Kerry calls SBA budget proposal insufficient (Small Biz Admin. funding cut 45% since 2001)

[MH1]

http://www.fcw.com/article97594-02-07-07-Web&RSS=yes

Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), chairman of the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, criticized President Bush’s proposed budget for the Small Business Administration (SBA), calling it insufficient to meet the needs of small businesses and repair the deep cuts made to SBA over the past seven years.

The proposed fiscal 2008 budget for the SBA represents a 45 percent cut since 2001 and a 32 percent decrease when not counting disaster loan funding, Kerry said.

(snip)

Kerry said the budget “still lacks the transparency and sufficient levels to really leverage the resources this agency has to grow our economy, grow the middle class, and help minorities build wealth.”

Kerry added that the budget would also cut key business counseling and outreach programs such as Small Business Development Centers, Women’s Business Centers, the Program for Investment in Microentrepreneurs and technical assistance programs.

Just another reminder of where the * misadministration's priorities are.

[mike_c]

1. America needs that money to reward BIG businesses for their exemplary service...

...in Iraq. "My god how the money rolls in...."

[Double T]

2. corporate america doesn't like competition, NOT even from an........

upstart little guy.

[PurityOfEssence]

8. Nope, don't wanna go messin' with the Big Business Administration

Competition, feh.

[MH1]

9. Yeah, that whole "free market" thing is just for the big boys.

We wouldn't actually want to have "many sellers and many buyers" and give consumers real choice, now, would we?

Next thing you know they'll want competition in the media market, too! ;-)

[TayTay]

3. The Admin continues to try and kill the SBA

The Bush Admin was criminally negligent in how they dealt with small businesses trying to recover from Katrina in the Gulf area. I am not surprised to see the Admin target other programs that might help average Americans who are trying to get a business started. Hey, their friends at Halliburton need the money after all.

I'm glad Sen. Kerry is still in the fight on this. It must be awful to have had to watch the SBA be bled dry of funds over the last six years.

[MH1]

4. "A hand up, not a handout" was the mantra when the RW was bent on "reforming" welfare.

Well, now they want to do away with all the "hand up" type programs, too.

[bigtree]

5. Kerry's an SBA champ!

:kick:

[MH1]

6. Yes, he is. It's an underappreciated role, I think, but he's in there doing it.

And doing it well.

I wish Dems paid more attention to the importance of promoting small business and entrepreneurship.

:dem:

[Stargleamer]

7. Whatever happened to Eisenhower Republicans?

It was Ike after all who signed legislation creating the SBA. Republicans nowadays have completely morphed into plutocrats.