|
The Republican
Party is looking
for new ideas
that will help
them reclaim
their
Congressional
Majority and
hold onto the
White House in
2008.
After last
November’s
drubbing at the
polls, this is
clearly a smart
thing to do. But
in addition to
figuring out
what they
want to stand
for as a party,
Republicans also
should be
thinking about
who they
want to stand
for.
Historically
speaking, the
party has been
most successful
when it has
taken on the
cause of the
oppressed.
Lincoln ending
slavery. Teddy
Roosevelt
confronting the
robber barons.
Ronald Reagan
taking on the
forces of big
government that
left millions of
people overtaxed
and out of work.
The
GOP has a proud
heritage of
standing up for
those who are
struggling to
get ahead.
Unfortunately,
that heritage
has largely been
forgotten in
recent years.
The party has
become
identified more
with corporate
interests than
the interests of
the common man.
It has become
known more for
flouting the
rules than for
playing by them.
As a result, it
has lost that
part of its
identity most
responsible for
its past
success.
The
challenge now is
to get that part
of its identity
back. A logical
place to start
is with
individuals who
are trying to
start their own
small business.
Entrepreneurs
are the natural
underdogs of the
American
economy. They
are like Rocky
Balboa – putting
it all on the
line to pursue a
dream that may
or may not come
true. Most
entrepreneurs
fail; according
to the Small
Business
Administration,
56% of small
business owners
close up shop
within the first
four years of
opening their
doors.
The
GOP needs to be
on the side of
people with the
deck stacked
against them in
life. Standing
with
entrepreneurs
will help them
do just that.
But it makes
sense for other
reasons as well.
First, there are
more
entrepreneurs
today than at
any other time.
According to the
Kauffman
Foundation, over
10 million
adults are
attempting to
create a new
business at any
given time.
These
individuals need
to know that the
Republican Party
is in their
corner.
Second,
entrepreneurs
are increasingly
diverse. Women
start 1,600 new
businesses in
the country each
day. A growing
percentage of
entrepreneurs
are immigrants.
Baby boomers are
turning their
backs on
retirement and
starting their
own companies
instead. The
younger
generation –
Generation Y –
is the most
entrepreneurial
ever, pursuing
opportunities
that combine
their interest
in business with
their knowledge
of technology.
Promoting
entrepreneurship
provides the GOP
with an
opportunity to
promote ideas
that cut across
demographic
lines.
Finally and
perhaps most
importantly,
entrepreneurs
are
philosophically
in tune with
Republicans when
it comes to
their view of
government. They
just want to be
left alone – the
less government
intrusion, the
better. If
government is
going to do
anything, it
should create
conditions that
will help their
business – and
their business
talents –
flourish.
Over
the past several
years, President
Bush and
Congressional
Republicans have
recognized this
by pushing
measures to
reduce taxes,
cut red tape,
and make it
easier for the
self-employed to
obtain health
insurance. They
have also on
occasion sought
to highlight
entrepreneurial
success
stories. In his
State of the
Union Address
this past
January, for
example, the
President
recognized Julie
Aigner-Clark,
the founder of
an educational
video company
that was started
10 years ago and
is earning over
$200 million in
sales today.
There are
millions of
other Americans
who are trying
to accomplish
what Julie
Aigner-Clark has
done. Some are
barely making
it; many others
are still trying
to get ahead.
Republicans
should do
everything they
can to help them
in their fight
and make the
stories of their
struggles their
own. Among other
things, this
means holding
firm on efforts
to roll back tax
relief and
reimpose
regulations that
will stifle
business growth.
It also means
continuing to
look for
innovative
policy solutions
that will help
entrepreneurs
deal with the
problems they
face.
Congressmen Don
Manzullo (R-IL)
and Earl Pomeroy
(D-ND) have
sponsored a bill
that would
achieve that
goal. Called the
Access to
Capital for
Entrepreneurs
(ACE) Act,
the bill would
create a 25% tax
credit for
accredited angel
investors who
invest in
qualified small
businesses. The
bill is modeled
after similar
legislation
already on the
books in 21
states and is
intended to
provide
entrepreneurs
with the one
thing every
business needs –
money.
It
is the kind of
smart
government,
common sense
solution
entrepreneurs
are looking for
from
Washington.
It’s also the
kind of idea
that
Republicans, in
their search for
new ideas,
should
embrace.
RF
Louis M. Zickar
is the Editor of
the Ripon Forum. |
