Government and Economy Quarterly Indicators: The Economy and Small Business In the fourth quarter of 2008, the U.S. economy suffered its worst decline since 1982 as real GDP fell by an annualized 3.8 percent. In 2008, the US lost 2.97 million jobs, more than half of them in the fourth quarter. These and other trends are discussed as they affect small business. RNC Chairman Steele Pushes for More Small Business Aid Not all jobs are created equal according to recently elected Republican National Committee Chair Michael Steele, who argues that the Obama Administration in making work than in creating lasting jobs. He is pushing for more of the econo... [Read Full Article]

Running a small business is rewarding in many ways, but it can also be tough and the cost of doing business—rent, inventory, utilities, advertising, marketing, payroll, taxes and regulation—adds up very quickly and sometimes, especially in difficult economic times, it can be a real struggle for a business owner to keep their employees on the payroll. The fact is that small businesses are not like the giant uber-corporations that dot the big business landscape; they don’t see their employees as pawns in the great game of stock value and investor profit. No, to small firms, employees are the life and soul of the business just as small business is the life and soul of communities across the nation.  Of course, some folks don’t see it that way. Blinded by their class warfare ideology, they give no thought to the burden they are placing on people when they come up with their latest “great idea.” No, they assume that business owners will just work harder to fi... [Read Full Article]