Guest Blogger: Rep. Hal Rogers (R-KY) on Empowering Small Business
Rep. Hal Rogers /
Small business is the backbone of our economy. They create new jobs, employ half of the private sector workforce, and represent 99.9% of the businesses in this country. In recent years, small businesses have created 7 out of every 10 private sector jobs. In tough economic times, the government should do everything in its power to help small businesses, not burden them with new regulations and higher taxes. In order to jumpstart this economy, we must empower small businesses and give them the resources they need to create jobs and help put America back to work again.
First, we need to make things easy for small businesses. Right now they are drowning in mindless paperwork required by the government for some unknown purpose. And, unfortunately, it’s only getting worse. Take for instance the new health care law. It imposes $569 billion in new and higher taxes on businesses and individuals and includes a provision that would require a small business to file a 1099 form for any purchase over $600. This new government mandate has nothing to do with health coverage, it only imposes yet another hurdle and pile of paperwork for already over-regulated small business owners. A better alternative to the new health care law would be to empower our small businesses to band together to purchase health insurance for their employees so that they have more choices and access to more affordable options. (more…)