Small Business: Accept NO Imitations
Both Small Business Majority and the Main Street Alliance claim to represent small business owners, but if you take a closer look at these groups you'll quickly discover that they are not credible advocates for the small business community.
CLAIM #1: Small Business Majority "represent[s] the 27 million Americans who are self-employed or own businesses of up to 100 employees," - John Arensmeyer, Founder & CEO of Small Business Majority.
TRUTH: Small Business Majority is not a membership organization.
TRUTH: Small Business Majority does not represent all 27 million American small businesses. For starters, Small Business Majority does not represent the millions of small business owners who belong to the membership organizations of the Small Business Coalition for Affordable Healthcare.
CLAIM #2: According to the Main Street Alliance's Web site, "The [Main Street] Alliance creates opportunities for small business owners to speak for themselves about health care and how to fix it.”
TRUTH: The Main Street Alliance was created with a predetermined set of principles WITHOUT the input of small business owners.
CLAIM #3: The Main Street Alliance is an organization supported by small business owners.
TRUTH: The Main Street Alliance is an organization of 13 state coalitions, which are associated with consumer advocacy and labor organizations - such as the Northwest Federation of Community Organizations, an affiliate of USAction. It is unclear how their policy decisions are made, but it does not appear that real small business owners are a part of the process.
CLAIM #4: The Main Street Alliance survey Taking the Pulse of Main Street claims small business owners support an employer mandate to pay for healthcare reform.
TRUTH: The Main Street Alliance survey results were NOT collected through a scientific process of random sampling nor do they represent a broad group of small business owners.
TRUTH: Small business owners oppose an employer mandate. Members of the Small Business Coalition for Affordable Healthcare agree that their small business owners can not afford an additional tax on their businesses to pay for healthcare.
CLAIM #5: According to Small Business Majority's main principles, "[Small Business Majority] support direct government intervention into the healthcare system, including appropriate, equitable taxes, mandates, and regulations."
TRUTH: This principle proves how out-of-touch Small Business Majority is with small business owners. The Small Business Coalition for Affordable Healthcare oppose an employer mandate and government-run healthcare.
QUICK FACTS ON THOSE CLAIMING TO BE SMALL BUSINESS GROUPS:
-
The Small Business Majority was created in 2004. The Main Street Alliance has been around for less time than that, it was created just one year ago in 2008.
-
BOTH are partners with Health Care For America Now!(HCAN!). Members of HCAN's steering committee include: ACORN, MoveOn.org, USAction, AFL-CIO, and the Service Employees International Union.
-
BOTH are not funded primarily by small business owners.
-
BOTH support an employer mandate and direct government intervention into the employer-based healthcare system.
The Small Business Coalition for Affordable Healthcare is the real advocate for small business. Learn more about our members and the small businesses they serve.
QUICK FACTS ON A FEW OF THE MEMBERS OF OUR SMALL BUSINESS COALITION:
Claim #1: http://edworkforce.house.gov/hearings/
Claim #2 and #3: http://mainstreetalliance.org/wordpress/home/about-us/
Claim #4: Main Street Alliance. Taking the Pulse of Main Street, January 2009.
Claim #5: Small Business for Affordable Healthcare Business plan, a project of Small Business Majority. Jan. 17, 2008.
About Us | Ads and PSAs | Fact Sheets | Healthcare in the News | Research