Small Business Scores During 110th Congress' First 100 Hours; Politico.com Debuts Today

Last Friday marked the end of the House Democratic leadership's 100-hour agenda. Within just two and-a-half weeks, the do-something 110th Congress passed all eight of its top priorities:

1] We will start by cleaning up Congress, ending the link between lobbyists and legislation. H.Res. 6, Title II, "Adopting the Rules of the House of Representatives for the One Hundred Tenth Congress." Passed 430-1, Jan. 4th, 2007

GoodBiz113's stance: Now that Corporate America's direct link to lawmakers has been broken, the federal-contracting playing field should finally begin to level for small businesses. We've noticed that, since last Nov. 7, some prime contractors and federally funded agencies and institutions are now being more transparent and inclusive in their supplier-diversity and subcontracting practices.

2] We will commit to pay-as-you-go, no new deficit spending. H.Res. 6, Title IV, "Adopting the Rules of the House of Representatives for the One Hundred Tenth Congress." Passed 280-152, Jan. 5th, 2007

GoodBiz113's stance: This is a long-overdue, win-win-win for everyone. [How many of us -- as families, individuals, small-biz owners, entrepreneurs, etc. -- could continually budget our lives and businesses in the red?]

3] We will make our nation safer by implementing the recommendations of the independent, bipartisan 9/11 Commission. H.R. 1, "Implementing the 9/11 Commission Recommendations Act of 2007." Passed 299-128, Jan. 9th, 2007

GoodBiz113's stance: Again, a win-win-win for everyone -- blue, red and "purple" alike.

4] We will make our economy fairer, and start by raising the minimum wage. We will not pass a pay raise for Congress until there is an increase in the minimum wage. H.R. 2, "Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007." Passed 315-116, Jan. 10th, 2007

GoodBiz113's stance: Decently paid employees are happier employees. In the long run, that has a positive "trickle-up effect" on business owners' bottom lines.

5] We will promote stem cell research to offer real hope to the millions of American families who suffer from devastating diseases. H.R. 3, "Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act." Passed 253-174, Jan. 11th, 2007

GoodBiz113's stance: It's a healthy move for everybody. Thank you, Michael J. Fox, for thoughtfully, generously and courageously promoting stem cell research -- even in the face of unthinkably mean-spirited ridicule.

6] We will make health care more affordable for all Americans, and we will begin by fixing the Medicare prescription drug program, putting seniors first by negotiating lower drug prices. H.R. 4, "Medicare Prescription Drug Price Negotiation Act." Passed 255-170, Jan. 12th, 2007

GoodBiz113's stance: Healthy employees are more productive employees. Lower drug prices will help seniors stay healthy -- and, perhaps, free up some consumer dollars to spend.

7] We will broaden college opportunity, and we will begin by cutting interest rates for student loans in half. H.R. 5, "College Student Relief Act of 2007." Passed 356-71, Jan. 17th, 2007

GoodBiz113's stance: Well-educated students means well-educated professionals propelling our growing communities, technologies, businesses, schools, hospitals, not-for-profit groups, public agencies, etc. The more educated our citizenry is, the better it is for everyone.

8] We will energize America by achieving energy independence, and we will begin by rolling back the multi-billion dollar subsidies for Big Oil. H.R. 6, "Creating Long-Term Energy Alternatives for the Nation Act." Passed 264-163, Jan. 18th, 2007

GoodBiz113's stance: Aside from the fact that Big Oil should never have had subsidies in the first place [!], this move will help grow businesses that are committed to developing efficient and affordable alternative energy technologies [e.g., hybrid, solar, wind, biofuels, ethanol, hydrogen] AND reduce our deadly dependence on foreign oil.

Next up: tax reform. When U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was asked about taxes on ''Face the Nation,'' she replied that any tax increase would be limited to the wealthy. Taking back ''tax cuts for those making over a certain amount of money -- $500,000 a year -- might be more important to the American people than ignoring the educational and health needs of America's children,'' said Pelosi.

''We're not going to start with repealing tax cuts, but they certainly are not off the table for people making over half a million dollars a year," Pelosi noted. "It's an option; it's not a first resort.''

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GoodBiz113 Drafts Small-Biz Wish List for 110th Congress

On this, the eve of the Democrat-controlled, do-something 110th Congress, we small-biz champions at GoodBiz113 have a Lettermanesque Top 10 wish list for U.S. Senators and House representatives alike:

10] Ensure that federal contracts set aside for small businesses are, in fact, awarded to small businesses. Earlier this week, the New York Times reported that many studies have shown that hundreds of government contracts set aside for small business are being awarded to large corporations.

Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., incoming chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, has proposed giving the Small Business Administration more time to complete size determinations and to help prevent big businesses from slipping under the radar of a bureaucratic contracting process. The SBA recently required businesses to report their size every five years. Kerry's proposal would make the reports annual.

"The protest process is supposed to keep the system honest, but what's the point of protesting a contract if nothing happens?" Kerry said.

Rep. Nydia Velazquez, D-N.Y., the incoming chairwoman of the House Small Business Committee, said she would work to rectify the problems faced by small businesses by ensuring that there is an effective protest system in place. She also wants to make sure that penalties are enforced.

"The fact that large businesses are being awarded with small-business contracts, and that there is no system in place with penalties or consequences for this, is extremely concerning," Velazquez said.

9] Require that federal contract-bidding and -award processes are totally transparent, and that all recipients of federal funds [e.g., public agencies, prime contractors, educational institutions] can instantly account for how dollars are being spent re compliance with small-biz and supplier-diversity statutory goals.

8] Hold federal agencies and prime contractors accountable for meeting small-business and supplier-diversity subcontracting statutory goals.

7] Require prime contractors and small businesses to endure the rigors of bidding on federal contracts. Read: No more multibillion-dollar, no-bid contracts -- e.g., for disaster relief, military/war-related products and services -- to be handed to corporate cronies of elected officials and/or administrators of federal agencies.

6] Boost small-business loan availability via SBA.

5] Overhaul No Child Left Behind. Academically, a lot of kids are getting left behind -- kids who will need to fill the jobs being vacated in droves by retiring baby boomers.

Physical education? Foreign languages? Art? Music? Drama? Sports? From coast to coast, those "complementary" body-, mind-, character- and spirit-shaping classes and activities have fallen by the wayside in far too many school districts.

Employers -- small and large alike -- need smart, articulate, well-rounded people to create, market and deliver products and services. Every child of every ethnic group, geographic location, socioeconomic background, religion, sexual orientation, physical ability, thinking style, etc., deserves a fair shot at being one of those people who can effectively contribute to society.

4] Simultaneously promote energy independence and rural economic development. According to Jackie Gleason, rural business administrator at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the United States will spend $300 billion this year on importing oil — exceeding the entire U.S. farm output for the year. If farmers can successfully capture even 20 percent of that oil revenue, he said, it will yield revenue "greater than the total of net farm income" for the nation.

Incoming U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., said promoting energy independence is her "No. 1 priority." Incoming U.S. Rep. Tim Walz, D-Minn., said renewable energy offers the promise of keeping "the viability of our rural areas."

3] Make college more affordable by reducing interest rates on student loans. In order to grow our economy and be viable players in the global economy, we need well-educated women and men in all industries and sectors -- preferably, folks who don't have to stress about repaying student loans for years after earning their sheepskins.

2] Provide incentives for small-business owners to help make health care more affordable for their employees. Since Day One, Starbucks founder and CEO Howard Schultz has provided health insurance for all his employees -- including full-time and part-time baristas. Success leaves clues...

1] Raise the minimum wage ASAP. Yes, we know that a fair number of small-business owners will bristle [curse?] at this notion. To those folks we say, just note how prosperous Horst Rechelbacher [Aveda, Intelligent Nutrients], Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield [Ben & Jerry's] and other entrepreneurs have become by sharing the wealth with their employees. Beyond being the right thing to do, it's a karmic thing; i.e., what you put out comes back at least tenfold.

Incoming House Rep. Carol Shea-Porter, D-N.H., who's been assigned to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, can hardly wait to cast her vote during the 110th's first 100 hours. "I'm honored to be able to vote for raising the minimum wage," she told New Hampshire's Portsmouth Herald News. "All of the research I've read says this is not only good for workers, but small-business owners, too. If people have more money, they will spend it in the local economy."

Happy New Year, 110th Congress! Best wishes for the most productive, peaceful, fair-minded and prosperous year this country has seen in, well, too long a while.

Voting Records and Goals of 2006 U.S. Senate Candidates in Top 20 Races Provide Glimpse of Friends to Small Business

National Journal's latest rankings of key 2006 U.S. Senate races -- AKA "The Top 20" -- were just released. GoodBiz113 will leave the hot-button issues -- e.g., Iraq, terrorism, stem-cell research, energy independence, immigration, abortion rights, gay marriage -- for prime-time soundbites. Here, we'll glimpse where candidates stand on issues that directly impact our nation's 25.8 million small businesses and serve the greatest possible good: health care, jobs, tax reform and technology.

#1 -- Pennsylvania: Junior Sen. Rick Santorum [R] advocates increased offshore drilling; has pledged to continue opposing the estate tax [AKA "death tax"], which would eventually eliminate the tax imposed on estates and gifts by 2010, at an estimated cost of $75 billion annually when fully phased in; and has proposals for health savings accounts and privatized Social Security, which would benefit few wage earners. He voted "no" on repealing a tax subsidy for companies that move U.S. jobs offshore; "no" on replacing farm price supports; "yes" on repealing Clinton's ergonomic rules on repetitive stress; "no" on raising the minimum wage to $7.25 rather than $6.25; "yes" on extending the tax cuts on capital gains and dividends; "yes" on telecom deregulation; "no" on disallowing FCC approval of larger media conglomerates; and "yes' on permanently repealing the estate tax.

Santorum's No. 1 challenger is State Treasurer Bob Casey Jr. [D], who advocates alternative fuel development; pension security; a minimum-wage increase; repeal of tax cuts on the top 1% of earners; and has touted a proposal that would make health insurance available to more Americans by developing a purchasing pool for small businesses that would give them more purchasing power, thus reducing rates.

#2 -- Ohio: Senior Sen. Mike DeWine [R] broke with his party on a federal minimum-wage hike by voting for it, but he has not come out to support the state proposal to raise the minimum wage. He voted "yes" on limiting the self-employment health deduction; "no" on repealing a tax subsidy for companies that move U.S. jobs offshore; "yes" on killing an increase in the minimum wage; "yes" on repealing Clinton's ergonomic rules on repetitive stress; "no" on raising the minimum wage to $7.25 rather than $6.25; "yes" on extending the tax cuts on capital gains and dividends; "yes" on telecom deregulation; "no" on disallowing FCC approval of larger media conglomerates; and "yes" on permanently repealing the estate tax.

DeWine's challenger, U.S. Rep. Sherrod Brown [D], has voted "no" on establishing tax-exempt medical savings accounts; "no" on eliminating the estate tax; "no" on making Bush tax cuts permanent; "yes" on providing tax relief and simplification; "no" on retaining reduced taxes on capital gains and dividends; "no" on allowing telephone monopolies to offer Internet access; "yes" on establishing "network neutrality" [non-tiered Internet]; favors Ohio's constitutional amendment to raise the minimum wage; and has declared that health care should be a right, not a privilege.

#3 -- Rhode Island: In 2000, incumbent Sen. Lincoln Chafee [R] voted against phasing out the estate tax. Since then, he voted "yes" on repealing Clinton's ergonomic rules on repetitive stress; "no" on repealing a tax subsidy for companies that move U.S. jobs offshore; and "no" on permanently repealing the estate tax.

Chafee's challenger, former Rhode Island Attorney General Sheldon Whitehouse [D] holds that, "Small businesses keep our economy growing," and aims to "raise the minimum wage to a living wage" while "rolling back the tax reductions to America's wealthiest." Whitehouse has declared the Bush tax cuts to be "improvident and unfair," and need to be repealed. "They've been improvident because they've run up our budget deficit to the highest levels ever," Whitehouse said during a recent debate with Chafee. "Middle-income Rhode Islanders [got less tax relief than] somebody making more than $200,000. It has not been fair. We need to repeal the Bush tax cuts." Whitehouse also wants to provide all families with health insurance.

#4 -- Virginia: Junior Sen. George Allen [R] voted "yes" on repealing Clinton's ergonomic rules on repetitive stress; "no" on raising the minimum wage to $7.25 rather than $6.25; "yes" on $350 billion in tax breaks over 11 years; "no" on disallowing FCC approval of larger media conglomerates; "yes" on extending the tax cuts on capital gains and dividends; "no" on repealing the tax subsidy for companies that move U.S. jobs offshore; "no" on disallowing FCC approval of larger media conglomerates; and "yes" on permanently repealing the estate tax.

In his April 2006 campaign announcement, challenger Jim Webb [D] declared, "We hear a lot of talk about helping the average American, words about patriotic people who work hard and do the best they can for their families, hoping for an even break. But anyone who watches the news knows that this administration -- always supported by my opponent -- has put the interests of big business and corporate America before your interests. It's time for Democrats to stand up again for working people, for working Virginians who expect their leaders to listen." Webb also intends to make tax reform a main priority: "Our economy is in trouble. Our tax policies make no sense. Our country is breaking into three pieces, with the people at the top living in a luxury never before dreamed of, even as our middle class sees its jobs being outsourced overseas, their health care slipping away and our public education systems declining, and as the people at the bottom are becoming a permanent underclass." On health care, Webb has noted, "Legislation should focus on providing people access to health care, not simply on corporate profits...Don't let drug-company lobbyists write prescription drug plans."

#5 -- Montana: Junior Sen. Conrad Burns [R] voted "yes" on limiting the self-employment health deduction; "no" on establishing tax-exempt medical savings accounts; "yes" on killing an increase in the minimum wage; "yes" on repealing Clinton's ergonomic rules on repetitive stress; "no" on raising the minimum wage to $7.25 rather than $6.25; "no" on repealing the tax subsidy for companies that move U.S. jobs offshore; "no" on disallowing FCC approval of larger media conglomerates; "yes" on telecom deregulation; and declared that a minimum wage increase is OK -- provided that it's packaged with a tax cut.

Burns' No. 1 challenger, Montana Senate President Jon Tester [D], is a third-generation Montana farmer. As state senator, he helped pass funding of workforce training grants; eliminated taxes on 13,000 small businesses; established a Main Street Montana program to revitalize downtown areas across the state; and passed his bill to promote Made in Montana products. Tester also successfully fought to lower the cost of health insurance for small businesses, and to expand renewable energy production. If elected, he aims to fight for affordable health care ["Families can't afford to get sick; that's not health care," Tester declared.]; raise the minimum wage to a fair and livable wage; and "focus tax cuts on the middle class, not the rich."

#6 -- Missouri: The state's minimum-wage ballot issue looms as a key issue itself and as a catalyst for getting voters to the ballot boxes Nov. 7. Junior Sen. Jim Talent [R] hasn't taken a position on the ballot measure to raise the state's minimum wage, and supports federal increases only if they include tax breaks or other breaks for small business. Among the votes he cast: "no" on raising the minimum wage to $7.25 rather than $6.25; "yes" on establishing tax-exempt medical savings accounts; "no" on repealing a tax subsidy for companies that move U.S. jobs offshore; "yes" on extending the tax cuts on capital gains and dividends; "no" on disallowing FCC approval of larger media conglomerates; and "yes" on permanently repealing the estate tax.

Talent's challenger, State Auditor Claire McCaskill [D], favors Missouri's minimum-wage ballot initiative and, if elected, will work to try and get a "long-overdue" federal minimum-wage hike passed. "It is a shame Congress has not raised the minimum wage in 10 years," said McCaskill. "This issue is pretty simple. You just can't make it in America on $5.15 an hour. We must increase the minimum wage. Too many Missourians are working too hard at too many jobs just to scrape by. I strongly support rewarding their hard work. It's immoral for full-time workers in America to live in poverty." McCaskill will also "expand Medicare for people, not drug companies."

#7 -- Maryland: Open seat. U.S. Rep. Ben Cardin [D] represented Marylanders in Congress since 1987. Since then, he voted "no" on establishing tax-exempt medical savings accounts; "no" on replacing illegal tax breaks with $140 billion in new breaks; "no" on eliminating the estate tax; "no" on making Bush tax cuts permanent; "yes" on providing tax relief and simplification; "no" on retaining reduced taxes on capital gains and dividends; and "yes" on establishing network neutrality.

Cardin's key opponent, Lt. Gov. Michael Steele [R], aims to expand opportunities for minority-owned businesses; create legacy wealth for future generations; make tax relief permanent; and repeal the "death tax." He also advocates association health plans. "I believe we need to create a health-care system that works for small-business owners and small-business employees," Cardin told the Baltimore Sun. "Millions of them are going without health care today just because bureaucrats in Washington won't wake up to the fact that our current system is burdensome and ineffective. That is why I support allowing small businesses to band together and compete for better insurance options. With Association Health Plans, small employers will be able to pool their health-insurance costs and have greater purchasing power to achieve better benefits for their employees."

#8 -- Arizona: Junior Sen. Jon Kyl [R] voted "no" on establishing medical savings accounts; "yes" on limiting the self-employment health deduction; "yes" on killing an increase in the minimum wage; "yes" on repealing Clinton's ergonomic rules on repetitive stress; "no" on raising the minimum wage to $7.25 rather than $6.25; "yes" on $350 billion in tax breaks over 11 years; "yes" on extending the tax cuts on capital gains and dividends; "yes" on permanently repealing the "death tax"; "yes" on telecom deregulation; and "no" on disallowing FCC approval of larger media conglomerates.

Kyl's challenger, Jim Pederson [D], a commercial developer and chair of the Arizona Democratic Party, supports increasing the minimum wage; negotiating better prescription drug prices; and opposes Kyl's "Paris Hilton Relief Act of 2006" [AKA estate-tax repeal], which would drastically raise the thresholds at which the estate tax kicks in -- to $5 million per individual and $10 million per couple -- while slashing the estate tax rate from 46% to 15%.

#9 -- New Jersey: Incumbent Sen. Robert Menendez [D] has voted "no" on establishing tax-exempt medical savings acccounts; "no" on replacing illegal export tax breaks with $140 billion in new breaks; "no" on eliminating the estate tax; "no" on making the Bush tax cuts permanent; "no" on permamently repealing the estate tax, holding that doing so only benefits the wealthiest 1%; and advocates limiting tax breaks on our nation's wealthiest 1%, to help pay for affordable health care for everyone. "Tom Kean Jr. and his friends in the Bush administration have chosen to create bigger and bigger federal deficits by granting tax breaks to giant corporations and the super-rich, rather than address the vital health-care needs of America's families," Menendez responded during a debate held this September. "No one should ever have to choose between filling their prescriptions and their refrigerator. Everyone deserves quality health care and access to vital medicine at an affordable price."

According to Menendez' challenger, Tom Kean Jr. [R], "Governments don't create jobs; businesses do." Kean wants to make permanent the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts; repeal the "unfair" death tax and marriage penalty tax; and will support "pro-growth policies, such as lower taxes and less regulation, to attract the business investment that will create high-paying jobs for the future." He also advocates establishment of individual health savings accounts.

#10 -- Tennessee: Open seat. In Congress, Rep. Harold Ford [D] has voted "yes" to spending $167 billion over 10 years for farm price supports; "no" on establishing tax-exempt medical savings accounts; "yes" on eliminating the estate tax; "no" on a tax-cut package of $958 billion over 10 years; "no" on making the Bush tax cuts permanent; "yes" on providing tax relief and simplification; "yes" on establishing network neutrality; and has consistently supported minimum-wage increases.

Ford's No. 1 challenger, Bob Corker [R], is a businessman who advocates "letting competition determine drug prices, not negotiation"; encourages establishment of health savings accounts; wants to stimulate job growth by "reducing taxation, litigation and regulation"; and aims to make President Bush's tax cuts permanent. "The tax cuts passed by Congress and signed by President Bush in 2001 and 2003 must be made permanent to keep our economy growing," says Corker.

#11 -- Michigan: Junior Sen. Debbie Stabenow [D] voted "no" on establishing tax-exempt medical savings accounts; "yes" on repealing a tax subsidy for companies that move U.S. jobs offshore; "no" on repealing Clinton's ergonomic rules on repetitive stress; "yes" on raising the minimum wage to $7.25 rather than $6.25; "no" on $350 billion in tax breaks over 11 years; "no" on permanently repealing the estate tax; and "yes" on disallowing FCC approval of larger media conglomerates. Affordable health care is among Stabenow's top priorities. "Health-care coverage needs to be a right, not a privilege," she declared during a senate debate in Grand Rapids, Mich., in October 2006. "I've been laser-focused on working with the auto industry to more adequately and effectively to lower the costs of prescription drugs. I've also worked bipartisan to allow people to bring prescription drugs back from Canada legally."

Stabenow's No. 1 challenger, Mike Bouchard [R], avidly supports the manufacturing sector as being "the heart of the economy"; holds that the tax burden and government spending are too high; aims to make the Bush tax cuts permanent; and advocates health savings accounts to "empower individuals."

#12 -- Minnesota: Open seat. In Congress, Rep. Mark Kennedy [R] voted "yes" on replacing illegal export tax breaks with $140 billion in new breaks; "yes" on zero-funding OSHA's Ergonomics Rule; "yes" on eliminating the estate tax; "yes" on a tax cut package of $958 billion over 10 years; "yes" on retaining reduced taxes on capital gains and dividends; "yes" on allowing telephone monopolies to offer Internet access; and "no" on establishing network neutrality.

Kennedy's No. 1 challenger, Hennepin County Attorney Amy Klobuchar [D], pictured above, aims to "crack down on the price of health care"; "insist that our government negotiate lower prices with pharmaceutical companies"; "aggressively fight health care fraud"; "push for a fair Medicare reimbursement system that doesn't leave Minnesota at the end of the line"; "work to reduce health-care administrative costs"; "level the playing field for farmers"; roll back tax cuts on people making over $336,000 a year; and reduce our nation's $250 billion deficit by rolling back lucrative tax benefits for the top 1%. "Our debt is approaching $9 trillion," Klobuchar noted during her debate with Kennedy on "Meet the Press" [Oct. 15, 2006]. "This administration and this Congress took a $200 billion surplus and turned it into $250 billion deficit. One out of 12 of the federal tax dollars that Minnesotans are paying goes to interest on this debt. And this is my solution: First of all, let's look at those $70 billion that's being sheltered in the Cayman Islands and Bermuda for multimillionaires. Get rid of those shelters. Next, look at capital gains. Not changing the rate, but having a third-party validator like brokerage houses post those because there's underpayment. That brings in $17 billion. Roll back the tax cuts to the Clinton levels, to the top 1%. That brings another $56 billion in. Get rid of the no-bid contracts, so we have competitive bidding: $10 billion more."

#13 -- Washington: Junior Sen. Maria Cantwell [D] has voted "no" on repealing a tax subsidy for companies that move U.S jobs offshore; "yes" on allowing reimportation of prescription drugs from Canada; "no" on repealing Clinton's ergonomic rules on repetitive stress; "yes" on raising the minimum wage to $7.25 rather than $6.25; "no" on $350 billion in tax breaks over 11 years; "no" on permanently repealing the estate tax; and "yes" on disallowing FCC approval of larger media conglomerates. As a state legislator, Cantwell co-sponsored a bill to ensure that uninsured individuals with pre-existing medical conditions could get coverage. She's vowed to continue supporting increased federal funding for expanded health-care coverage: "It is critical that we ensure that all citizens have access to basic, quality health care."

Cantwell's challenger, Mike McGavick [R], a businessman, holds that "tax increases are counterproductive"; "health savings accounts give stewardship to families"; and aims to "harness competition and put people back in control of their health-care dollars."

#14 -- Nebraska: Junior Sen. Ben Nelson [D] has voted "yes" on allowing reimportation of prescription drugs from Canada; "no" on repealing a tax subsidy for companies that move U.S. jobs offshore; "no" on repealing Clinton's ergonomic rules on repetitive stress; "yes" on raising the minimum wage to $7.25 rather than $6.25; and "yes" on disallowing FCC approval of larger media conglomerates.

Challenger Peter Ricketts [R] supports health savings accounts; a line-item veto; fair and simple taxes; and holds that the so-called "death tax" is based on "jealousy of high achievement."

#15 -- Nevada: Junior Sen. John Ensign [R] voted "yes" on allowing reimportation of prescription drugs from Canada; "no" on repealing a tax subsidy for companies that move U.S. jobs offshore; "yes" on repealing Clinton's ergonomic rules on repetitive stress; "no" on raising the minimum wage to $7.25 rather than $6.25; "yes" on $350 billion in tax breaks over 11 years; "yes" on extending the tax cuts on capital gains and dividends; "yes" on permanently repealing the "death tax"; and "no" on disallowing FCC approval of larger media conglomerates.

Ensign's challenger, Jack Carter [D], a businessman, opposes elimination of the sales-tax deduction by the GOP, holding that they've "provided significant federal income tax relief." If elected to the Senate, Carter said he plans to focus on health care and education. "We need some sort of universal standard for health care, just like a universal standard for education...There should be some basic coverage for everyone. It should be modeled after the public education system." Carter explained that, with the public education system, people have the choice to go to a public school or to a private school at their own expense. With a health-care system that's similar to education, people would have the choice to go to a no-cost medical center or to a private doctor at their expense.

#16 -- West Virginia: Senior Sen. Robert Byrd [D] has voted "yes" on establishing tax-exempt medical savings accounts; "no" on limiting the self-employment health deduction; "yes" on allowing reimportation of prescription drugs from Canada; "yes" on repealing the tax subsidy for companies that move U.S. jobs offshore; "no" on killing an increase in the minimum wage; "no" on repealing Clinton's ergonomic rules on repetitive stress; "yes" on raising the minimum wage to $7.25 rather than $6.25; "no" on $350 billion in tax breaks over 11 years; "no" on extending the tax cuts on capital gains and dividends; "no" on permanently repealing the estate tax; "yes" on telecom deregulation; and "yes" on disallowing FCC approval of larger media conglomerates.

Byrd's challenger, multimillionaire John Raese [R], aims to roll back regulations to spur business and job growth; reduce government regulation of private-sector employment; support tax cuts to spur economic growth and job growth; and support health savings accounts. "The free-market approach to ensuring that Americans have affordable health coverage is the best way to achieve affordable health care," he holds. "Big-government, socialized medicine doesn't work, and the American people have rejected it out of hand."

#17 -- Vermont: Open seat. In Congress, Rep. Bernie Sanders [I] voted "no" on establishing tax-exempt medical savings accounts; "yes" on allowing reimportation of prescription drugs; "no" on eliminating the estate tax; "no" on making the Bush tax cuts permanent; "yes" on providing tax relief and simplification; "no" on retaining reduced taxes on capital gains and dividends; "no" on allowing telephone monopolies to offer Internet access; and "yes" on establishing network neutrality.

Richard Tarrant [R], aims to provide more support and advocacy for farmers; raise the federal minimum wage, and tie in COLA increases; raise the estate tax exemption, but not eliminate it; extend capital-gains and dividend tax cuts; and advocates a free-market-based system for the uninsured.

#18 -- Florida: Senior Sen. Bill Nelson [D] has voted "yes" on repealing a tax subsidy for companies that move U.S. jobs offshore; "yes" on allowing reimportation of prescription drugs from Canada; "no" on repealing Clinton's ergonomic rules on repetitive stress; "yes on raising the minimum wage to $7.25 rather than $6.25; "no" on $350 billion in tax breaks over 11 years; and "yes" on disallowing FCC approval of larger media conglomerates. He initially voted against repealing the estate tax when he served in Congress, but has supported it since this summer, "upon realizing that a full repeal was warranted when larger-than-expected budget surpluses materialized."

Nelson's challenger is Rep. Katherine Harris [R], who came to national attention while serving as Florida secretary of state, responsible for presiding over the state results of the closely contested 2000 U.S. presidential election. [Does the term "hanging chads" ring a bell?] In Congress, she voted "yes" on replacing illegal export tax breaks with $140 billion in new breaks; "no" on allowing reimportation of prescription drugs; "yes" on retaining reduced taxes on capital gains and dividends; "yes" on providing tax relief and simplification; and "no" on network neutrality.

#19 -- Connecticut: Junior Sen. Joe Lieberman [D/I] has voted to expand microloans to small businesses; "yes" to allowing reimportation of prescription drugs from Canada; "yes" on establishing tax-exempt medical savings accounts; "no" on limiting self-employment health deductions; "yes" on replacing farm price supports; "no" on killing an increase in the minimum wage; "no" on repealing Clinton's ergonomic rules on repetitive stress; "yes" on raising the minimum wage to $7.25 rather than $6.25; "no" on $350 billion in tax breaks over 11 years; "no" on extending the tax cuts on capital gains and dividends; "no" on permanently repealing the estate tax; "yes" on telecom deregulation; and "yes" on disallowing FCC approval of larger media conglomerates.

Lieberman's Democratic challenger, Ned Lamont [D], a telecom businessman, holds that health care is a fundamental right of every American, and aims to create a business-required, federally subsidized insurance pool. He also advocates investing in our infrastructure to create local jobs; developing an interconnecting transportation strategy; and holds that network neutrality is necessary for an uncensored Internet. "It's very important that you don't allow the ISPs and the large operators out there to determine who gets access to what content," he said this summer. "When it comes down to net neutrality, this is a pipe and we're providing equal access to all of the content providers out there. And the last thing you want is large conglomerates picking and choosing who gets access to what. I can understand where, if there's some services that use up a lot more bandwidth than others, there's a tier or cost that's associated with that. But when it comes to what people can see, everybody has equal access to that. That would be wrong, like de facto censorship."

Republican challenger Alan Schlesinger [R] supports increased competition in health-care services; opposes higher taxes and more "wasteful" spending; and supports tax simplification.

#20 -- Hawaii: Junior Sen. Daniel Akaka [D] has voted "yes" on repealing a tax subsidy for companies that move U.S. jobs offshore; "yes" on establishing tax-exempt medical savings accounts; "no" on limiting the self-employment health deduction; "yes" on allowing reimportation of prescription drugs from Canada; "yes" on replacing farm price supports; "no" on killing an increase in the minimum wage; "no" on repealing Clinton's ergonomic rules on repetitive stress; "yes" on raising the minimum wage to $7.25 rather than $6.25; "no" on $350 billion in tax breaks over 11 years; "no" on extending the tax cuts on capital gains and dividends; "no" on permanently repealing the estate tax; "yes" on telecom deregulation; and "yes" on disallowing FCC approval of larger media conglomerates.

Akaka's challenger, state Rep. Cynthia Thielen [R], opposes a tax increase for Honolulu rail project, and strongly supports network neutrality. "Before the Internet, most free speech had to pass through those who owned the various media in the world," said Thielen. "With the Internet, everyone has the capability at no cost to present his or her point of view...As a Republican, I strongly believe in the power of the free market. Net neutrality gives us the freest market, for both ideas and products, in the history of civilization. As a Republican, as a supporter of open political discourse for all -- and as a supporter of small businesses both today, and those yet to be created -- I strongly support net neutrality."

Who's friendly to small business? You decide -- and please make time to vote on Tuesday, Nov. 7.

Sources: The Cook Political Report, National Journal, OnTheIssues.org, U.S. Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy, Wikipedia
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New on Nov. 7: The West Wing -- The Complete Seventh Season