Gaining headlines with the release of the Pew Research Center’s survey last week was the fact that Americans don’t trust government. But buried in the survey numbers on the negative feeling Americans had about most institutions was a major exception – small business.
While the federal government garnered support from only 25% in the survey, large corporations achieved the same level of support, the media corralled 31% support, labor unions 32% and entertainment industry 33%, small business was sitting atop the survey at 71% support from the American public.
Support for small business crossed party lines. Over 70% of Democrats, Republicans and Independents look favorably on small business.
Even institutions that received strong support from the public like churches and religious institutions did not reach the level of small business appreciation.
The survey found that despite small business’s importance, people felt small business was ignored by policy makers. Since small business is the backbone of the economy and creates 65% or the jobs nationwide, the people’s intuition is pretty good.
The same goes for small business in California, of course. Small business is the spur for the economy. Weighing small business down with too much in regulations and taxes undercuts the ability of small businesses to create jobs and help the state out of its fiscal mess. Crushing small business in the Golden State won’t go over well with the voters here, either.
You can read more about the small business aspect of the Pew Center study in this USA Today column.