Regulations, taxes aren't killing small business, owners say

McClatchy Newspapers ^ | September 1, 2011 | Kevin G. Hall

[1010RD]

WASHINGTON — Politicians and business groups often blame excessive regulation and fear of higher taxes for tepid hiring in the economy. However, little evidence of that emerged when McClatchy canvassed a random sample of small business owners across the nation.

"Government regulations are not 'choking' our business, the hospitality business," Bernard Wolfson, the president of Hospitality Operations in Miami, told The Miami Herald. "In order to do business in today's environment, government regulations are necessary and we must deal with them. The health and safety of our guests depend on regulations. It is the government regulations that help keep things in order."

SNIP

McClatchy reached out to owners of small businesses, many of them mom-and-pop operations, to find out whether they indeed were being choked by regulation, whether uncertainty over taxes affected their hiring plans and whether the health care overhaul was helping or hurting their business.

Their response was surprising.

None of the business owners complained about regulation in their particular industries, and most seemed to welcome it...

SNIP (You'll have to read it to believe it)

[1010RD]

McClatchy appears to have ordered its reporters to find businesses that want more taxes and regulations.

The gags almost write themselves. FReepers, you've got plenty of material to work with here. Have at it.

[the invisib1e hand]

"In order to do business in today's environment, government regulations are necessary and we must deal with them. The health and safety of our guests depend on regulations. It is the government regulations that help keep things in order."

What? Who interviewed the guy, a muslim with a scimitar?

[Meet the New Boss]

Mr. Wolfson went on to add, “Barack Hussein Obama II is the kindest, bravest, warmest, most wonderful human being I’ve ever known in my life.”

[crz]

Well, seems to me that they now make news instead of reporting the news.

Also, it seems to me that they did that very thing in Germany about 60-70 years ago.

[Don Corleone]

The gags almost write themselves. FReepers, you've got plenty of material to work with here. Have at it.

Why? Its a waste of good bandwidth. Just like with the "Professors" and "Academics" they develop a theory and to hell with contrary evidence.

[Vendome]

I’ll bet dollars to donuts that this a union shop.

[Graybeard58]

The health and safety of our guests depend on regulations. It is the government regulations that help keep things in order."

Stupid, stupid, stupid.

[winner3000]

(None of the business owners complained about regulation in their particular industries, and most seemed to welcome it...)

That sounds like a poll conducted in Syria! Not one of the business owners complained about business regulations; 100% welecome more regulations! Baghdad Bob must have found a new job at the McCrappy papers.

[Sacajaweau]

Gas in my tank is taking $20 a week instead of $10.

Drill....and every segment benefits!!

[coloradan]

"In order to do business in today's environment, government regulations are necessary and we must deal with them. The health and safety of our guests depend on regulations. It is the government regulations that help keep things in order."

What he's saying is, if it weren't for regulations, we bed&breakfasts would be serving arsenic in the tea.

[festusbanjo]

Guy runs a small group of 5 hotels staffed with illegals. Can’t imagine why he likes Obama.

[hsalaw]

These were probably all union-controlled businesses.

[Mr. Jeeves]

This article might be partially true, since the most successful small business people I know simply ignore or work around any inconvenient regulation and they are (so far) small enough to escape the government's notice. Likewise, big companies can simply buy enough support in Congress and hire enough attorneys to blunt the effects of any adverse regulation. It's the mid-size businesses that get crushed.

That's why I have a simple rule for our company: "When we want to grow, we have to go...to Asia."

[winner3000]

Just in case anybody is unsure where the “reporters” stand within the political spectrum, here’s another quote from a “random” business owner: (He credits the federal stimulus effort with helping to keep some smaller firms afloat.)

Riiiiiight!

[gusopol3]

http://therealdeal.com/miami/articles/developer-bernard-wolfson-on-the-city-s-first-leed-hotel

GREEN HOTEL owner.

[Beagle8U]

If you read the article the dimwits they interview say regulations aren't a problem for their business, but every problem they point out as hurting them is caused by government regulations. They interviewed nothing but a collection of idiots.

[JimRed]

The health and safety of our guests depend on regulations.

No, it depends on you to set standards of service and enforce them!

[newzjunkey]

Clearly! “I can’t be trusted to do the right thing government! Please regulate me!”

[pacpam]

crony capitalist

[gusopol3]

http://www.campaignmoney.com/political/contributions/bernard-wolfson.asp?cycle=10

BUT, he gave to Republicans, including Sharon Angle, last year.