Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council

Fact of the Week: Durable Goods, Volatility and the Economy

By SBE Council at 24 May, 2013, 11:54 am

The news on durable goods orders released on May 24 was positive for the month of April. The only problem is that this data is very volatile from month to month, as illustrated by the fact that durable goods orders were down markedly in March. In April, orders rose by 3.3 percent, while March orders [...]

Capital & Credit Watch: Bernanke and Continuing Uncertainty

By SBE Council at 23 May, 2013, 1:01 pm

by Raymond J. Keating- Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke was back testifying on Capitol Hill on May 22. His comments managed to create additional uncertainty, not only in financial markets but for the overall economy. Bernanke’s prepared remarks actually offered little in terms new insights on the economy or policy. But market speculation ran rampant [...]

Online Sales Tax Effort All About Grabbing Revenue

By SBE Council at 23 May, 2013, 12:56 pm

by Raymond J. Keating- On May 6, the U.S. Senate passed a major tax measure on a bipartisan vote of 69-27. Unfortunately, if it becomes law, this “Marketplace Fairness Act of 2013” would amount to a massive tax increase imposed on the economy, with businesses, including small firms, confronted with additional and considerable tax compliance [...]

“Sue and Settle” Undermines Transparency and Small Business Participation in Reg Process

By SBE Council at 21 May, 2013, 1:01 pm

by Savannah Bentley- The U.S. Chamber of Commerce released a report on May 20, 2013 entitled “Sue and Settle: Regulating Behind Closed Doors,” which exposes a trend in government agencies settling lawsuits with private outside groups that end up impacting policy without allowing participation from adversely affected parties. As the report explains, “the agency intentionally [...]

New Caucus Will Focus on Dialog and Action to Help Small Businesses

By SBE Council at 21 May, 2013, 11:49 am

U.S. Representatives Scott Tipton (R-CO) and Chellie Pingree (D-ME) officially launched the formation of the Congressional Small Business Caucus at a Capitol Hill reception on May 20. According to a media release about the purpose of the caucus, it will be dedicated to “open dialogue on the issues that most impact small businesses.” At the [...]

Technology and Entrepreneurs: FCC Lagging and Dragging the Market

By SBE Council at 17 May, 2013, 10:44 am

by Raymond J. Keating- The telecommunications marketplace continues to drive ahead with investing in, expanding and innovating high-speed Internet Protocol (“IP”) broadband networks. Of course, consumers ultimately are driving this transformation, as they make the decisions about what works and what does not in the marketplace. For example, a December 27, 2012, NBC News report [...]

Immigration Reform in the Senate and W Visas

By SBE Council at 16 May, 2013, 11:13 am

By Savannah Bentley- ImmigrationWorks USA held a briefing on May 13, 2013 regarding how the Senate immigration reform bill (S.744) developed by the “Gang of 8” addresses the business community’s critical need for access to lesser-skilled workers. Representatives from Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), International Franchise Association, Migration Policy Institute and the National Association of Home Builders provided insight. The [...]

Energy & Entrepreneurs: Strange Export Politics

By SBE Council at 16 May, 2013, 10:21 am

by Raymond J. Keating- Political opposition to U.S. natural gas exports rank as one of the strangest developments on the trade front that I’ve ever seen as an economist and policy analyst for nearly a quarter century now, and as a student of economic and policy history. A member of Congress leading the opposition [...]

The IRS, Freedom and Tax Reform

By SBE Council at 15 May, 2013, 9:31 am

by Raymond J. Keating- It sounds like a conspiracy theory, or the plot of some kind of futuristic dystopia sci-fi novel. The IRS was being used to harass those who seek to educate Americans about the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, government debt, government spending, taxes, as well as the Affordable Care Act, better known [...]

FACT OF THE WEEK: An Attack on SBE Council’s Policy Index is an Attack on Economic Realities

By SBE Council at 14 May, 2013, 10:19 am

…new “report” that attempts to undermine pro-entrepreneur, pro-growth state Indexes lacks economic fundamentals, substance and common sense The political Left does not like to deal with economic reality. After all, economic reality can be very inconvenient for their agenda. For example, the fact that governmental costs such as taxes and regulations at all levels of [...]