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Vice President Kamala Harris is positioning herself as a small business candidate, trying to distance herself from the economic ruin she caused. This is a good strategy, considering there are more than 33 million small businesses in the United States, and tens of millions more if you include entrepreneurial gig workers.
But you can't just wave a magic wand and become something. If you look at the Biden-Harris policies and her campaign proposals over the past three years and three quarters, it's clear that Harris is actually an anti-small business candidate.
Being an entrepreneur is always difficult, but the past five years have been especially tough for small business owners. They have borne the brunt of coronavirus shutdown orders, even as they have seen big businesses thrive with more support.
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In the wake of COVID-19, the Biden-Harris policies have caused historic inflation and created an unfathomable set of challenges for small business owners (and Main Street Americans).
Vice President Kamala Harris may claim to be pro-small business, but the reality of the Biden-Harris administration is very different. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
The Biden-Harris administration increased the regulatory burden on small businesses to $1.7 trillion, and it is estimated that small businesses spent more than 300 million hours on compliance.
That may be why the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), which releases a monthly Small Business Optimism Survey, has seen its index remain below its 50-year historical average for 33 consecutive months.
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Another blow to small businesses comes from Harris' stance on independent work. In 2021, the Biden-Harris administration overturned Trump-era independent contractor rules, and in 2024, the Biden-Harris Department of Labor introduced alternative and restrictive standards for contractor work. This is important not only for entrepreneurs who want to work flexibly, but also for small businesses that rely on contractors.
Harris has also made clear that she supports the PRO Act. The PRO Act contains much of the anti-independent contractor language in California’s AB 5 regulation, which aims to take away labor flexibility on a national level.
Harris's main proposal, which is said to show support for small businesses, is to increase the start-up expense deduction. Not only is this proposal opaque, it focuses only on new businesses and completely ignores the more than 33 million existing small businesses in the United States.
Her other proposals would directly harm small business owners. He has said he would let the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which gave tax breaks to many small businesses and included a qualified business income deduction for some small businesses, expire. He also said he plans to increase income and capital gains taxes so existing small businesses pay more of their hard-earned money to the government.
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Harris did not stand in solidarity with small business owners on bills such as the Corporate Transparency Act Beneficiary Information (CTA BOI) rule, which targets small businesses as financial criminals. In addition to the CTA BOI delay bill pending in the Senate, there is another delay bill and two repeal bills proposed in Congress, and if that is indeed her priority, she would You will be able to speak out in favor of businesses.
Small businesses are the backbone of our economy and should be treated with respect, not used as political pawns. Kamala Harris' actions are very clear and no matter what she says, she is no friend of small business.
Click here to read more from Carol Ross
