Kerry Criticizes Bush on Small Business

[Dr Ron]

From Light Up the Darkness


Kerry Questions Bush Commitment to Small Business
17 February 2005

One problem during the last campaign was that the general public received a very limited view of John Kerry's record and positions. Many voters fell for the GOP claims of Kerry being on the far left, and did not realize Kerry has a strong record of supporting small business, while Bush's policies tend to harm small businesses while supporting big business interests which contribute heavily to the GOP.

Some of the right wing emails which listed tons of bogus arguments against Kerry included a claim that Kerry never did a payroll. They were obviously unaware that Kerry was a small businessman before becoming a prosecutor.

Kerry shows his continuing support for small business in this statement today:

Kerry Questions Bush Commitment to Small Business

WASHINGTON, Feb. 17 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Sen. John F. Kerry (D- Mass.), Ranking Member of the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, today questioned the Bush Administration's commitment to small businesses during a Senate hearing on the President's fiscal year 2006 budget proposal for the Small Business Administration (SBA).

More at:
http://www.lightupthedarkness.org/blog/?view=plink&id=386

[kerrygoddess]

1. Kerry is responsible

for much of the Small Business legislation that has passed in recent years. I compiled a library of Kerry's achievements for small business during the campaign - http://kerrylibrary.forumflash.com/index.php?showtopic=176

The cuts that Bush is proposing will hurt the economy more and drive many small businesses to close their doors.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

2. Kerry's done great work for small business

and the cost of health care is what kills a lot of them.

[Dr Ron]

3. His health care plan was definately a pro-business plan

Unfortunately some bought the Bush lies that it was a government take over.

Fortunatley some souces realized otherwise. For example, Kiplinger Letter, hardly a leftie newsletter, labeled his health care plan as small business friendly.

[kerrygoddess]

4. One other note on this...

This summer I lucked out and managed to get a small MicroLoan through the SBDC and the Women's Small Business Program. Bush seeks to cut all three of these programs. They are so vital to small businesses like my own who don't always qualify through regular banks for small business loans.

The Bush economy has taken a huge hit on my small business in the past year and a half. The day my loan got approved I knew that if it were not for John Kerry fighting to keep these programs alive I would never have gotten my loan.

[Wilms]

5. Depends on what you call "Small Business"

I'm beginning to think that Bush in particular, Conservatives in general, and lots of the DLC types, think a "small business" is where the owner pulls in less than 2MM, but more than 500K, drives a planet-killer SUV while complaining about meeting "payroll" for the minimum wage workers.

[Dr Ron]

6. Bush plays games with small business

During the campaign, he often attacked Kerry's tax plan claiming it would reduce jobs by taxing people making over $200,000.

Two problems with this argument. First, most small business people make under $200,000, so Kerry's plan would not have affected them.

Secondly, those making $200,000 to around $350,000 don't really receive that great a tax break. The reduced taxes I receive from Bush are not enough to have any bearing on whether I hire someone.

[sandnsea]

7. Microloan, Women's Small Biz Centers

Veteran's Business Programs. All will be terminated under Bush. When Kerry talks about small business, he's talking about me and my clients who make less than $100,000 a year. Many of us make less than that, some I know take a second job to supplement their very small business income. Regardless, I'd still rather our tax code supported a business owner making $2 million than a CEO fucking over the workers while walking away with $200 million or more.