Government and Economy
Saving Small Businesses by Buying Local
Tired of seeing local small businesses being ravaged by the recession, some people are trying to reverse the fortunes of mom-and-pop stores by organizing their towns to “buy local.” WSJ.com
Military Contracts: Big Help for Small Businesses
With the economy the way it is, some small businesses are finding both safety and profits in pursuing military contracts. NYTimes.com
By Charles M Cooper · March 26 2009
small business brief, marketing, small business, economy
Government and Economy
Key Republican Changes Position, Now Opposes Card-CheckSenator Arlen Specter's vote may determine the fate of the pro-union card check bill, which would make it easier for workers to form unions. He declared his new opposition to the bill in a March 24 th Senate floor speech. Workforce.com
SBA Launches Online Community for Small Businesses
SBA’s Business Gateway Program has launched the first government-sponsored online community built specifically for small businesses, Community.Business.gov. Small Business Administration
By Charles M Cooper · March 25 2009
small business brief, marketing, small business, economy
Government and Economy
Top SBA Lenders Dropping Small Business Loans
As new government programs are poised to inject more liquidity into the credit market, several of the SBA's most active lenders have sharply reduced their loan volume, refusing new applications or lowering volume to a trickle. CNNMoney.com
Business Forward: A Liberal Business Group
High-powered Democratic consultants, well-connected with the Obama Administration, are recruiting for a new trade group called “Business Forward.” They are doing this to drum-up support for Obama's program...
By Charles M Cooper · March 24 2009
small business brief, marketing, small business, economy
Government and Economy
The SBA Loan-Relief Program: Does Your Business Qualify?
The Small Business Administration's upcoming loan-relief program can't be used to pay down existing SBA loans, but past borrowers are still be eligible for help with other debts. CNNMoney.com
US Aid Agency Throws US Workers Under the Bus
While the federal government is spending trillions of stimulus dollars to stop the rising tide of US layoffs, that same government has decided to put even more Americans out of work by buying cheaper foreign products—Chinese condoms. McClatchydc.com
By Charles M Cooper · March 23 2009
small business brief, marketing, small business, economy
We have all seen those ads on TV where the four-hundred pound couch potato is turned into the svelte, chiseled bodybuilder-type with this latest and greatest green miracle at home exercise device that stores easily in a shoebox, is not only fun but actually exciting to use, takes 3 minutes every other day and harnesses the power of rubber bands, springs, dynamic tension, gravity, your own weight, someone else's weight, ball bearings in a swivel, a Chilean brush-tail rat in a runny-wheel—whatever, only to tell you at the bottom of the screen in print so fine that you need a hi-def TV and a magnifying glass to read it: “Results not typical, your results may vary.”
What? My results may vary? You mean I am not guaranteed to look like Michaelangelo's David made flesh after my first week of using the miracle exercise product? Apparently not. Apparently, the advertiser is trying to put one over on me—me, and enough other people for the government to take some action.
Wh...
By Charles M Cooper · March 23 2009
Advertising, typical results, misleading advertising, ftc
Government and Economy
Bill Could Make Healthcare Cheaper for the Self-Employed
The measure under consideration would put an end to the FICA tax on health insurance premiums for the self-employed, making them more affordable and leveling the playing field with other businesses. WRN.com
Startups May Get Big Tax Break
New, bipartisan legislation proposes to amend the IRS code to allow new businesses to write off more of their operating costs. The Small Business Formation and Job Creation Act, would raise the start-up business deduction from the current $5,000 to $20,000. WSJ.com
By Charles M Cooper · March 20 2009
small business brief, marketing, small business, economy
Government and Economy
Small Business Stimulus Loan Scams
The SBA doesn't give stimulus package loans directly to small businesses, but that hasn't stopped scammers from trying to make you believe otherwise. BusinessWeek.com
Auto Suppliers to Receive $5 billion Bailout
The Treasury Department is trying to stabilize the auto industry by providing as much as $5 billion in financing to troubled auto parts suppliers linked to Detroit's car makers. Yahoo.com/AP
By Charles M Cooper · March 19 2009
small business brief, marketing, small business, economy
Government and Economy
Obama's Perplexing Tax Hikes
There is general agreement that it's not a good idea to raise taxes during a severe recession. Yet, here we are in a long, deep recession, and President Obama's budget includes a large number of tax increases. What's the deal? SBECouncil.org
Can Obama's Plan Stimulate Small Business Lending?
The Obama Administration offered a plan to spur lending and help for small businesses, but the program carries some real risks for the government. BusinessWeek.com
Management and Financial Issues
By Charles M Cooper · March 18 2009
small business brief, marketing, small business, economy
