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October 30, 2006

MNB 10/30/06: Small Business Policy in a Democratic House

What would this midterm season be without a bit of a preview of what will become of the House Small Business Committee under Nydia Velazquez? Especially since current Chairman Don Manzullo brought the subject up by distributing a press release last week that was scarifying enough to be a worthy segue into Halloween week?

Plus Senator Blanche Lincoln on rural development and a new research initiative from the Center for Women's Business Research.

Listen to this week's podcast.

For more information:

House Small Business Committee
Senator Blanche Lincoln
Center for Women's Business Research

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Posted by The MicroEnterprise Journal at 02:15 AM | Comments (0)

MNB Podcast Special: An Interview with Senator Blanche Lincoln

We're launching a new project here at The MicroEnterprise Journal, to conduct interviews with members of the Senate who are also members of Generation Jones: born between 1954 and 1965 and mistakenly called Boomers for most of our lives.

Jonsers are an interesting mix, possessing both the idealism of the Boomers and the realism of GenXers. We are less prone to ideological dogma and more inclined toward practical problem-solving. After all the partisan sniping of recent years, Jonsers are coming into a position in which they really will have the power to change the tone in Washington.

That represents a pretty titanic shift in the way things are done in our nation's capitol. As a sort of preview, I'll be talking to some of them begining with this conversation with Senator Blanche Lincoln, Democrat of Arkansas, on the issue of rural development.

Listen to Senator Lincoln interview.

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Posted by The MicroEnterprise Journal at 02:03 AM | Comments (0)

October 23, 2006

MNB 10/23/06: Bush Addresses Small Business Groups

I wouldn't want you to think that President Bush has been ignoring small businesses lately, especially since he hasn't. He talked to a group of small business organizations earlier this month to tell them just how well the economy is doing.

He wasn't shy about saying his policies were responsible, either.

Political reality comes home to roost in the White House and the Journal's economic analyst, Anne Wenzel of Econosystems.com, tells us that the economy may not be doing so well for much longer.

Listen to this week's podcast.

For more information:

President Bush's remarks to small business groups: transcript
Summary of Commentary on Current Economic Conditions by Federal Reserve District
The Conference Board
Econosystems.com
National Savings Alliance Corporation


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Posted by The MicroEnterprise Journal at 12:38 AM | Comments (0)

October 16, 2006

MNB 10/16/06: Microloan Substitute In The Works?

The SBA's Microloan program has been treading water for years and, while it's got a lot going for it -- like the closest thing to gender parity of any of its loan programs -- it still faces the hostility of the Bush Administration.

Now, a new pilot program has been announced that so clearly targets the same clientele as Microloan that it seems obvious where this one is headed. Will it get the job done?

Plus, the FTC weighs in on municipal wireless broadband and the SBA Office of Advocacy awards a slew of new research contracts.

Listen to this week's podcast.

For more information:

U.S. Small Business Administration
FTC releases report on municipal wireless broadband (press release)
SBA Office of Advocacy
NY Times article: Peace Prize to Pioneer of Loans to Poor No Bank Would Touch (10/14/06)

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Posted by The MicroEnterprise Journal at 12:00 AM | Comments (0)

October 09, 2006

MNB 10/09/06: SBA Lending Sets New Records in FY2005

The SBA broke it's own loan records yet again in fiscal 2005 and that makes them very happy. But, in spite of the numbers, the question remains: is the loan program accomplishing its goal of making financing available to small businesses who need it and can't get it elsewhere? Plus, the ACE Act gets introduced in the Senate and the NWBC offers a policy update for women business owners.

Listen to this week's podcast.

For further information:

SBA's Record-Breaking Year (press release, PDF)
(press release)
National Women's Business Council

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Posted by The MicroEnterprise Journal at 10:19 AM | Comments (0)

October 02, 2006

MNB 10/02/06: Census Finds Fewer Home-Based Firms

Happy October!

The Census Bureau has released its long-awaited 2002 Characteristics of Businesses and Characteristics of Business Owners reports and its finding that only 49% of U.S. firms are home-based has a lot of us scratching our heads. Plus, lawmakers headed home last week with a lot of small business legislation still in the pending tray; and new microbusiness research in Massachusetts has state officials re-thinking their economic development bag of tricks.

Listen to this week's podcast.

For further information:

2002 Survey of Business Owners, Census Bureau
The Enterprise Center at Salem State College: Sole Proprietor Research Information Page

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Posted by The MicroEnterprise Journal at 08:39 AM | Comments (0)