Obama 'Gift' to Small Business Leaves Much to Be Desired

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Seems that SBA is more interested in hanging out with Ford Motor Company and the other bailout recipients at five-star hotels talking, and I repeat talking, about small business instead of doing what is needed to change the ways of Washington. This really gets me www.nationalsmallbusinessweek.com. Who wants to plan a tea party protest for this one with me?

Rob H of ME 9:14PM April 18, 2009

@ Mr. Greg Reid of AL,
I fear in your reverant zeal for bashing the previous administration & apologizing for the current administration you miss the point of the article.
Is it a positive sign? Sure. Does it cover what was needed and crucial at this time? No.
There is a stark difference between what CAN be done, and what NEEDS to be done.
The article doesn't ignore the past. It's just unlike you the writer prefers to look at the CURRENT situation, under the CURRENT administration, and ITS current actions to help going forward instead of constantly looking in the rearview mirror.
We can debate the past for eternity but that shouldn't cloud us from objectively determining if we're doingthe correct things NOW to help the future. Unfortunately this first step wasn't it for small businesses.

Mr. B. Ware of WI 12:33PM April 08, 2009

There are varying opinions of what will and won’t work with the efforts of this administration. Odd though Jean that you would chime in as a former speechwriter for an Administration which didn’t do a great deal for SBA or small businesses.
Your readers may be surprised to learn that during the Bush Administration, SBA’s budget was cut by 28 percent – the most of any federal agency. In fact, SBA’s 2006 budget number for the Small Business Administration had been set at $456.5 million, down $123 million from 2005 and nearly 60% from 2001. Meanwhile, the administrations’ zero subsidy model for the program increased SBA’s guaranty program lender and borrower fees diminishing lender and borrower use of the program. Said Lloyd Chapman, then President of the American Small Business League, "We’re extremely disappointed that President Bush has slashed the SBA budget to this extreme. This will undoubtedly have adverse effects on small and minority-owned businesses all over the country." Undisclosed sources at the SBA have acknowledged that the Bush Administration is, in effect, trying to "starve the SBA to death."
The audacity to criticize this administration in its early efforts to right this economic ship is akin to a driver that ran over someone in their vehicle complaining that the medic isn’t applying CPR to the patient in the proper manner.
As I stated, there are varying opinions of what will and won’t work with the efforts of this administration. Having selective memory isn’t it.

Greg Reid of AL 12:51PM April 07, 2009

This administration doesn't believe in business or capitalism. They have never had to worry about the day to day issues concerning any business, so how would they know what small business needs.
We will continue to have financial problems until our government becomes more business friendly. Doing business in California is getting harder every day.

Larry of CA 1:11PM March 25, 2009

My Daddy always told me that you'd better look real careful at a gift horse - and not just in the mouth - otherwise you might just get stuck with a dead horse, and what in Hell are you gonna do with that?

R.L. Schaefer of CA 12:00PM March 25, 2009

Ms. Card,
I applaud your frank and intelligent post. As a direct recipient of a hard-working small business run by my parents for the last 39 years, I am disgusted by the Administration's total disregard for small businesses and its refusal to acknowledge the small business' enormous role in the recovery of our slumping economy. I have had the pleasure of reading your recent contributions to www.americaspeakon.org (on the small business tag page), and I hope you continue to educate America. I also hope the readers of this posting check out americaspeakon.org because there is some great information there, and it welcomes open dialogue from both sides of the aisle.

Lorenzo of PA 11:44AM March 25, 2009