The small business community is the heart of America, and its value in producing jobs, investment, and peace of mind for our communities is immeasurable. Yet despite the fact that small business generates half of America's GDP, the overall strength of this population is often overlooked by politicians, pundits and the news media. It is time to fully recognize and support America's job creators and the incredibly important roles that they play in our neighborhoods and in the nation.
That is why the National Federation of Independent Business, the leading voice of small and independent business, is dedicated to helping our members and the rest of the small business community improve their livelihoods by supporting and fighting for pro-small business candidates in federal and state elections. Elected officials who fight for small business deserve our assistance and backing, especially in this challenging political environment amid the rise of single issue special interest groups and powerful labor organizations.
We cannot let the guardians of small business in America's capitol be defeated or we risk losing powerful voices in our capitol that stand for the values of free enterprise.
NFIB will continue to defend and support these valuable officials as we have in recent years, with a robust political program that includes a variety of communications, media integration, online resources and get-out-the-vote activities. NFIB's political involvement and support of candidates will continue to be solely based on their positions on small business issues, either through responses on a candidate questionnaire or by examination of incumbents' voting records on key legislative votes.
This election year is especially crucial for the future of the small business community. 2008 is being dubbed as a year for change in the political world, and small business owners must be part of the shifting tides. A number of key legislative issues including rising taxes, burdensome government regulations and frivolous lawsuits could threaten the livelihood of our entrepreneurs. And one issue continues to stand above the rest and is consistently the number one obstacle small businesses must overcome: access to affordable health care.
With the grim situation that small businesses face in America, particularly with the crisis of finding affordable healthcare, the political importance of the small business voting bloc cannot be overlooked during this election--but it is. Throughout the election cycle, too many candidates are ignoring or neglecting the needs of the small business population. This is a mistake that politicians cannot afford to make.
National surveys conducted by NFIB and Strategy One on Super Tuesday (Feb. 5, 2008), and Feb. 15-19, 2008, overwhelmingly found that the small business voting bloc is active, powerful, influential and substantial. While small business owners themselves represent nearly 15 percent of the voting population, when employees of these small businesses are added to the equation the number becomes a whopping 43 percent--almost 30 percent higher than the portion of the population that identifies as union members, which stands at 12 percent. This is an exceedingly considerable portion of the electorate, with numbers that rival more well-established and recognized voter segments such as 2004 first-time voters (11 percent), soccer moms (5 percent) and NASCAR dads (2 percent).
What's more, the small business community is politically active--NFIB members are educated on the issues and consistently head to the polls during elections. In fact, an incredibly large portion of small business owners are registered to vote (95 percent), usually do vote (84 percent) and run for elective office (3 percent)*. Small business owners understand and are committed to the political process. Candidates cannot afford to continue to overlook this population.
Therefore, NFIB and its staff are dedicated to making the voice of small business heard in the 2008 elections, and we are excited to welcome you to one of the most valuable resources we offer to the small business community: NFIB.com/Politics. Throughout the 2008 election cycle, NFIB.com/Politics will be focused on providing pertinent information on election developments, the candidates, voter information and ways to be politically involved. The site is designed to help small business members make sense of the 2008 elections amidst the clutter, numbers and political rhetoric. Be sure to check out the various tools offered, including:
- 2008 Election Guide
- Voter registration information
- A members-only list of SAFE Trust endorsed candidates
- Solutions Start Here campaign
- Protect Free Enterprise
Visit the site often for updated political news and happenings through Nov. 4.
It is time that the small business community is addressed and fairly represented. We must elect representatives in Washington, D.C., who understand the obstacles small businesses face every day and will fight for their interests against big business and big labor. If we do not get involved, we risk losing both America's job creators and the values of free enterprise that America was built on.
*Source: NFIB National Small Business Poll: Political Participation, NFIB Research Foundation.
