As you may have guessed by now, it doesn't take much to make me happy.

A few words, with appropriate hand gestures, in the right context will make me smile for a week.

That is especially true when the words, if not the gestures or the context, have previously appeared in this space in some form. It isn't necessary for me to deliver the message myself, as long as there is someone out there to do it effectively.

In case you haven't guessed by now, I'm talking about Dr. Mark Zandi and his testimony before the House Small Business Committee last week.

Here is what the charming Dr. Zandi told the Committee, paraphrased for convenience:

You should know that the kind of tax breaks you want to put into place for small businesses won't help most small businesses. They'll help larger businesses and that might be a good reason to do it anyway. But you should be aware that they won't help the folks you say you want to help.

Naturally, I have no way of knowing if those members of the Committee who were present for this hearing actually "heard" that observation. I may be incredibly easy to please but I haven't quite lost my mind.

In fact, Ranking Member Steve Chabot was very quick to note that he had heard from many of his small business owner constituents that the investment tax breaks under discussion at the time were very important to them — a response that clearly demonstrates to me that Mr. Chabot did not choose to hear what was really being said.

Nobody said those tax breaks don't help any of the businesses designated as ‘small' by SBA guidelines, Mr. Chabot. Nobody said the tax breaks were bad, per se. In fact, they are probably a wonderful thing for those firms that make the kind of large investments that generate worthwhile returns from said tax breaks.

But, while they are a great thing for less than 10% of small businesses — including a few of your small business constituents, no doubt — it is important for you to note that the other 90% of small businesses get little to no benefit from them.

That's all.

Just file that fact away in your brain somewhere, Mr. Congressman. Is that too much to ask?

Who knows? You may find it useful someday.