The American Small Business Chamber of Commerce: Our View
Dear friends:
Between 1997 and 2007, American owned publicly held firms dramatically grew marketshare while our smaller businesses lost ground. Remarkably, in just ten years, large publicly-owned firms increased their revenues-based marketshare by a whopping 16% (1997 marketshare was 54.77%. 2007 market share was 63.59%). And, while complete Census data is not available to detail big business growth since 2007, we believe big business marketshare has continued to grow.
In 2007 public firms represented just 2.97% of all firms and produced 65.68% of all revenues (up from 54.77% just a decade before). Incredibly, 97% of all U.S. businesses are non-public owned firms -- but secured only 34.32% of all revenues.
Over the last two decades, more and more large firms took jobs (once held in America) off-shore, employed un-American tax strategies to prevent paying their fair share to support our country, and poured millions upon millions of dollars into the pockets of political lobbyists and campaign coffers reaping more and more undue privileges, government contracts and handouts.
The growing big business domination catapulted to the next tier of supremacy during the recent, abrupt downturn in the American economy. Billions of dollars and bail outs went into the hands of big business -- who simply continued to escalate their dominance, reaping profits and further marketshare gains off the backs of hard working American tax payers.
The Small Business Imperative
The American Small Business Chamber of Commerce™ was founded to restore the vibrancy, innovation, profitability and community strength of America's small businesses. Main Street America is desperately in need of business leaders who care about our families and our communities, and who will grow businesses in our neighborhoods restoring economic vibrancy and community vitality.
Small business owners care about their workers and their communities. We know how families are impacted by jobs sent overseas, and feel the frustration every day as consumer demand stagnates, unemployment grows, and capital readily available for business lending is held aside exclusively for our big-business competitors.
To get America moving again, we must focus on building a climate in which small businesses can thrive. Yes, tax and regulation reduction will help. But, the work that is needed to restore America's small business strength must go much further.
We must level the playing field by stopping anti-American business practices, tax havens and tax evasion, greatly increase access to affordable capital for small businesses, stop big-corporate give always and unwarranted privileges, raise the federal mandate for contracting with small businesses from 23% to 50% and put small business owners at the leadership table in Washington and all across our country.
The American Small Business Chamber of Commerce — A New Leader for Our Times
America's small business strength must be restored. Our success is an American economic imperative.
The American Small Business Chamber of Commerce is taking the message of The Small Business Imperative to Washington DC, bringing together small business champions all across America, fighting for an influential seat at the table of American leadership, fighting for job creation, increased consumer demand, policies and practices that support our businesses, communities and families.
We are spreading the message to the people to support American small businesses. We make the case for the value we all secure when we focus a core of our purchasing with America's small businesses. We represent the true fabric of the American economy. We care about American jobs, families and communities. Americans make purchasing decisions every day that aggregate to have dramatic impact on our world. Helping individuals to understand the link between our purchasing habits and the vitality of our communities will serve to empower Americans to align purchasing choice with positive economic and community outcomes.
Join Us
Thank you.
Terry Williams, CEO
The American Small Business Chamber of Commerce