Hacked emails and old videos have dominated the news of the presidential election lately. While salacious revelations and inside politics are interesting and motivating for some voters, there are important candidate positions voters need to know about. For us at Kabateck Strategies, how the candidates plan to improve conditions for small business is of upmost importance.
It appears both major party presidential candidates have been rather circumspect when it comes to dealing with problems of the small business world.
Sure, Hillary Clinton laid out some broad small business goals for her administration. She says she wants to unlock access to capital for small business, cut red tape to start a business, provide tax relief, help open new markets and set laws to make sure small businesses get paid. The last item is a shot at her opponent since some of Donald Trump’s contractors claim they were not paid for work they did for him.
For Trump’s part, he says he will cut taxes to help small business. Trump says under his administration no business will pay more than 15% in taxes. However, his plan has been criticized because the tax rate would not apply to pass-through income, and many small business owners pay their taxes on their personal income.
Here’s our concern, and seemingly the concern of many other voters these days: small business is often just a rhetorical foil used by candidates to tell voters they care about the little guy, but once elected candidates’ concern over small business problems become a low priority.
So it opens the door for Kabateck Strategies to pose a few important questions for the candidates.
Despite Hillary Clinton’s plans for small business, would she be willing to confront allies like trial lawyers who bring frivolous lawsuits against small business? Would she stand up to labor regulation demands so that small business owners aren’t eclipsed into oblivion?
Will Donald Trump’s tax relief plan be not only for the corporation but also help the struggling retailer, restaurant owner, farmer and others? And, where is Trump’s plan on the issues Clinton raises about capital access, red tape and all the rest?
Every voter deserves to know what these – and all other candidates – will do to give us some help on Main Street. Enough with the anger, vitriol and empty rhetoric of this political campaign – what job creators need now is hope that they’ll be able to create jobs under a new president and leaders at every level.