Here we are, finally, after 21 months of relentless campaigning, lying, cheating, mud-slinging, insane media bias, false promises and a whole raft of October Surprises, it is Election Day. Finally, it is no longer a question of polls, no longer a matter of what the wide assortment of pontificating talking heads that have dominated the airwaves for nearly two years believe. It all comes down to one thing: Your vote. That's right, it is up to YOU and your opinion. Who cares what Olberman or Matthews have to say, no matter how much Matthews' leg tingles? For that matter, who cares what Bill O'Reilly or Sean Hannity have to say? Up until today it has all been talk—now we are going to see action. Today's election is the only poll that matters. If you are an Obama fan, don't feel complacent at what the polls are telling you. If you are a McCain supporter, don't feel intimidated or lost. Opinion polls—especially during this divisive political season—are merely manipulated sta... [Read Full Article]

Politics and Economics Last Words from the Candidates Today, November 3, the Wall Street Journal published pieces by Barack Obama and John McCain that highlight key elements of their economic platforms.   Are You Worn Out and Frustrated by The Issues? You Are Not Alone. Both presidential hopefuls have talked about small business more than candidates in other recent elections, but for small business owners, problem is that too many issues are confronting them all at once. Chicago Tribune (free registration) Department of D... [Read Full Article]

Politics and Economics SBE Revises its Presidential Candidates' Issue Grid The Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council has updated its Presidential Candidates' Issue Grid to offer a clearer picture of where Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain stand on issues important to small business. SBE Council Raising Taxes is Not Smart Economics: The Economy Needs as Much Capital as It Can Get The last thing our economy needs right now is for the government to be taking more capital from the private sector and out of our economy. Really, raising taxes is not a smart move – on anyone, or any business. There is no justification for siphoning more money out of our troubled, capital-deprived economy – period! [Read Full Article]

Politics Days from the Election: Candidates Talk-up Health care and Taxes Democrat Barack Obama is attacking his opponent's health care policies. Republican John McCain is rallying opposition to Obama's tax plans. They are both scouring battleground states like Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Virginia, Florida and Ohio in an effort to woo independents. Bloomberg Business Groups Seek Pension Fund Relief from Congress Business groups from across the country have asked Congress to revise pension fund rules to counter problems posed by current market conditions. Among the things they want are lower levels of funding for the plans and clarification as to whether they can smooth out reported market values. Reuters ... [Read Full Article]

Your Tax Dollars at Work: Wall Street Bailout Money Going to Buy Other Banks Taxpayers were told that the major rationale for handing over $700 billion to Wall Street was to save the American economy by making loans more accessible. Unfortunately, it seems that some of the recipients of our largess, such as J.P. Morgan Chase would rather use our money to buy up other banks. New York Times McCain Versus Obama on Small Business Insurance Plans Republican John McCain wants to move away from employer-sponsored insurance, giving Americans the money to help pay for their plans of choice. Democrat Barack Obama prefers to subsidize health care for small businesses. Which one of these wildly different approaches do you think is best? [Read Full Article]

OK, now I am impressed. Senator Hillary Clinton—who hasn’t really done much to catch my attention so far—has come up with an “insourcing” agenda for American business in the 21st Century. I am glad to see that someone is actually talking about this issue. It is refreshing to say the least, considering the record of her opponents.   In 2003, Sen. McCain authored an amendment that undermined long-standing rules requiring the U.S. military to only purchase equipment, defense systems and components manufactured in the United States. This set the stage for the Air Force’s decision to outsource the production of refueling tankers for the American military to Airbus. Had Boeing won the contract, over 44,000 new jobs would have been created here in the U.S. As for Obama, at a campaign stop in Iowa back in 2007, he stated his support for using taxes to reign-in companies that send jobs overseas as well as enlisting education and infrastructure im... [Read Full Article]