Small Lending Community Needed

In order to get small businesses back on track, local communities and states ought to partner with local businesses to create small scale lending programs to revitalize small businesses.

How it works:
Local officials organize local companies, banks, and investors to direct their money to troubled businesses struggling to get a leg up.  Many small businesses that are struggling simply need a little bit of cahs to get by for the next business cycle.  By directing this money, a locally targeted effort without the help of the national government can create change in the community.

Reform Needed to Spur Economy

The middle class is reeling after a long recession, which is still not over.  In order to facilitate recovery, we must have a middle class tax break in order to help families cope with the economic downturn.  Seeing as the middle class is often hurt he most in a recession like this, they should get the tax break, not the wealthiest Americans, who can afford it.  Cutting taxes for the rich in a time where we have extreme debt is not prudent or logical.

In addition, we need to make it easier for people to start small businesses.  Encourage lending and venture capital, as well as tax breaks for America's smallest companies, which help drive struggling local economies forward as large corporations are sending jobs overseas.  renewed economic reform is critical as we aim to rid ourselves of the bonds of this recession.

Innovation

America must encourage innovation in business and in government.  The best ideas sometimes come from unlikely sources, and the government must foster ways to take risks and test ideas in the private and public sectors.  This means encouraging a break from the status quo.  Innovators defy normal, and come up with trailblazing new ideas.  Small businesses are great incubators of innovation, and strengthening them will also strengthen innovation.  Reform to the patent system to eliminate frivolous patents easily and make it easier to submit legitimate ones could also go a long way towards encouraging innovation.

Small Businesses Drive America Forward

Small businesses give America its strong entrepreneurial spirit and drive the economy forward.  According to the small business administration, (SBA), small businesses account for 99.9 percent of the businesses in America.  Though many of these businesses fail, they still account for many new jobs.  Since many small businesses are startups, they often hire in recessions.  Though not huge on their own, collectively small businesses make up a potent force.  In addition, small businesses drive innovation forward, gaining 13 times as many patents as large firms, according to the SBA