Statesman Journal - The Rhetoric of Regulation

Op-Ed

By Monica Wehby

"Main Street" -- it's a term that has powerful connotation for many Americans.

For older generations, it evokes a slice of Americana lost to the ages, while in younger Americans it drums up amusement and wonder for an era absent both Amazon and Google. Upon hearing the term, I myself am reminded of the ma and pa-owned storefronts lining the streets of my childhood hometown.

So it's with good reason politicians in Washington, D.C., today, turn to this type of nostalgia when discussing small business -- "We should be helping Main Street, not Wall Street,"they bellow from the halls of Congress.

After all, small businesses are often the realization of that ultimate slice of Americana -- the American Dream. Yet, too often our politicians' endorsement of small business ends there. The fact of the matter is Washington, D.C., rhetoric does not match reality -- politicians, Jeff Merkley included, talk about abetting small business, but when it comes time, often fall short on their promises.

A politician saying one thing and doing another?

Not exactly breaking news, I know, but this guise of championing business on the floor of the Senate, only to pass a bill shortly after effectively shutting the doors of a business back home, needs to end.

But, despite this seemingly conscious effort in Washington, D.C., to impede their success, small businesses remain the backbone of our economy. According to the SBA, there are nearly 28 million small businesses in the U.S., which account for over 99 percent of U.S. employer firms, and are responsible for two out of every three net new private sector jobs.

With small businesses responsible for nearly half of our nation's GDP (according to Census Bureau data), why aren't politicians doing more to halt the incessant regulations, taxes and job-killing red tape coming out of Washington, D.C.? As a former small business owner myself, I've seen first hand the devastating impacts such nonsensical bureaucracy can have on a small business owner's bottom line.

Here's what I'm prepared to do:

* I will support lowering both the corporate and individual tax rates that affect small business owners. This will provide business owners with the funds needed to create new employment opportunities and foster growth.

* I will support legislation aimed at reducing duplicative and burdensome regulations handed down by the Executive Branch, which force small businesses to waste valuable time and money on compliance.

* I will support repealing the controversial aspects of Dodd-Frank that have made it increasingly difficult for small businesses to get the loans they need to start or grow in this economy.

As your U.S. senator, I will act on pieces of legislation like these and others that mirror an ideology of "less is more." In the fight of rhetoric vs. reality, we must hold accountable Jeff Merkley and others who litter our discourse with business-friendly talking points, but fail to support ideas, which realize a pro-business environment. Less regulation, less government, and fewer taxes is the recipe by which American businesses will find success.

Dr. Monica Wehby of Portland is Oregon's Republican candidate for U.S. Senate. She can be contacted at her website, www.MonicaforOregon.com.

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