Three rules for Washington economy rescuers to live by:
“First, do no harm.â€Â  (Hippocratic oath for fiscal policy makers)
“It’s got to work, stupid.†(From Clinton’s “keep it simple, stupidâ€)
“Targeted, timely, and temporary.” (From Obama’s economic policy advisors)
I want to hear from you.
What specific items in the economic stimulus package wending its way through Washington would benefit small businesses and independent professionals? Why? How?
What elements of the package would not be helpful–or could hurt you?
No conservative or liberal rants, please. Be specific. Relate it to your situation.
Below are ideas and responses on this topic–starting with my answers to my own question.
Looking at my market, I think the application of smart, incentive-based tax policy for such things as reinvestment, employee retraining (and therefore retention) would be very smart. Probably some amount of market-making in the form of public works projects, whether they be levee building or health-care software creation, would be the next layer.
As for my own business, the biggest barrier to expansion by far is health care. We have no problem finding business, but we could find much more and create a few good paying jobs in the process if we could find a way to affordable health insurance. The current system is appalling and stifles growth. If indeed, as most research and reporting indicates, most jobs are created at the small business level, I would submit that this is represents a big opportunity for expansion and it addresses the one of the cruelest – and most crude – aspects of our economic system. Solve the damn problem now.
Comment by Peter Krammer — February 6, 2009 @ 12:07 pm