May

4

Small Lenders Stand Ready But Need Help

May 4, 2008 | Leave a Comment

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Last week, there was yet another hearing on the credit crunch and small business access to capital, this time before a House panel. The difference here, though, was that there was nobody testifying on behalf of the SBA and, for some reason, that seemed to make the situation quite a lot clearer.

Make of that what you will.

What’s really frustrating is that Congress has proposed legislation containing the tools to fix the problem but, because it just seems to take them forever to do anything having to do with small business policy, by the time they get around to dealing with said legislative proposals, it’ll be too late. One of the bills in questions, which re-authorizes the SBA lending programs, has been stalled for almost a year because somebody in the Senate has a hold on the bill.

I like politics, I really do. It’s the finest spectator sport in the world. But sometimes, it gets really frustrating.

Also this week, we have news of another legislative proposal that spells more paperwork for microbusiness employers and research on women business owners and human capital. And, as always, my Policy Matters column.

For more information:

The Effect of the Credit Crunch on Small Business Access to Capital: Hearing Archive (YouTube); Witness List
NASE 2007 Microbusiness Retirement Costs Survey (PDF)
NASE 2008 Automatic IRA Member Survey
Automatic IRA Act of 2007 (S. 1141, H.R. 2167) (THOMAS)
Kauffman Index of Entrepreneurial Activity
SBA Office of Advocacy

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Apr

28

Senate Dems Claim Small Biz Bragging Rights

April 28, 2008 | Leave a Comment

icon for podpress  Senate Dems Claim Small Biz Bragging Rights [7:57m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Last week seemed like a silly week and that’s why this week’s News Briefs seem a bit silly, too.

Although, when you get to that last story about energy prices, you might not feel like laughing very much.

Other than that, this week I’m preoccupied with the annoying habit that the people in Congress have developed of asking corporate executives for information when they want to know what’s up with us.

Why won’t they ask us? Are we that scary? It can’t possibly be that we’re that difficult to find … well, maybe it is. But I think they could find us if they wanted to. And there’s just too much stuff they’ll never learn if they keep asking people from companies like Amazon and Google.

For more information:

Senate Democratic Policy Committee Special Small Business Report
Hearing Archive: The Role of Small Businesses in Stimulating the Economy
SBA Office of Advocacy

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