As a small biz that supports Obama, I had to resign from the National Federation of Independent Businesses, which gave 96% of campaign contributions to the GOP. The US Chamber of Commerce, also plans to spend $60 Million to defeat Obama or Clinton.
US News and World Report recently reported on a group called the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council opposing the Employee Free Choice Act, which both Obama and Clinton support.
Most Small Business Orgs oppose enforcing labor rights despite the fact that 3/4 of ALL businesses have NO employees, and 97% of those with employees are so small that you can feed the office with less than 2 dozen donuts. Hardly the faceless environment where workers lack a voice.
Why do Small Business Groups oppose a bill that doesn't affect the vast majority of small businesses?
Actually the EFCA does affect small businesses, because small biz is often put out of business by big businesses that exploit America's lax enforcement of labor rights. Companies like Walmart, whose business size is in the 99.9% percentile, routinely violate Federal Labor law. They keep their labor costs artificially low by crushing employee unity and also shutter many small mom and pop businesses with their ability to negotiate low costs from their suppliers. Not having to negotiate with employees is an unfair and illegal advantage. Mom isn't worried about Pop organizing on her, but Wal-Mart is worried about having to pay the fines imposed by the EFCA if they continue to illegally fire union organizers.
There is also historic evidence that strong labor rights increase the prosperity of the middle class, which leads to increased sales from the majority of the population. That is a good effect for small biz and for the American economy.
The National Federation of Independant Businesses says their "typical NFIB member employs five people and reports gross sales of about $350,000 a year." They also oppose the Employee Free Choice Act despite the fact that a business needs over $500,000 in interstate commerce to fall under the jurisdiction of the National Labor Relations Board.
And though the NFIB opposes unions, they have done nothing to lobby to inflation adjust the NLRB's $500,000 interstate commerce limit which has been stagnant since 1959. Are they ineffective and lacking in influence, or do they prefer to keep 97% of all businesses sympathetic with the big businesses that abuse labor law and supportive of GOP candidates?
Probably the latter. Its time for Small Businesses to get behind Democrats who reflect our values and support the middle class.