Just Do Something, Please (Part II)
While the last post discussed the fallacies of approaching the jobs issue from a macro perspective, this one addresses why it’s nearly impossible to find practical common sense among leaders in the public arena. To help explain this, here’s an anecdote.
A Real Business Struggle
A client and friend runs a small business in Decatur, GA—specifically, a family-owned restaurant with more than 25 tables that’s been thriving for over 15 years. This business exemplifies the traditional American Dream: a husband and wife find a local niche, take a risk, and build a loyal customer base that returns because of the high-quality food and service. Their pricing is premium, but customers are willing to pay for the value they receive.
However, running the business isn’t easy. Beyond managing cash flow and trying to keep uninsured employees from walking out, the challenges are constant—hourly, daily, and weekly. The physical and emotional tolls on the business owners are immense. These are complexities that a typical “9 to 5” worker never experiences. Anyone familiar with the 50 million independent small business owners in the U.S. knows this struggle all too well.
The Lack of Support for Small Business
To make matters worse, there’s little help or support from special interests or lobby groups. Sure, organizations like local chambers of commerce and the Small Business Administration (SBA) claim to care about small business. One political party regularly talks about how small businesses account for 70% of the nation’s jobs. Yet, despite the rhetoric, very little real change happens. The system is rigged to benefit big business, big labor, and big government, leaving small businesses to fend for themselves. It’s a reality that doesn’t look like it will change anytime soon. None of the presidential candidates have the credibility to truly advocate for small businesses, no matter what they claim.
The Way It Used to Be
It wasn’t always this way. Our nation’s founding fathers, for example, were hands-on in their work. Jefferson and Franklin, both landowners, invented everything from dumbwaiters to plows, bifocals, stoves, and clocks. Post-World War II, many veterans returned home and started general stores, often born out of personal challenges like debilitating injuries or chronic illnesses. Today, that kind of entrepreneurship seems to be fading or is now associated mainly with the tech sector. Today’s veterans return home with limited benefits and fewer chances to start their own businesses, primarily due to a lack of financing and the high costs involved. This situation is deeply troubling.
The Need for Local Leadership
There’s something fundamentally wrong with this picture, one that is further distorted by negative stereotypes of people outside big cities as simple-minded and intolerant. We all remember the media circus around “Joe the Plumber” during the 2008 election.
The solution here isn’t to ignore the global marketplace—it’s about focusing on the local core, where many communities have reconnected. Leadership means addressing the needs of small businesses like the one I described, removing obstacles, and standing up for the cause. The key to real economic growth and job creation lies in supporting the small businesses that are the backbone of this country. Moving the chairs around on the big business tax cut/debt Titanic isn’t the answer.