POLITICAL ISSUE #302: INSUFFICIENT SMALL BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY

PRESENT CONDITION: The growth of giant corporations at one end of the economic scale has been mirrored by a decline in small business opportunities.

DIRECTION OF IMPROVEMENT: America should offer more opportunities for small businesses that are directed by the owners of those businesses not by a larger corporation or franchise.

ISSUE JUSTIFICATION: Business is the economic land that produces most of the wealth in modern society. America needs land reform to redemocratize the means of production of wealth much more broadly among the American people. While economies of scale are also an important social consideration, the progressive concentration of the ownership and direction of the means of production of wealth into a few hands makes most of the American people serfs in their own country. The resulting bureaucratization of businesses distorts the reward structure for labor and management and stifles the innovations that would flow from broader ownership and direction of the American economy.

AUTHOR: UWSA SANTA CLARA CO EMAIL:humphrey@aimnet.com

OPTIONS FOR ISSUE # 302: INSUFFICIENT SMALL BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY

REVIEW PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THIS ISSUE

REVIEW CURRENT VOTING RESULTS ON THIS ISSUE

COMMENT ON THIS ISSUE YOURSELF

VOTE ON THIS ISSUE

RETURN TO THIS ISSUE/SOLUTION MENU

CHOOSE ANOTHER CATEGORY 300 ISSUE

BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Companies would be allowed to deduct for federal taxes up to 120% of normally deductible business expenses paid to small independently owned and operated businesses. The normal small business size/incentive criteria would be 120% for less than 25 employees, 110% for less than 100 employees and 105% for less than 200 employees with no credit for subcontracts to businesses over 200 employees.

JUSTIFICATION: While the corporate make/buy decision should be made solely on economic considerations, human greed for money and power leads companies to become oversized, bureaucratic, inefficient and non-innovative. Promotion of independent small businesses spreads economic opportunity and independence throughout American society and prevents the concentration of wealth and power in the hands of a few individuals. Broader empowerment of the American people promotes both economic efficiency, innovation and social unity through broad ownership and economic participation in American society.

AUTHOR: UWSA SANTA CLARA CO EMAIL:humphrey@aimnet.com

OPTIONS FOR SOLUTION # 302.1 SMALL BUSINESS SUBCONTRACT INCENTIVE

REVIEW PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THIS SOLUTION

REVIEW CURRENT VOTING RESULTS ON THIS SOLUTION

COMMENT ON THIS SOLUTION YOURSELF

VOTE ON THIS SOLUTION

RETURN TO THIS ISSUE/SOLUTION MENU

PROPOSE AN AMENDMENT TO THIS SOLUTION

---

SOLUTION DEFINITION STATEMENT
FOR
SOLUTION #302.2: REDUCED CAPITAL GAINS TAX FOR SMALL BUSINESS

BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Small Businesses would be allowed a reduced rate of capital gains tax.

JUSTIFICATION: The return on capital is the basic success criteria for business. Rather than subsidize the cost of capital, reducing the capital gains tax increases the potential profitability of capital for small businesses thus helping to level the playing field in their competition with large businesses.

AUTHOR: UWSA SANTA CLARA CO EMAIL:humphrey@aimnet.com

OPTIONS FOR SOLUTION # 302.2 REDUCED CAPITAL GAINS TAX FOR SMALL BUSINESS

REVIEW PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THIS SOLUTION

REVIEW CURRENT VOTING RESULTS ON THIS SOLUTION

COMMENT ON THIS SOLUTION YOURSELF

VOTE ON THIS SOLUTION

RETURN TO THIS ISSUE/SOLUTION MENU

PROPOSE AN AMENDMENT TO THIS SOLUTION

---

SOLUTION DEFINITION STATEMENT
FOR
SOLUTION #302.3: SMALL BUSINESS GASOLINE STATIONS

BRIEF DESCRIPTION: All retail gasoline stations shall be small businesses with the net worth of the individuals owning at least 60% of the business (i.e. a clear controlling interest) being less than $1 million. Oil companies or any investor owning stock in an oil company shall be prohibited from owning any interest in retail gasoline stations. Retail gasoline stations shall be licensed by their state. The stations may choose to sell the gasoline and automobile products of any two oil companies at any one time and they may revise their selection at any time. Oil companies would have 5 years to sell their company owned stations to small businesses with a further requirement of at least 20%, 40%, 60% and 80% sold at the end of the 1st, 2nd 3rd and 4th years.

JUSTIFICATION: Retail gasoline stations offer an excellent opportunity to both expand the opportunities for small business in America and at the same time reduce the vertical integration and control of the big oil companies on the American economy. Gas stations would again become part of the community where they do business. By carrying two major brands like Chevron and Shell (just like food stores carry Pepsi and Coke), the gas stations would both preserve brand recognition and enhance competition between the major oil companies at the retail level.

AUTHOR: John M. Humphrey EMAIL: humphrey@aimnet.com

OPTIONS FOR SOLUTION # 302.3 SMALL BUSINESS GASOLINE STATIONS

REVIEW PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THIS SOLUTION

REVIEW CURRENT VOTING RESULTS ON THIS SOLUTION

COMMENT ON THIS SOLUTION YOURSELF

VOTE ON THIS SOLUTION

RETURN TO THIS ISSUE/SOLUTION MENU

PROPOSE AN AMENDMENT TO THIS SOLUTION

---