Friends of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce

Stand Up for American Enterprise!

Stand with the job creators, innovators, and entrepreneurs that drive growth.

This week, the U.S. Chamber is celebrating our 100th Anniversary -- a century of standing up in the name of American Enterprise and representing the voice of businesses across the country in Washington D. C. 

In order to properly honor the entrepreneurs, the innovators, and the small business leaders that are the drivers of our free enterprise system, we’re asking all of our friends to unite on Facebook and spread the word to STAND UP for American Enterprise.

Click the image below and sign in with Facebook to show your family and friends that you stand up for American Enterprise and the issues that are vital to its success: lowering taxes, stopping Obamacare, increasing American energy, and reining in government regulations.

The real power of this tool lies in its ability to share and spread this message right there with your Facebook network. So take a moment to click and show your friends that you care about free markets and the people and principles that make America great.

We hope you’ll stand with us.

What is most important to achieve in reforming the tax code?

6.1 billion hours ensuring that they’re in compliance with the 3.4 million words that make up the our tax code; that’s the time and effort that Americans spent this tax season sumbitting their tax returns.  

Complexity isn’t the only thing that Americans should be concerned about.  By the end of the year, the 2001-2003 tax cuts are set to expire, sending tax rates for some individuals and small businesses up to almost 40%.  All the while, few in Congress are concentrating on the true solutions to resolve these issues.

It is clear to us that America need comprehensive tax reform that not only improves efficiency by providing simplicity, but will help our country achieve national priorities; like creating jobs and growing our economy.  Do you agree?

Following this year’s tax day, we want to know:

NEW RELEASE: Small Businesses Share Their Economic Outlook

They’re the heartbeat of our economy, represent 99.7 percent of all employer firms around the country, and employ almost half of America’s private sector workforce – and they’re telling us how today’s economic environment impacts their growth.

Earlier this week, we released the results of our Quarterly Small Business Outlook Survey for the first quarter of 2012, where over 1,300 small businesses from around the country outlined their outlook on the state of the economy as it relates to policies from Washington, hiring trends, and attitudes leading up to the elections. 

So, what do American small businesses identify as the biggest growing threats to their success?

According to our Q1 Small Business Outlook Survey, the recent spike in energy prices is growing as a small business obstacle.

The number of small business concerned about rising energy prices has doubled since our last survey, up from 10% to 24%.  Seventy-eight percent (78%) of small businesses have the perception that the Obama administration isn’t doing enough to address the surge in energy costs, support American jobs or energy production.

Concerns about over-regulation are also in the rise. 

Fifty-two percent (52%) of the businesses we surveyed cited regulatory burdens form the government as the top threat they face in 2012.

No matter the challenges, small businesses’ confidence about their own future continues to rise.

Our Q1 survey shows that small business confidence is up 7 percentage points from our last quarterly survey, even though new hiring has remained stagnant.  Businesses know what would help them start hiring again — a reduction in the taxes, regulation, and legislation that flows from Washington.  Eighty percent (80%) cited these as the biggest roadblocks to increased hiring.

Small businesses are looking to the upcoming elections to provide relief from the overreach of government.

An overwhelming majority, 97% of those we surveyed, said a candidate’s support for free enterprise is important to them, with 84% citing free enterprise as very important.  Not to mention, the vast majority really just wants Washington to get out of their way, with 81% favoring more certainty over more government help.

Click here to view the entire results of our 1st Quarter Small Business Outlook Survey.

The message from American small businesses is clear: We need to support the  free enterprise system and empower American businesses to lead our nation to recovery.

Leave a comment below and tell us how small businesses in your community are dealing.

Should the health care law be overturned?

Earlier this week, the Washington Times editorial page commented on the White House’s reactions to the Supreme Court hearing on the Constitutionality of the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Though deficits projects associated with the "Affordable Care Act" continue to rise, and devastating effects of the law are increasingly uncovered, the Washington Times highlighted the President saying that:

“I’m confident that the Supreme Court will not take what would be an unprecedented, extraordinary step of overturning a law that was passed by a strong majority of a democratically elected Congress,” he said.

Moreover, Mr. Obama argued that nullifying Obamacare would amount to “judicial activism,” whereby “unelected” judges trump the will of legislative representatives…

The Washington Times continued to explain:

Contrary to Mr. Obama’s spin, the Affordable Care Act was jammed through Congress. It passed the House by a narrow vote of 219-212, even though the Democrats had an overwhelming majority of 75 seats. In the Senate, it barely crossed the 60-vote threshold to avoid a filibuster and passed without a single Republican vote. The law was deeply unpopular with the electorate. Obama Democrats desperately rushed it through Congress, abusing parliamentary procedures and bribing key members of the Senate. It is today even less popular with voters. No one - including Mr. Obama - bothered to read the 2,700-page monstrosity before putting it into law.

With its laundry list of shortcomings and broken promises, it’s not hard to believe why the Supreme Court is taking careful consideration of the bill’s legitimacy.

It would not be “unprecedented” or “extraordinary” if the Supreme Court overturns Obamacare. For more than 200 years, the high court has struck down countless laws passed by Congress or state legislatures, many of them with much stronger majorities than the Affordable Care Act.

Read the full editorial here and vote below.

In the wake of evidence provided at the Supreme Court hearings against the 2010 health care overhaul, do you believe think we should keep the bill as is or start from scratch?

Who Is Fighting for Jobs and Free Enterprise?

Over the last few weeks, we’ve been highlighting some of the ads that make up the U.S. Chamber’s landmark, multi-state voter education program.

Elections have consequences.  And November’s elections will have enormous consequences for job creation and our economy.  We need to be sure that we’re electing representatives who will support common-sense pro-jobs and pro-business policies that will get our struggling economy growing again.

Before voters go to the polls, we think it’s important for them to know how elected officials voted on policies that support free enterprise, and those that choose big government instead.

Today, we profile three fighters for jobs and free enterprise — Sen. Dick Luger, Rep. Frank Guinta, and Linda Lingle.

Indiana: Sen. Dick Lugar

The Keystone XL Pipeline wouldn’t just be a huge step towards securing America’s energy future and reducing our dependence on unfriendly foreign sources of oil,  allowing the Keystone XL project would also create 20,000 immediate new American jobs, and tens of thousands of more indirect jobs created from the pipeline’s construction.  That’s why Sen. Dick Lugar stood up to President Obama when the president blocked its construction.

Hoosiers have a pro-job, pro-growth advocate in the Senate, fighting for new energy jobs for Indiana.

New Hampshire: Rep. Frank Guinta

Few pieces of legislation will have as disastrous effects on our economy and on job creation as the sweeping mandates, penalties and taxes inclided ObamaCare.  That’s why Rep. Frank Guinta is fighting against the landmark 2010 health care overhaul and to repeal the most burdensome provisions on New Hampshire businesses.

Frank Guinta knows that it’s American free enterprise

—not the heavy hand of government—that will get our economy roaring again.

Hawaii: Linda Lingle

America’s tourism industry employs 7.4 million people and generates more than $700 billion in revenue each year.  In Hawaii, Linda Lingle has been a bi-partisan leader for expanding tourism and putting out the welcome mat for people to visit and enjoy all that the United States has to offer.

Linda Lingle knows that promoting greater tourism will create new jobs and help grow Hawaii’s and America’s economy.
 

You can click here to view all of the ads in our voter education program, and be sure to leave us a comment here and let us know what you think of these candidates!