Fix the Debt Hosts Successful Small Business Roundtable

On Wednesday, August 21, I was lucky enough to take part in a “Small Business Roundtable” hosted by the Campaign to Fix the Debt, in conjunction with the Minnesota Chapter. This Minneapolis event built on the small business and steering committee discussions that the Campaign to Fix the Debt has been holding throughout the states with Members of Congress and local small business leaders.

See my TV appearance previewing the event on KARE11 here: http://goo.gl/22BLXN

Hear my radio interview previewing the event on KNSI’s Ox in the Afternoon here: http://goo.gl/3sD7CH

The event was (purposefully) small, and featured a few small business owners from the Twin Cities region. Former Congressman Tim Penny (I-MN) was gracious enough to host and he facilitated a very honest and interesting discussion.

The purpose of the small business roundtable was to highlight how the national debt impacts small businesses and to explore various policies and proposals from a small business perspective. Members of the campaign that participated included small business owners Chuck Slocum and Raza Hasan, as well as Kristin Robbins, Executive Director of the Economic Club of Minnesota.

I found the discussion to be valuable, as the group touched on a number of issues. I also commend those who participated for being realistic about the possibilities of a deal this year, next and beyond and for bringing a diverse set of views to the table. While optimism varied among participants, I took away the following from the roundtable:

• Real leadership is needed to help solve our nation’s fiscal picture. Members of both parties in Congress, as well as President Obama, must stop their bickering, come to the table, and begin discussing this serious issue. Concessions must be made by both, because without a compromise, our nation’s debt will continue to grow, ultimately leaving our children in a devastating situation.

• A big deal may not be likely in 2013, and given midterm elections in 2014, would be nonexistent next year. A small deal in its place is viewed differently by different individuals (inside our campaign and out), but the campaign will continue to advocate for a big deal. A small one may be a step forward in getting the ball rolling, but leaders in Washington must realize that stop-gap measures, tradeoffs and the status quo is not the answer.

• While the reality of tax reform occurring this year has been debated by many, most people agree that this is a valuable and necessary endeavor that would help our nation’s fiscal situation. Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) may not be the best positioned to usher this reform through given his own issues with his own Democratic caucus in the Senate, however, like all things political, it is bigger than one person and will require the cooperation of fellow senators and members in the U.S. House of Representatives.

All told, I never anticipated that the roundtable would be the site in which our nation’s most pressing issues would be solved. I also came into this event knowing that optimism surrounding this issue would vary. Yet I wholeheartedly believe that these are the types of discussions we need to be having across our state and our country, because without them, the incentive for our elected officials to lead goes down significantly. I am glad that I am trying to do my part in furthering these discussions.

Next week I will look at the specifics of tax reform and hope that you will check it out.