Hillary Clinton Is Our True Small-Business Champion

“When my dad ran his small printing business -- he printed drapery fabrics in Chicago -- it put food on the table; it gave us a good, solid, middle-class home and lifestyle. And I don’t think it’s old-fashioned to say that’s what I want for every family that wants to work for that here in our country today.” -- Hillary Clinton [May 22, 2015]

As our 45th U.S. President, Hillary
Clinton will make America work for
everyone -- including SMBs.

Today is Super Tuesday, a critical day in the 2016 presidential campaign. More than a dozen states are voting today -- some in primaries, some in caucuses -- and the results may not be known for quite a while. A total of 1,460 delegates are up for grabs -- 865 for Democrats, 595 for Republicans.

After nearly five years, I'm jump-starting GoodBiz113 to declare my unequivocal support for Hillary Clinton. She's clearly the most qualified candidate -- from either side of the political aisle -- to fight for current and would-be small-business owners, entrepreneurs, solopreneurs, inventors, artists, writers and, well, everyone else, too. She truly cares about leveling the playing field for America's short- and long-term economic future.

In brief, here's what Hillary Clinton will do for small businesses:

* Give small businesses more access to the financing and new markets they need to grow and hire.

* Launch a national effort to cut the red tape holding small businesses and entrepreneurs back.

* Provide targeted tax relief for small businesses, and simplify tax filing.

Here are more in-depth details of how Hillary Clinton will make it easier to start and grow a small business in America:

* Unlocking access to capital. Hillary Clinton is committed to giving small businesses -- and, in particular, women- and minority-owned small businesses -- access to the financing they need to build, grow and hire. She will ease unnecessary regulatory burdens on community banks, which provide credit to small-business owners and families looking to invest in their futures. She will support innovative new financing modes, like impact investing. And she will double support for community development financial institutions and the successful State Small Business Credit Initiative [SSBCI], which offer crucial sources of support for small businesses across the country -- particularly, in underserved communities.

* Cutting red tape. It shouldn’t take longer to start a small business in the United States than it does in Canada, France or South Korea. Hillary Clinton will launch a nationwide effort to cut red tape for small businesses at every level of government. Plus, she will build a regulatory road map to help small businesses navigate the regulatory landscape and reduce compliance costs associated with federal, state and local regulation.

* Providing tax relief. America’s smallest businesses -- i.e., those with one to five employees -- spend 150 hours and $1,100 per employee to comply with federal taxes. That’s more than 20 times higher than the average for larger firms. Hillary Clinton will simplify tax filing and provide targeted tax relief for small businesses -- not the big corporations that can well afford lawyers and lobbyists.

* Tapping new markets. Every small business across America should be able to enter new markets -- whether they’re across town or across the world. Hillary Clinton will invest in the roads, bridges, ports and airports that make it easier for small businesses to reach new customers. She will defend the Export-Import Bank, a crucial financing partner for small businesses across America, and help the bank expand its small-business programs. And she will encourage innovations -- e.g., Etsy and eBay -- that are unlocking new markets through innovative, new platforms that let small businesses sell anywhere in America and the world.

* Supporting small-business owners and entrepreneurs. Hillary Clinton will work to provide incubators, mentoring and training to 50,000 entrepreneurs and small-business owners in underserved communities across the country. Plus, she will support the development of entrepreneurial skills among young people -- even kids in high school -- so they can increase both their financial and entrepreneurial literacy. These programs will help those with good ideas today become the entrepreneurs and business leaders of tomorrow.

The upshot: While other candidates speak in vague, pie-in-the-sky generalities of what they'd do in the Oval Office, Hillary Clinton has the clear vision, proven pragmatism, leadership acumen, exceptional experience and qualified leadership to hit the ground running on Friday, Jan. 20, 2017, when the 45th U.S. President is inaugurated. Together, let's make sure that happens. 
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SOURCES: Hillary for America, Wikimedia Commons [image]

Join Entrepreneurs Supporting Hillary Clinton for President!

CEA Chair Christina Romer, Ph.D.: Health Insurance Reform Will Benefit Small Business -- Not Burden It

"Whether or not you have health insurance right now, the reforms we seek will bring stability and security that you don't have today. This isn't about politics. This is about people's lives. This is about people's businesses. This is about our future." -- President Barack Obama

As misinformation about health-care-reform proposals virally spews from the shameless likes of the National Federation of Independent Business, U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other counterproductive entities so intent on maintaining the inert status quo, the White House has released a Health Insurance Reform Reality Check. The website features videos of eight key people providing personal, professional and, above all, factual accounts of just how, exactly, health insurance reform will truly benefit Americans.

While all of the videotaped accounts are credible, concise and well worth anyone's time in gleaning valuable firsthand information about proposed health insurance reform, GoodBiz113 readers will likely be most interested in the segment featuring Christina Romer, Ph.D., chair of the Council of Economic Advisers [CEA].

In her three-minute testimonial, Dr. Romer debunks the myth that health insurance reform will hurt small businesses. To the contrary, she notes, reform will ease the burdens on small businesses and help level the playing field with big firms who pay much less to cover their employees on average.

To watch Dr. Romer's videotaped account and/or read the transcript, go to: http://www.whitehouse.gov/realitycheck/21.

Get the facts about the stability and security you get from health insurance reform: http://www.whitehouse.gov/realitycheck/.
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Franken Announces New Labor Endorsements

Today, the Al Franken for U.S. Senate campaign announced that four new labor organizations have joined its ever-growing coalition that's fighting to send a senator to Washington who will stand with Minnesota's middle class.

The endorsements come on the heels of a false negative ad produced by a Norm Coleman front group, attacking Al Franken for his support of the Employee Free Choice Act. Meanwhile, Republican Sen. Coleman continues to repeat publicly the lie that EFCA "eliminates the secret ballot" for workers.

Today's new endorsements include:
* Bakery, Confectionary, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers Union
* Minnesota State Council of UNITE HERE!
* Minnesota Postal Workers Union
* Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers, Local Union 1

"Minnesotans need a senator who understands the needs of Minnesota families, and who won't abandon them in a time of need," declared Mark Froemke, education director of the Bakery, Confectionary, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers Union, Local 167G.

"Norm Coleman had a chance to support the families of the Red River Valley on CAFTA and, instead, he supported President Bush," Froemke noted. "Al Franken will stand with farmers and workers and Minnesotans, and that's why we stand with him in this election."

"Unlike Norm Coleman, Al Franken is a candidate who will never privatize social security and will continue to fight for the middle class and workers' rights," added Jim Lundquist, president and secretary-treasurer of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers, Local Union 1.

For a complete list of Franken's endorsements , including elected officials, visit: Al Franken for U.S. Senate.

SOURCES: AFL-CIO, Al Franken for U.S. Senate, Wikipedia
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Minnesota Native Al Franken Files to Run for U.S. Senate

Today, Al Franken officially filed with the Minnesota Secretary of State to run for the U.S. Senate.

Franken was joined by his wife, Franni [pictured], his daughter, Thomasin, and more than 100 cheering supporters on the steps of the Minnesota State Office Building.

"I would say I'm excited to get to work," said Al Franken. "But we're already working hard to spread our message of ending the war, rebuilding our economy, and fixing our broken health care system across the state. I'm so proud to have my family, my team, and my coalition for change standing alongside me -- and I'm ready to go to Washington to stand up for the people of Minnesota."

DFL-endorsed Franken -- a true ally of small business, farmers, labor, environmentalists, educators, students, soldiers, veterans, consumers and countless others seeking a new direction for our nation -- was born in St. Louis Park, Minn. He's challenging Sen. Norm Coleman, a Democrat-turned-Republican from Brooklyn, N.Y., for the seat once held by the late Sen. Paul Wellstone, who died in a plane crash in October 2002.

SOURCE: Al Franken for U.S. Senate
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To learn more about Al Franken's politics, check out his New York Times bestseller, "Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them: A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right."

Al Franken Wins Minnesota DFL Nomination to Run for U.S. Senate in 2008

Editor's note: This weekend, during Minnesota's DFL convention at Rochester's Mayo Civic Center, Al Franken won the nomination to challenge Republican Norm Coleman for the U.S. Senate in 2008. Following, is the acceptance speech delivered by Franken -- a true ally of small business, farmers, labor, environmentalists, educators, students, soldiers, veterans, consumers and, well, everyone else seeking a new direction for our nation.

Thank you.

I want to start by thanking my family. I think you all know Franni, don't you? My daughter Thomasin. You might not know Joe, he's been kind of -- he's been doing a lot of work. And my sister-in-law Carla, who looks suspiciously like Franni.

I also want to thank my staff, my volunteers, the interns. We've been at this awhile, we've been at this awhile. Thank you, guys, thank you. I want to thank my supporters, elected officials who supported me, stuck by me. I want to thank all of you, most of all. But first let me say something about Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer.

You know, earlier in the questions-and-answers, I was asked why am I a Democrat. You know, I'm a Democrat because this is the only party that would have a Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer. This is the only party that would have a man of such compassion and wisdom and energy, such a pure heart, and such a strong soul. It has been an honor to share the stage with you, sir, and I hope to do so for the next five months and beyond.

And the same goes for Jack's supporters, to his staff, to his volunteers, to his interns. I'd be honored to share a stage, or share a convention, or share a meeting, or share a campaign rally, or share anything with you. You are fantastic.

I want to thank Amy Klobuchar, who will make a great senior senator in Washington. And I want to thank our congressional delegation, from whom I will continue to learn so much.

But most of all, I want to thank you delegates who have put your faith in me. And it is in that spirit, with tremendous gratitude and tremendous humility, that I accept your endorsement.

You know, we have been waiting for eight years to take this country back. And this year, we have seen the emergence of a new progressive majority in this state and in this country.

You saw it on Feb. 5, Caucus Night, when over 215,000 DFLers showed up for the caucus, to say they're ready for a new direction. And a lot of you hung out in hot, crowded rooms for a few hours, and I thank you for going through that process and being here today.

We have a new progressive majority in this country, and we know what we want.

We want universal health care.

We want an economy that works for everyone, not just the special interests.

And I want to thank my friends in labor, who have been through me with this all the way. Thank you.

We want to address global warming and create "green" jobs in renewable energy and energy efficiency.

We want a world-class education for all our kids so they can compete in a 21st century economy.

And we want to restore our standing in the world, starting with getting out of Iraq and bringing our troops home.

We have a lot of work to do together.

We're going to canvass until our feet hurt, and when our feet hurt, we'll start picking up the phone, start phone-banking. We're going to get up early and stay up late.

And we're going to do it because five million Minnesotans need a voice in Washington, and they don't have one in Norm Coleman.

On issue after issue, he hasn't brought people together to get things done. He's sold people out to get ahead.

Minnesota has the second-highest rate of subprime foreclosures in the country, and families I talk to every day are worried about losing their home equity and their chance at building wealth. These families need help. But Norm Coleman doesn't work for them. He works for the mortgage companies. That's why he voted against helping people who have gone bankrupt because of health-care crises from keeping their homes.

Minnesotans are paying four dollars a gallon at the pump. But Norm Coleman doesn't work for them. He works for the oil companies. That's why he voted to give them billions of dollars in tax subsidies while they were already raking ridiculous profits.

Minnesota seniors are paying too much for their prescription drugs -- so much that they can't afford to take the medications that they need. But Norm Coleman doesn't work for them. He works for the big drug companies. That's why he voted to prohibit Medicare from negotiating with the pharmaceuticals for lower drug prices.

Minnesota veterans need the health-care benefits they were promised. Minnesota students need the loan aid that will help them to make tuition payments. And the young Minnesotans serving bravely in Iraq need a senator who will bring them home. But Norm Coleman doesn't work for them.

Norm Coleman went to Washington to play a game. The game works like this. Norm Coleman accepts hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign checks from corporate interests. He votes to give them special handouts and tax breaks that come out of our pockets. Then he comes back to Minnesota and pretends it didn't happen. Everybody wins, except the people of Minnesota.

It's time we had a senator who took this job seriously. And that's what this election is about.

It's not enough that we take back the White House. It's not even enough that we take more seats in Congress. We have to take back this government. We have to tell the special interests, you're not so special anymore. We have to elect people who will stand up to the oil companies, stand up to the insurance industry, stand up to the drug companies, and stand up for the working families across this state.

So, to the people of Minnesota, let me say this: I'm not a perfect person. And I'm not going to pretend to have all the answers.

But I'll tell the truth. I will keep my spine and I will work for you.

I will wage a campaign you can be proud of, whether you're a DFLer, or a Republican, or an Independent, or somebody who's never even thought about what party you might belong to.

And I'll be a senator you'll be proud to have working for you in Washington.

Last fall, I went on a 10-college tour. Some of the kids I met with were 11 years old when this president took office. They don't remember that the federal government is supposed to work. They saw Katrina. They saw Iraq. And even sadder, they don't remember when we were once the most respected country on the face of this planet.

After all, we are the country that sent a man to the moon, the country that mapped the human genome, the country that beat fascism and communism, the country that re-built Europe after World War II, and still had enough juice left over to invent rock-and-roll and the Internet.

I believe we can be that country again.

Paul Wellstone said, "The future belongs to those who are passionate and work hard."

I don't think I have to tell you how passionate the people in this room are about taking back our country. Tomorrow, we get to work.

Thank you.

SOURCE: Al Franken for U.S. Senate
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To learn more about Al Franken's politics [and satirical style], check out his latest best-selling book, "The Truth [With Jokes]."