FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 11, 2009
Petaluma, Calif. - On Monday, August 10, the American Small Business League (ASBL) filed an appeal with the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals regarding its lawsuit against the Small Business Administration (SBA) for the release of SBA executive Mike Stamler's phone records. The ASBL originally filed suit for Stamler's phone records under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) after the SBA claimed that it did not have them. (http://www.asbl.com/documents/20090810notice_appeal_endorsed.pdf)
The ASBL filed suit in Federal District Court, Northern District of California in March of 2009. At the time, former U.S. Magistrate Judge Edward M. Chen ruled in favor of the SBA, supporting its claim that it does not have access to its own phone records. ASBL originally requested Stamler's phone records after several journalists told the organization that Stamler had libeled and slandered the ASBL and its President Lloyd Chapman.
In one instance, the Long Island Business Journal (LIBJ) received an angry profanity ridden email from Stamler after the publication quoted Chapman in a story about the launching of a government website. LIBJ's staff responded by issuing a blog titled, "Expletives the SBA's forte?" (http://libn.com/libizblog/2008/02/22/expletives-the-sbas-forte/)
"I am confident that we will prevail in this case. Ultimately, we have never lost a case against the SBA or any other federal agency, and I think it is almost laughable that the SBA will go to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in an effort to convince the court that they don't have access to their own phone records," Chapman said. "This is a perfect example of what we have seen from the SBA for years. Anytime you want to look at what they're doing, you have to go to federal court to get it. Clearly they have something to hide."
The ASBL has won a series of federal lawsuits against the SBA, and other federal agencies, which have forced the release of thousands of pages of documents, further exposing the diversion of billions of dollars in federal small business contracts to corporate giants.
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Contact:
Christopher Gunn
Communications Director
American Small Business League
cgunn@asbl.com
(707) 789-9575
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
GSA Claims Ignorance in ASBL Search for Mystery Contractors
The General Services Administration (GSA) is refusing to release the names of the firms that received federal small business contracts under the classifications, “miscellaneous foreign contractors,” and “classified domestic contractor.”
The American Small Business League (ASBL) filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request with the GSA seeking the specific names of all the firms included in the two classifications titled, “miscellaneous foreign contractors,” and “classified domestic contractor.” The GSA declined the ASBL’s initial request for the information. The ASBL appealed the GSA’s initial refusal to provide the information, and it too was declined. The ASBL plans to file suit against the GSA in Federal District Court, Northern District of California before the end of August.
Since 2003, a series of federal investigations have been released which found that billions of dollars in federal small business contracts have been diverted to Fortune 500 firms and thousands of other large businesses. In 2005, the Small Business Administration Office of inspector General (SBA OIG) referred to the diversion of federal small business contracts to corporate giants as, “One of the most important challenges facing the Small Business Administration and the entire Federal government today.” (http://www.asbl.com/documents/05-15.pdf)
Several of the government’s investigations were prompted by information provided by ASBL President, Lloyd Chapman. (http://washingtontechnology.com/Articles/2003/02/20/Smallbusiness-deals-under-investigation.aspx?Page=1)
In February of 2008, President Obama recognized the significant damage this issue has caused to American small businesses when he stated, “It is time to end the diversion of federal small business contracts to corporate giants.” (http://www.barackobama.com/2008/02/26/the_american_small_business_le.php)
The ASBL believes the firms included in “miscellaneous foreign contractors,” and “classified domestic contractors,” are large businesses from the United States and Europe. Investigative reports by CNN, ABC and CBS have revealed that firms such as British Aerospace (BAE), Rolls-Royce, Xerox, Dell Computer, John Deere, Wal-Mart, Microsoft, L-3 Communications, Titan Industries and Dutch giant Buhrmann NV have all received federal small business contracts.
In addition to its suit against the GSA, the ASBL will also be appealing a case against the SBA to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. Federal Magistrate Judge Edward M. Chen ruled in favor of the SBA when they refused to comply with a FOIA request from the ASBL for the phone records of SBA staffer Mike Stamler. The SBA claimed not to have access to any of the agency’s phone records.
The ASBL has won a series of FOIA cases against the federal government, which have exposed thousands of pages of documents proving that large corporations are the actual recipients of federal small business contracts.
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Contact:
Christopher Gunn
Communications Director
American Small Business League
cgunn@asbl.com
(707) 789-9575
The American Small Business League (ASBL) filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request with the GSA seeking the specific names of all the firms included in the two classifications titled, “miscellaneous foreign contractors,” and “classified domestic contractor.” The GSA declined the ASBL’s initial request for the information. The ASBL appealed the GSA’s initial refusal to provide the information, and it too was declined. The ASBL plans to file suit against the GSA in Federal District Court, Northern District of California before the end of August.
Since 2003, a series of federal investigations have been released which found that billions of dollars in federal small business contracts have been diverted to Fortune 500 firms and thousands of other large businesses. In 2005, the Small Business Administration Office of inspector General (SBA OIG) referred to the diversion of federal small business contracts to corporate giants as, “One of the most important challenges facing the Small Business Administration and the entire Federal government today.” (http://www.asbl.com/documents/05-15.pdf)
Several of the government’s investigations were prompted by information provided by ASBL President, Lloyd Chapman. (http://washingtontechnology.com/Articles/2003/02/20/Smallbusiness-deals-under-investigation.aspx?Page=1)
In February of 2008, President Obama recognized the significant damage this issue has caused to American small businesses when he stated, “It is time to end the diversion of federal small business contracts to corporate giants.” (http://www.barackobama.com/2008/02/26/the_american_small_business_le.php)
The ASBL believes the firms included in “miscellaneous foreign contractors,” and “classified domestic contractors,” are large businesses from the United States and Europe. Investigative reports by CNN, ABC and CBS have revealed that firms such as British Aerospace (BAE), Rolls-Royce, Xerox, Dell Computer, John Deere, Wal-Mart, Microsoft, L-3 Communications, Titan Industries and Dutch giant Buhrmann NV have all received federal small business contracts.
In addition to its suit against the GSA, the ASBL will also be appealing a case against the SBA to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. Federal Magistrate Judge Edward M. Chen ruled in favor of the SBA when they refused to comply with a FOIA request from the ASBL for the phone records of SBA staffer Mike Stamler. The SBA claimed not to have access to any of the agency’s phone records.
The ASBL has won a series of FOIA cases against the federal government, which have exposed thousands of pages of documents proving that large corporations are the actual recipients of federal small business contracts.
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Contact:
Christopher Gunn
Communications Director
American Small Business League
cgunn@asbl.com
(707) 789-9575
Small Business Issues Should Be Big News in Mainstream Media
By Lloyd Chapman
President, American Small Business League
When I watch the news on network and cable television channels the stories about business are overwhelmingly focused on Fortune 500 firms and Wall Street. Yet, when the commercials come on, they are directed to the general public and small business owners, not Fortune 500 executives. Commercials targeted at small business owners are becoming more common. Does the phrase, “I don’t have a small business, I have a fast business,” sound familiar? It seems advertisers on major television networks have figured out something news producers haven’t. The majority of American television viewers work for small businesses, not big businesses.
I have seen countless stories on television covering the recession, the economy and government programs designed to rescue our nation’s failing economy. I do not recall ever seeing a single story that reported over 50 percent of the private sector workforce is employed by small businesses. I have never seen a story that reported over 50 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is created by small businesses, and that those firms are responsible for over 97 percent of all net new jobs in America.
It is rare to see stories on small business issues in major newspapers. It is extremely rare to see a story about small business issues on the front page of a major newspaper. One international journalist told me, “if you want to put your editor to sleep, pitch a story about small business issues.”
The fact that small businesses have been shortchanged in the national media could even be a contributing factor in the failure of federal government economic stimulus plans to focus attention on small businesses.
Of the approximately $2.8 trillion that has been spent to stimulate the national economy, to date, less than 1 percent has been specifically directed to small businesses. President Barack Obama has promised to create up to 4.1 million jobs, and yet the small businesses that create over 97 percent of all net new jobs have been virtually ignored by federal economic stimulus plans. The funds that have been allocated specifically to small businesses seem to have been done more as a public relations tactic than an attempt to genuinely create jobs and boost our nation’s failing economy.
To put things into perspective, President Obama’s ARC loan program would give qualifying small businesses interest free $35,000 loans. Sounds great until you read the very, very fine print and discover that the program is caped at $255 million, which is roughly one tenth of one percent (0.1 percent) of the overall stimulus funds. The $25 billion JPMorgan Chase received from the federal government was more than all 27 million American small businesses combined. Maybe the fact that Goldman Sacks just reported $3.44 billion in quarterly profits while national unemployment heads to 10 percent might be a clue to President Obama that more stimulus funds should have been allocated to small businesses.
Anyone who has ever read anything I have written knows that my mission in life is to stop the federal government from giving over $100 billion a year in small business contracts to Fortune 500 firms and thousands of other large businesses around the world. An end to that problem would direct more money back into the middle class economy than any economic stimulus plan that has been proposed by anyone in Washington to date.
My fantasy is to have just one mainstream journalist ask President Obama why his Administration is giving billions of dollars a month in federal small business contracts to Fortune 500 firms, or why less than 1 percent of the economic stimulus funds have been allocated to small businesses.
Producers for network and cable television stations, and editors for major newspapers and magazines should consider the impact it could have on their bottom line if they were to focus more on the 27 million small businesses where most of their viewers and readers are employed. What would be the impact on our national economy if the mainstream media began to question the logic of giving billions of dollars in federal small business contracts to Fortune 500 firms? Or allocating less than 1 percent of the economic stimulus funds to the firms that are responsible for 50 percent of the GDP and over 97 percent of all net new jobs?
One question in a White House press conference, one front-page newspaper story, or one investigative report on national television could have a dramatic impact on if and when the U.S. economy fully recovers. Sounds like big news to me.
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Contact:
Christopher Gunn
Communications Director
American Small Business League
cgunn@asbl.com
(707) 789-9575
President, American Small Business League
When I watch the news on network and cable television channels the stories about business are overwhelmingly focused on Fortune 500 firms and Wall Street. Yet, when the commercials come on, they are directed to the general public and small business owners, not Fortune 500 executives. Commercials targeted at small business owners are becoming more common. Does the phrase, “I don’t have a small business, I have a fast business,” sound familiar? It seems advertisers on major television networks have figured out something news producers haven’t. The majority of American television viewers work for small businesses, not big businesses.
I have seen countless stories on television covering the recession, the economy and government programs designed to rescue our nation’s failing economy. I do not recall ever seeing a single story that reported over 50 percent of the private sector workforce is employed by small businesses. I have never seen a story that reported over 50 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is created by small businesses, and that those firms are responsible for over 97 percent of all net new jobs in America.
It is rare to see stories on small business issues in major newspapers. It is extremely rare to see a story about small business issues on the front page of a major newspaper. One international journalist told me, “if you want to put your editor to sleep, pitch a story about small business issues.”
The fact that small businesses have been shortchanged in the national media could even be a contributing factor in the failure of federal government economic stimulus plans to focus attention on small businesses.
Of the approximately $2.8 trillion that has been spent to stimulate the national economy, to date, less than 1 percent has been specifically directed to small businesses. President Barack Obama has promised to create up to 4.1 million jobs, and yet the small businesses that create over 97 percent of all net new jobs have been virtually ignored by federal economic stimulus plans. The funds that have been allocated specifically to small businesses seem to have been done more as a public relations tactic than an attempt to genuinely create jobs and boost our nation’s failing economy.
To put things into perspective, President Obama’s ARC loan program would give qualifying small businesses interest free $35,000 loans. Sounds great until you read the very, very fine print and discover that the program is caped at $255 million, which is roughly one tenth of one percent (0.1 percent) of the overall stimulus funds. The $25 billion JPMorgan Chase received from the federal government was more than all 27 million American small businesses combined. Maybe the fact that Goldman Sacks just reported $3.44 billion in quarterly profits while national unemployment heads to 10 percent might be a clue to President Obama that more stimulus funds should have been allocated to small businesses.
Anyone who has ever read anything I have written knows that my mission in life is to stop the federal government from giving over $100 billion a year in small business contracts to Fortune 500 firms and thousands of other large businesses around the world. An end to that problem would direct more money back into the middle class economy than any economic stimulus plan that has been proposed by anyone in Washington to date.
My fantasy is to have just one mainstream journalist ask President Obama why his Administration is giving billions of dollars a month in federal small business contracts to Fortune 500 firms, or why less than 1 percent of the economic stimulus funds have been allocated to small businesses.
Producers for network and cable television stations, and editors for major newspapers and magazines should consider the impact it could have on their bottom line if they were to focus more on the 27 million small businesses where most of their viewers and readers are employed. What would be the impact on our national economy if the mainstream media began to question the logic of giving billions of dollars in federal small business contracts to Fortune 500 firms? Or allocating less than 1 percent of the economic stimulus funds to the firms that are responsible for 50 percent of the GDP and over 97 percent of all net new jobs?
One question in a White House press conference, one front-page newspaper story, or one investigative report on national television could have a dramatic impact on if and when the U.S. economy fully recovers. Sounds like big news to me.
-###-
Contact:
Christopher Gunn
Communications Director
American Small Business League
cgunn@asbl.com
(707) 789-9575
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Obama Administration Stalls the Release of Small Business Contracting Data
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 4, 2009
Petaluma, Calif. - It has now been 10 months since the end of the federal government's fiscal year (FY) 2008, yet the Obama Administration has still not released the federal government's annual small business contracting statistics for that year.
Since the federal government's contracting database is essentially a real time database, the information could have been released shortly after the end of FY 2008, which ended on September 30th.
During the Bush Administration, hundreds of billions of dollars in federal small business contracts were diverted to Fortune 1000 firms and their subsidiaries. The Small Business Administration (SBA) included those contracts to large businesses towards the Bush Administration's small business contracting data, which greatly inflated those numbers.
It is not known if the Obama Administration will continue to artificially inflate federal small business contracting data by including awards to Fortune 500 firms and other large businesses in its statistics. Critics of the SBA believe the agency stalls the release of the small business data to give it time to modify the information to hide the fact that contracts to large businesses are included in the government's small business data.
Since 2003, over a dozen federal investigations found billions of dollars in federal small business contracts have wound-up in the hands of corporate giants. In Report 5-15, the SBA Office of Inspector General stated, "One of the most important challenges facing the Small Business Administration and the entire Federal government today is that large businesses are receiving small business procurement awards and agencies are receiving credit for these awards." (http://www.asbl.com/documents/05-15.pdf)
In February of 2008, President Obama recognized the magnitude of the problem when he released the statement, "It is time to end the diversion of federal small business contracts to corporate giants." To date he has failed to adopt any policy or legislation to honor that campaign promise. (http://www.barackobama.com/2008/02/26/the_american_small_business_le.php)
When the Obama Administration finally does release its small business contracting numbers there will almost certainly be a controversy over the accuracy of the data. The release of the government's annual small business contracting statistics is guaranteed to reignite demand for the federal government to end the practice of awarding small business contracts to corporate giants.
A new bill has been introduced in the House of Representatives titled the, "Fairness and Transparency in Contracting Act," or H.R. 2568, which will address the problem. To date, the Obama Administration has not issued a statement of administration policy endorsing the bill.
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Please visit YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvfoMUht-MA to see ASBL President Lloyd Chapman talk about this blog post.
August 4, 2009
Petaluma, Calif. - It has now been 10 months since the end of the federal government's fiscal year (FY) 2008, yet the Obama Administration has still not released the federal government's annual small business contracting statistics for that year.
Since the federal government's contracting database is essentially a real time database, the information could have been released shortly after the end of FY 2008, which ended on September 30th.
During the Bush Administration, hundreds of billions of dollars in federal small business contracts were diverted to Fortune 1000 firms and their subsidiaries. The Small Business Administration (SBA) included those contracts to large businesses towards the Bush Administration's small business contracting data, which greatly inflated those numbers.
It is not known if the Obama Administration will continue to artificially inflate federal small business contracting data by including awards to Fortune 500 firms and other large businesses in its statistics. Critics of the SBA believe the agency stalls the release of the small business data to give it time to modify the information to hide the fact that contracts to large businesses are included in the government's small business data.
Since 2003, over a dozen federal investigations found billions of dollars in federal small business contracts have wound-up in the hands of corporate giants. In Report 5-15, the SBA Office of Inspector General stated, "One of the most important challenges facing the Small Business Administration and the entire Federal government today is that large businesses are receiving small business procurement awards and agencies are receiving credit for these awards." (http://www.asbl.com/documents/05-15.pdf)
In February of 2008, President Obama recognized the magnitude of the problem when he released the statement, "It is time to end the diversion of federal small business contracts to corporate giants." To date he has failed to adopt any policy or legislation to honor that campaign promise. (http://www.barackobama.com/2008/02/26/the_american_small_business_le.php)
When the Obama Administration finally does release its small business contracting numbers there will almost certainly be a controversy over the accuracy of the data. The release of the government's annual small business contracting statistics is guaranteed to reignite demand for the federal government to end the practice of awarding small business contracts to corporate giants.
A new bill has been introduced in the House of Representatives titled the, "Fairness and Transparency in Contracting Act," or H.R. 2568, which will address the problem. To date, the Obama Administration has not issued a statement of administration policy endorsing the bill.
-###-
Please visit YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvfoMUht-MA to see ASBL President Lloyd Chapman talk about this blog post.
Monday, August 3, 2009
New Bill in Congress Could Boost the Economy and Root Out Liars, Con-Men, Shams and Crooked Politicians
By Lloyd Chapman
President, American Small Business League
Let's look at the facts people. America is in the midst of its worst economic disaster in 80 years. The government is spending $2.7 trillion to stimulate the economy and national unemployment is still headed to 10 percent and beyond. A parade of politicians proclaimed that the stimulus package was needed in order to increase access to capital for small businesses. Yet today, mainstream media outlets like BusinessWeek, and CNNMoney.com have reported access to capital for small businesses has actually decreased. (http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/content/may2009/sb2009056_719759.htm, http://money.cnn.com/2009/07/02/smallbusiness/sba_small_business_lending_falls.smb/)
The latest U.S. Census Bureau statistics indicate that 98 percent of all U.S. firms have less than 100 employees. These firms employ more than 50.2 percent of the private sector work force, create over 97 percent of all net new jobs, and produce over 50 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). On the other hand, large businesses in America have not created one net new job since 1977.
With a level of wisdom that could only come from America's best and brightest minds, our elected officials in Washington D.C. decided to give over 99 percent of all the stimulus funds to the firms that haven't created one net new job in 32 years. And they gave the small businesses that create virtually all net new jobs less than 1 percent. That should get this economy back on its feet in no time, right? Wrong.
I have a crazy, wacky, wild idea that just might work.
Why don't we give more than 1 percent of the economic stimulus funds to the 27 million small businesses where most Americans work? I'm sure some of you are already thinking this guy must be out of his mind. Is he on drugs? What has he been smoking? Was he dropped on his head repeatedly as a child?
I know I'm really going out on a limb on this one too, but here it is, why don't we quit giving $100 billion a year in federal small business contracts to Fortune 500 firms and some of the biggest companies in Europe? I know, I know, it's out there. I admit it, but when the economy is in this kind of trouble, you gotta get wild and crazy, you gotta think outside the box people.
I have worked very closely with congress on drafting legislation that has been introduced into the House of Representatives that will completely halt the flow of federal small business contracts to companies like British Aerospace (BAE), Rolls-Royce, Xerox, L-3 Communications, Titan industries, Raytheon and Halliburton. It has been titled, H.R. 2568, the "Fairness and Transparency in Contracting Act of 2009."
The Small Business Act requires that a small business be "independently owned," which means that if your firm is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange, you don't qualify as a small business. That makes sense doesn't it? I think it does.
The Fairness and Transparency in Contracting Act simply states that the federal government and prime contractors cannot report contracts to publicly traded firms as small business awards. TA-DAAAA, instant economic stimulus. H.R. 2568 will redirect up to $100 billion a year in existing federal infrastructure spending to the small businesses that create over 97 percent of all net new jobs, and create over 50 percent of the GDP. H.R. 2568 will create millions of jobs at virtually no additional expense to taxpayers. Sounds like a win-win to me.
In Report 5-15, the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General (SBA OIG) referred to the diversion of federal small business contracts to large businesses as, "One of the most important challenges facing the Small Business Administration and the entire Federal government today." Bingo, H.R. 2568 will solve that problem too. Another win-win. Either I'm stuttering or we're up to four wins here. (http://www.asbl.com/documents/05-15.pdf)
So who in the world would be against a bill that will direct more money into the middle class than any economic stimulus plan to date? H.R. 2568, will finally end billions of dollars in fraud and abuse in federal small business contracting programs, which since 2003, have been exposed in more than 15 federal investigations and 500 stories in the mainstream media. Any legitimate group claiming to represent small businesses, women or minorities, and isn't actually funded by Fortune 500 firms to lobby for big business, while masquerading as a small business advocacy group, would have to love this bill, wouldn't they?
Obviously, any politician or organization that would oppose such a magnificently logical, efficient and effective bill would have to be a liar, con-man, sham or crook, right? You bet they would.
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Please visit YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETmyLal1jhg to see Lloyd talk about this blog post.
Contact:
American Small Business League
info@asbl.com
(707) 789-9575
President, American Small Business League
Let's look at the facts people. America is in the midst of its worst economic disaster in 80 years. The government is spending $2.7 trillion to stimulate the economy and national unemployment is still headed to 10 percent and beyond. A parade of politicians proclaimed that the stimulus package was needed in order to increase access to capital for small businesses. Yet today, mainstream media outlets like BusinessWeek, and CNNMoney.com have reported access to capital for small businesses has actually decreased. (http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/content/may2009/sb2009056_719759.htm, http://money.cnn.com/2009/07/02/smallbusiness/sba_small_business_lending_falls.smb/)
The latest U.S. Census Bureau statistics indicate that 98 percent of all U.S. firms have less than 100 employees. These firms employ more than 50.2 percent of the private sector work force, create over 97 percent of all net new jobs, and produce over 50 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). On the other hand, large businesses in America have not created one net new job since 1977.
With a level of wisdom that could only come from America's best and brightest minds, our elected officials in Washington D.C. decided to give over 99 percent of all the stimulus funds to the firms that haven't created one net new job in 32 years. And they gave the small businesses that create virtually all net new jobs less than 1 percent. That should get this economy back on its feet in no time, right? Wrong.
I have a crazy, wacky, wild idea that just might work.
Why don't we give more than 1 percent of the economic stimulus funds to the 27 million small businesses where most Americans work? I'm sure some of you are already thinking this guy must be out of his mind. Is he on drugs? What has he been smoking? Was he dropped on his head repeatedly as a child?
I know I'm really going out on a limb on this one too, but here it is, why don't we quit giving $100 billion a year in federal small business contracts to Fortune 500 firms and some of the biggest companies in Europe? I know, I know, it's out there. I admit it, but when the economy is in this kind of trouble, you gotta get wild and crazy, you gotta think outside the box people.
I have worked very closely with congress on drafting legislation that has been introduced into the House of Representatives that will completely halt the flow of federal small business contracts to companies like British Aerospace (BAE), Rolls-Royce, Xerox, L-3 Communications, Titan industries, Raytheon and Halliburton. It has been titled, H.R. 2568, the "Fairness and Transparency in Contracting Act of 2009."
The Small Business Act requires that a small business be "independently owned," which means that if your firm is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange, you don't qualify as a small business. That makes sense doesn't it? I think it does.
The Fairness and Transparency in Contracting Act simply states that the federal government and prime contractors cannot report contracts to publicly traded firms as small business awards. TA-DAAAA, instant economic stimulus. H.R. 2568 will redirect up to $100 billion a year in existing federal infrastructure spending to the small businesses that create over 97 percent of all net new jobs, and create over 50 percent of the GDP. H.R. 2568 will create millions of jobs at virtually no additional expense to taxpayers. Sounds like a win-win to me.
In Report 5-15, the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General (SBA OIG) referred to the diversion of federal small business contracts to large businesses as, "One of the most important challenges facing the Small Business Administration and the entire Federal government today." Bingo, H.R. 2568 will solve that problem too. Another win-win. Either I'm stuttering or we're up to four wins here. (http://www.asbl.com/documents/05-15.pdf)
So who in the world would be against a bill that will direct more money into the middle class than any economic stimulus plan to date? H.R. 2568, will finally end billions of dollars in fraud and abuse in federal small business contracting programs, which since 2003, have been exposed in more than 15 federal investigations and 500 stories in the mainstream media. Any legitimate group claiming to represent small businesses, women or minorities, and isn't actually funded by Fortune 500 firms to lobby for big business, while masquerading as a small business advocacy group, would have to love this bill, wouldn't they?
Obviously, any politician or organization that would oppose such a magnificently logical, efficient and effective bill would have to be a liar, con-man, sham or crook, right? You bet they would.
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Please visit YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETmyLal1jhg to see Lloyd talk about this blog post.
Contact:
American Small Business League
info@asbl.com
(707) 789-9575
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Small Businesses Short Changed on Stimulus Funds
FOR IMMEADIATE RELEASE
July 29, 2009
It is time for America’s small businesses to unite and take ACTION!
Los Angeles, CA – In a recent national address, President Barack Obama boldly proclaimed that his administration’s economic stimulus package was working. Meanwhile, small businesses in middle class America struggle to simply keep their doors open. Despite thousands of business closures during the last several months, the mainstream media has spent little time discussing the importance of small businesses to America’s economic vitality. Our nation’s political leaders routinely recognize small business as the backbone of our nation’s economy, but to date small businesses have largely been left out of efforts to stimulate America’s economy.
America’s 27 million small businesses generate more than $6 trillion in annual revenue and collectively account for more than half of our nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). U.S. Census Bureau data indicates that companies with less than 20 employees account for 90 percent of all U.S. firms and are responsible for more than 97 percent of net new jobs.
When small businesses thrive, our economy grows. Yet today, millions of these businesses are being threatened by the very plan that was supposedly intended to help them. The president’s stimulus package, rather than providing aid to small businesses is diverting resources to save mismanaged corporate giants.
Congress earmarked a mere 1.9 percent of the initial $789 billion stimulus package to assist small businesses. Worse yet, to date, less than ½ of 1 percent has been distributed to small businesses. The irony of this is that in the long run small businesses will bear the burden of paying nearly the entire tab for this extravagant spending package and receive almost NOTHING in return.
The new administration is taking capital and revenue from the mouths of America’s small business owners and feeding it to the big national banks, greedy Fortune 500 CEOs and Wall Street executives. This theory enraptures Wall Street, yet alienates Main Street. Even the Small Business Administration (SBA) is led by venture capital vipers who are licking their chops at a chance to infiltrate and dominate federal programs designed for small businesses.
The SBA was planning to guarantee $20 billion in loans during fiscal year (FY) 2009, yet it is currently on-track to reach half of that mark. Loan programs like the ARC [America’s Recovery Capital] have been purposely structured so that few small businesses can qualify and banks literally have little motivation to lend. Even more disconcerting, every year, billions of dollars in federal contracts intended for small businesses are diverted to Fortune 500 corporations and other clearly large firms. Since 2003, more than 15 federal investigations found fraud, abuse, loopholes and a lack of oversight have led to widespread abuses in federal small business programs. The American Small Business League (ASBL) has estimated that every year up to $100 billion in federal small business contracts are diverted to corporate giants.
On top of this, small businesses are facing a hike in taxes for those earning more than $250,000, limits on itemized deductions, higher dividend taxes and shouldering more responsibility for worker health care.
While the Fortune 500 corporations have an army of lobbyists in Washington, small businesses are on their own. For this reason, it is more important than ever that small businesses unite. Regardless of political affiliation or industry association something needs to be done to stop this insane, wasteful spending spree. The ASBL and the Small Business Hour Radio Show are urging small business owners to make their voice heard. They collectively will be working together to shine a brighter light on issues facing America’s 27 million small businesses, and to help the small business community organize a more powerful unified voice. To participate in this united movement towards change, please listen to the Small Business Hour with Mark Deo at www.smallbusinesshour.com and become a supporter of the ASBL by visiting http://www.asbl.com/joinasbl.html.
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Lloyd Chapman, President of the American Small Business LeagueA vocal crusader for the rights of small business, Mr. Chapman is a familiar figure at the Small Business Administration and in the United States Congress, where he has continued to work tirelessly during the last two presidential administrations to prevent federal small business contracts from being diverted to large corporations. He is regularly quoted by the media on small business contracting issues. He can be contacted at www.asbl.com
Mark Deo, Host of the Small Business Hour. Mark Deo is a small business advocate, author, journalist and business owner. For 12 years he has been the host of CBS radio’s, "The Small Business Hour." He has been voted "Journalist of the Year" by the Small Business Administration; his weekly radio show can be heard at www.smallbusinesshour.com.
Contact:
Christopher Gunn
Communications Director
American Small Business League
cgunn@asbl.com
(707) 789-9575
July 29, 2009
It is time for America’s small businesses to unite and take ACTION!
Los Angeles, CA – In a recent national address, President Barack Obama boldly proclaimed that his administration’s economic stimulus package was working. Meanwhile, small businesses in middle class America struggle to simply keep their doors open. Despite thousands of business closures during the last several months, the mainstream media has spent little time discussing the importance of small businesses to America’s economic vitality. Our nation’s political leaders routinely recognize small business as the backbone of our nation’s economy, but to date small businesses have largely been left out of efforts to stimulate America’s economy.
America’s 27 million small businesses generate more than $6 trillion in annual revenue and collectively account for more than half of our nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). U.S. Census Bureau data indicates that companies with less than 20 employees account for 90 percent of all U.S. firms and are responsible for more than 97 percent of net new jobs.
When small businesses thrive, our economy grows. Yet today, millions of these businesses are being threatened by the very plan that was supposedly intended to help them. The president’s stimulus package, rather than providing aid to small businesses is diverting resources to save mismanaged corporate giants.
Congress earmarked a mere 1.9 percent of the initial $789 billion stimulus package to assist small businesses. Worse yet, to date, less than ½ of 1 percent has been distributed to small businesses. The irony of this is that in the long run small businesses will bear the burden of paying nearly the entire tab for this extravagant spending package and receive almost NOTHING in return.
The new administration is taking capital and revenue from the mouths of America’s small business owners and feeding it to the big national banks, greedy Fortune 500 CEOs and Wall Street executives. This theory enraptures Wall Street, yet alienates Main Street. Even the Small Business Administration (SBA) is led by venture capital vipers who are licking their chops at a chance to infiltrate and dominate federal programs designed for small businesses.
The SBA was planning to guarantee $20 billion in loans during fiscal year (FY) 2009, yet it is currently on-track to reach half of that mark. Loan programs like the ARC [America’s Recovery Capital] have been purposely structured so that few small businesses can qualify and banks literally have little motivation to lend. Even more disconcerting, every year, billions of dollars in federal contracts intended for small businesses are diverted to Fortune 500 corporations and other clearly large firms. Since 2003, more than 15 federal investigations found fraud, abuse, loopholes and a lack of oversight have led to widespread abuses in federal small business programs. The American Small Business League (ASBL) has estimated that every year up to $100 billion in federal small business contracts are diverted to corporate giants.
On top of this, small businesses are facing a hike in taxes for those earning more than $250,000, limits on itemized deductions, higher dividend taxes and shouldering more responsibility for worker health care.
While the Fortune 500 corporations have an army of lobbyists in Washington, small businesses are on their own. For this reason, it is more important than ever that small businesses unite. Regardless of political affiliation or industry association something needs to be done to stop this insane, wasteful spending spree. The ASBL and the Small Business Hour Radio Show are urging small business owners to make their voice heard. They collectively will be working together to shine a brighter light on issues facing America’s 27 million small businesses, and to help the small business community organize a more powerful unified voice. To participate in this united movement towards change, please listen to the Small Business Hour with Mark Deo at www.smallbusinesshour.com and become a supporter of the ASBL by visiting http://www.asbl.com/joinasbl.html.
-###-
Lloyd Chapman, President of the American Small Business LeagueA vocal crusader for the rights of small business, Mr. Chapman is a familiar figure at the Small Business Administration and in the United States Congress, where he has continued to work tirelessly during the last two presidential administrations to prevent federal small business contracts from being diverted to large corporations. He is regularly quoted by the media on small business contracting issues. He can be contacted at www.asbl.com
Mark Deo, Host of the Small Business Hour. Mark Deo is a small business advocate, author, journalist and business owner. For 12 years he has been the host of CBS radio’s, "The Small Business Hour." He has been voted "Journalist of the Year" by the Small Business Administration; his weekly radio show can be heard at www.smallbusinesshour.com.
Contact:
Christopher Gunn
Communications Director
American Small Business League
cgunn@asbl.com
(707) 789-9575
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Who Are the Real Small Business Advocates in America?
Can Legitimate Small Business Groups be Funded by Fortune 500 Firms?
By Lloyd Chapman
President, American Small Business League
Can an organization claim to represent the interests of small businesses and never lift a finger to stop the most highly publicized issue affecting small businesses for the last eight years? Can an organization funded by Fortune 500 firms truly represent small businesses?
In 2002, I convinced the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to launch the first federal investigation into the diversion of federal small business contracts to large corporations. In February of 2003, David Cooper, Director of GAO's Acquisition and Sourcing Management Office, told Washington Technology magazine that the GAO launched its investigation based on "information Chapman provided." (http://washingtontechnology.com/Articles/2003/02/20/Smallbusiness-deals-under-investigation.aspx?Page=1)
That first GAO investigation has prompted over a dozen other federal investigations and private studies into the diversion of federal small business contracts to Fortune 500 firms and thousands of other large businesses. (http://www.asbl.com/documentlibrary.html)
In 2005, the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General (SBA OIG) released Report 5-15, which assessed the magnitude of the widespread fraud and abuses in federal small business contracting programs. Report 5-15 described the diversion of hundreds of billions of dollars in federal small business contracts to many of the largest companies in the world as, "One of the most important challenges facing the Small Business Administration and the entire Federal government today." (http://www.asbl.com/documents/05-15.pdf)
Since the results of that first GAO investigation were released in May of 2003, over 500 stories in the media have covered the issue. Every major newspaper in the country has reported on the problem. Dozens of magazine articles have covered it. It has been on every major television network, including: ABC, CBS, CNN, FOX and CNBC. Finally, the diversion of federal small business contracts to corporate giants has been discussed in more than 400 radio interviews by the American Small Business League (ASBL) staff.
Over a dozen federal investigations, more than 500 stories in the media over eight years, and over $100 billion a year diverted from small businesses and firms owned by women and minorities; surely any group that claims to represent small businesses, women or minorities must have done something to address a problem of this magnitude.
I challenge anyone to even find this issue mentioned anywhere on the websites of any so-called small business organization. Try and find any evidence of any effort to halt the fraud and abuse against legitimate small businesses. Virtually every national organization that claims to represent small businesses is actually funded by the very Fortune 500 firms that have hijacked hundreds of billions of dollars in federal small business contracts. Now that is a staggering conflict of interest. Many of these Fortune 500 firms have even lobbied to close the SBA and end all federal programs to assist small businesses and firms owned by women, minorities and veterans.
Some of these sham groups will attempt to tell us that their members don't care about this issue. Quite the contrary, try and find a single legitimate small business in America that thinks Fortune 500 firms should receive federal small business contracts.
Here's the truth; the ASBL is the only national organization that has fought to bring an end to the diversion of hundreds of billions of dollars in federal small business contracts to Fortune 500 firms and hundreds of other large businesses. The ASBL is the only national small business group that does not take money from Fortune 500 firms or big businesses. We only fight for small businesses.
We provided the information that prompted the investigations. We filed the lawsuits that forced the release of thousands of pages of government data proving that Fortune 500 firms have received billions of dollars in federal small business contracts. We prompted the overwhelming majority of stories in the media on this issue. We have fought the SBA, the White House, the Pentagon and Congress as they have refused to adopt legislation and policy to halt the rampant abuses. And now we are the only small business organization in America that has successfully had legislation introduced into Congress to finally halt the diversion of federal small business contracts to corporate giants. The passage of H.R. 2568, the Fairness and transparency in Contracting Act will bring an end to years of fraud, abuse and loopholes in federal small business contracting programs.
The passage of H.R. 2568 will also redirect over $100 billion a year in current federal infrastructure spending back to the 27 million small businesses where most Americans work. These firms are responsible for 50 percent of the Gross Domestic Product and over 95 percent of all net new jobs in America.
Don't be fooled anymore, if you want to discover who the real small business advocates are in America, look to see who funds these groups and ask who has fought to end the most widely publicized and investigated abuses against small businesses in the last decade.
If you are a small business owner, after you have discovered who the real small business advocates are, join them in their fight for American small businesses. www.asbl.com
By Lloyd Chapman
President, American Small Business League
Can an organization claim to represent the interests of small businesses and never lift a finger to stop the most highly publicized issue affecting small businesses for the last eight years? Can an organization funded by Fortune 500 firms truly represent small businesses?
In 2002, I convinced the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to launch the first federal investigation into the diversion of federal small business contracts to large corporations. In February of 2003, David Cooper, Director of GAO's Acquisition and Sourcing Management Office, told Washington Technology magazine that the GAO launched its investigation based on "information Chapman provided." (http://washingtontechnology.com/Articles/2003/02/20/Smallbusiness-deals-under-investigation.aspx?Page=1)
That first GAO investigation has prompted over a dozen other federal investigations and private studies into the diversion of federal small business contracts to Fortune 500 firms and thousands of other large businesses. (http://www.asbl.com/documentlibrary.html)
In 2005, the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General (SBA OIG) released Report 5-15, which assessed the magnitude of the widespread fraud and abuses in federal small business contracting programs. Report 5-15 described the diversion of hundreds of billions of dollars in federal small business contracts to many of the largest companies in the world as, "One of the most important challenges facing the Small Business Administration and the entire Federal government today." (http://www.asbl.com/documents/05-15.pdf)
Since the results of that first GAO investigation were released in May of 2003, over 500 stories in the media have covered the issue. Every major newspaper in the country has reported on the problem. Dozens of magazine articles have covered it. It has been on every major television network, including: ABC, CBS, CNN, FOX and CNBC. Finally, the diversion of federal small business contracts to corporate giants has been discussed in more than 400 radio interviews by the American Small Business League (ASBL) staff.
Over a dozen federal investigations, more than 500 stories in the media over eight years, and over $100 billion a year diverted from small businesses and firms owned by women and minorities; surely any group that claims to represent small businesses, women or minorities must have done something to address a problem of this magnitude.
I challenge anyone to even find this issue mentioned anywhere on the websites of any so-called small business organization. Try and find any evidence of any effort to halt the fraud and abuse against legitimate small businesses. Virtually every national organization that claims to represent small businesses is actually funded by the very Fortune 500 firms that have hijacked hundreds of billions of dollars in federal small business contracts. Now that is a staggering conflict of interest. Many of these Fortune 500 firms have even lobbied to close the SBA and end all federal programs to assist small businesses and firms owned by women, minorities and veterans.
Some of these sham groups will attempt to tell us that their members don't care about this issue. Quite the contrary, try and find a single legitimate small business in America that thinks Fortune 500 firms should receive federal small business contracts.
Here's the truth; the ASBL is the only national organization that has fought to bring an end to the diversion of hundreds of billions of dollars in federal small business contracts to Fortune 500 firms and hundreds of other large businesses. The ASBL is the only national small business group that does not take money from Fortune 500 firms or big businesses. We only fight for small businesses.
We provided the information that prompted the investigations. We filed the lawsuits that forced the release of thousands of pages of government data proving that Fortune 500 firms have received billions of dollars in federal small business contracts. We prompted the overwhelming majority of stories in the media on this issue. We have fought the SBA, the White House, the Pentagon and Congress as they have refused to adopt legislation and policy to halt the rampant abuses. And now we are the only small business organization in America that has successfully had legislation introduced into Congress to finally halt the diversion of federal small business contracts to corporate giants. The passage of H.R. 2568, the Fairness and transparency in Contracting Act will bring an end to years of fraud, abuse and loopholes in federal small business contracting programs.
The passage of H.R. 2568 will also redirect over $100 billion a year in current federal infrastructure spending back to the 27 million small businesses where most Americans work. These firms are responsible for 50 percent of the Gross Domestic Product and over 95 percent of all net new jobs in America.
Don't be fooled anymore, if you want to discover who the real small business advocates are in America, look to see who funds these groups and ask who has fought to end the most widely publicized and investigated abuses against small businesses in the last decade.
If you are a small business owner, after you have discovered who the real small business advocates are, join them in their fight for American small businesses. www.asbl.com
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