. How about his energy proposal? Charge for all pollution credits, rather than allocating some and letting companies bargain with each other for additional? This means the average American can expect to pay an additional $728 dollars a year in energy bills. Elect Obama indeed.
small business
senator Obama What is your defination of small business? When you say $250,000 dollars a year are you also referring to a business gross of more than $250,000 a year. As owners of a small manufacturing company employing 12 people trying to make ends meet, making much less than the the $250,000 (even with combined incomes) and rarely taking any bonuses. We provide health care and can just about make premiuns each month. We try to give bonuses at end of year, give yearly raises, keep up with technology and try to tighten our belts, even more in this economy. You said in the debate tonight "businesses nmaking more than $250,000. Please clarify I can't believe you mean the gross margin. That would imply a very small business with less than 3 people. Do you want to tax business with a gross over #250,000? I want to know what you will do to help small business and manufacturing companies in this country. We need the depreciation on equipment and whatever tax right offs and aid we can get to survive and thrive. I have people with families who own homes and have chikdren. They work with us, but it is hard and stressful to grow and thrive. A tax cut for healthcare payments made by those companies who care would be a welcome relief. Although in most cases by the end of the year with the cost of keeping up with technology. equipment, repairs on equipment etc we usually do not have much profit (and it's legitimate). Leaves little for a rainy day. We are responsible people who have been in business for over 28 years. We small businesses want to hear more about what you will do to support small business owners. After all there is not much manufacturing left in this country and China and Canada have not helped us. WE are main street America and are worried about the future of small business in this country. We are feeling the trickling down of the financial debacle in this country. So please talk more about small business and be clear on how you stand on our future. There is no bail out for us if we fail. Many of us care and many of us are responsible and assume accountability for our actions. So please talk to and define what you maean. Do you mean personally and businesses as a whole?/Sorry to be so wordy.
Thank-you
thank-you
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