Which presidential candidate is best for small business?
As a leading voice for the small business sector, one of the factors I track and report on is public policy. In my advocacy role, I vociferously support those issues that benefit small business and pugnaciously oppose those that don't, regardless of political party origin.
Before every presidential race since 2000, I've reconciled the policies of the two major party candidates with the top concerns that keep small business owners up at night. Here are those comparisons for the five small business issues that currently find their way to the top of every survey.
"We need more business"
Admittedly, this is the default lament of almost every small business. But in the past seven years, business leaders have reported that the greatest factor in their investment/risk-taking/hiring calculus has been an unprecedented high level of uncertainty. When asked about the source, the answer is invariably anti-business policies and rhetoric from Washington. Uncertainty manufacturing examples include, but are not limited to: direct expensing limits under Section 179 of the tax code; the Obamacare roll-out roller coaster; policies skewed in favor of unions; and now, the upcoming DOL overtime exemption rules.
Hillary Clinton 2008 might have been better for the economy than Barack Obama, but not Hillary 2016. She's been pulled too far to the left - read: anti-business - to do anything that would promote business risk-taking.
In almost every way, Donald Trump will likely be more to the left than a true-blue fiscal conservative. But he does have an advantage regarding the economy in that he knows what it takes to create a job. Clinton doesn't.
With their Big Lobbies, Big Business will do okay in the economy regardless of who is president, because crony capitalism will thrive under either Trump or Clinton. The problem for small businesses is we're not organized and we're no one's crony.
On the economy, I've got to go with the one who's made a payroll.
"Our taxes are too high"
Essentially by definition, the most troubling hit to the precious working capital of a profitable small business is taxes. Hillary Clinton's vow to raise taxes will hurt small businesses. Donald Trump said he plans to reduce taxes. I don't know if either one will be successful in their pledge, but I have to go with the one whose plan includes a downward arrow. Some say tax cuts will increase the deficit. But that belies the fact that the U.S. government does not have a revenue problem - it has a spending problem.
"Health care costs are prohibitive"
As I and many others predicted, Obamacare has become a nightmare for small businesses, and by extension, their employees. In a recent online poll I took of small business owners, two-thirds reported that under Obamacare their health care insurance expense has gone up significantly, if not prohibitively, as have the deductible level for employees. And the new enrollment period is bringing new pain.
Clinton thinks Obamacare didn't go far enough, while Trump has pledged to "repeal and replace." I don't know if Donald can deliver a health care cost silver bullet, but we do know that Obamacare isn't the answer, or what Hillary has in mind.
"Stop the regulatory assault"
According to the Competitive Enterprise Institute, regulatory compliance - aka stealth tax - is beginning to take more off the bottom line of small businesses than their income tax bill. One perfect example is the new DOL overtime exemption rules, which in addition to increasing payroll without increasing productivity, will become a work schedule, record-keeping nightmare for millions of small businesses.
Again, I'm going to have to put my faith in correcting this with the person who knows what's involved in making and administering a payroll.
"We need more qualified employees"
You may be surprised to learn that in many surveys, this is the number one concern of small businesses. In fact, economists have reported on my radio program that there are millions of good-paying jobs going unfilled due to a lack of qualified candidates. Sadly, in the past 20 years, I haven't heard any president, or candidate, address this problem, including Trump and Clinton. It doesn't say much about a government that won't help small employers find qualified workers, while actively putting regulations between them and the employees they have. But I have to give a slight nod to Trump, because he has actually conducted business in the current human resources environment.
Finally
I know of no other election where both presidential candidates of the two major parties are as deficient in exemplifying the best America has to offer. One of the markers of a true leader is someone followers want to look up to. Who in either party can truly say they could look up to either candidate? Another leadership trait, especially in a president, is someone whom we believe we can trust. Essentially by definition, neither a pathological liar nor a pathological narcissist fits the profile of a trusted person.
In 1831, Alexis de Tocqueville said of the American political system: "In a democracy, the people get the government they deserve." Whatever we did to deserve this, please join me in asking for forgiveness. Because I'm truly sorry. How about you? #GODHELPUS
Write this on a rock ... America has bigger problems than who will be the next president. But on balance, I think Donald Trump will be the best one for small businesses.
Jim Blasingame is host of the nationally syndicated radio show The Small Business Advocate and author of the multi-award-winning book The Age of the Customer: Prepare for the Moment of Relevance.
