It happens every so often that somebody takes it into their head to worry about the fact that so many microbusinesses lack sufficient resources for this, that or the other thing.

They never say they are concerned about microbusinesses. They usually refer to "small businesses." But, since almost all small businesses are microbusinesses and since microbusinesses are pretty much at the bottom of the business food chain anyway, we all know who they're talking about, don't we?

Interestingly, the last time I got to listen to this sort of concern, I was doing precisely the same thing: listening to a hearing before the House Small Business Committee.

Last time, the expression of concern prompted me to set about putting together an employee wellness program that most microbusiness owners can afford. I posted it to The Journal Blog and, more recently, to the SBA's Business.gov small business community web site.

It was well received.

This time, we have more health-related concern about a lack of resources. Specifically, Committee Chairwoman Nydia Velazquez was heard to wonder whether small firms without much in the way of resources will be able to handle whatever an H1N1 pandemic might throw at them.

Which, I suppose, means that I should return to The Journal Blog (or maybe to Business.gov) to post a hypothetical microbusiness preparedness plan, just to show that it can be done.

Here's something I read recently on Mike Wagner's blog that really appealed to me: "a shortage of resources opened the door to an abundance of resourcefulness."

As often as not, it is resourcefulness that makes the difference between success and failure for the typical bootstrapping microbusiness.

Lawmakers, please: don't underestimate them.

It's easy to do, I'll grant you that. But when you do, it keeps you from seeing their real problems, doesn't it?