Guest Column: Issues, election set stage for entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurs still deeply care about government and its activities.

Big time interest

A National Federation of Independent Business Research Foundation poll about political participation found that a disproportionately large percentage of small business owners – 95 percent – are registered to vote and an almost equally large share -– 84 percent – usually do so.

Hundreds of those small-businessmen and businesswomen were in Washington, D.C., this summer for the 2008 NFIB National Small-Business Summit. They took the message to their senators and representatives that they want access to affordable health insurance, which is shaping up as the top issue for entrepreneurs and their employees in this election.

Duty-bound

Few segments of society have more legitimate excuses than small-business owners to stay home, to skip a major event like the summit or an election day. Not only do they have thriving enterprises to lead and manage, but also, in many cases, they are their company’s entire labor force.

But a strong sense of duty runs through this segment of the population: 96 percent believe that every citizen should participate in government, if only to vote, and 82 percent agree that business owners are leaders who have a responsibility to show the way in matters of public affairs and other key components of society.

In addition, small-business owners overwhelmingly agree that change for the better can result when good people participate in public affairs.

This year is a particularly important and exciting time for small-business owners to participate in their government and the fall elections.

Voter registrations are up significantly in many states, particularly among young people, adding to the electorate’s enthusiasm, as control of both the White House and the U.S. Congress is in play.

Key issues

Major issues with potentially profound consequences for entrepreneurs also will be on the table once the election dust settles.

Debates over how to rein in out-of-control health care costs, what types of tax policies will help or hurt small-business owners, how to craft an immigration policy that controls the borders while meeting our labor demands – all of these will command our attention in 2009.

These and other challenges to the future of our nation are the very reasons why entrepreneurs who create and successfully grow the nation’s 25 million-plus small firms can ill afford to stay at home when politics calls.

There is still time for small-business owners who care about the most important segment of the nation’s economy get involved and affirm the small-business sector’s belief that achieving good public policy is a constant struggle – but a struggle well worth the effort and the time.

Todd Stottlemyer is president and CEO of Washington, D.C.-based National Federation of Independent Business, a nonpartisan small-business association. He may be reached via www.nfib.com. [[In-content Ad]]