OBAMA'S WEAK BUSINESS RECORD
OBAMA RECEIVED POOR RATINGS FROM BUSINESS INTEREST GROUP
Obama Is Not Friendly Towards Business:
Obama Received A 55% Rating From The U.S. Chamber Of Commerce In 2006. (U.S. Chamber Of Commerce Website, www.uschamber.com, Accessed 9/17/07)
Obama Received A 39% Rating The U.S. Chamber Of Commerce In 2005. (U.S. Chamber Of Commerce Website, www.uschamber.com, Accessed 9/17/07)
OBAMA SUPPORTS HIGHER TAXES ON CORPORATIONS
On The Campaign Trail, Obama Has Called For Higher Taxes On Business:
"[Obama] Is Aggressive In Wanting To Go After ‘Loopholes' And ‘Tax Havens,' Pain-Free Euphemisms For Raising Corporate Taxes." (Calvin Woodward, "‘08 Tax Plans Claim Gain Without Pain," The Associated Press, 10/1/07)
In The Senate, Obama Has Voted Repeatedly For Higher Corporate Taxes:
Obama Voted At Least 13 Times For Higher Taxes On Corporations. (S. Con. Res. 83, CQ Vote #39: Rejected 50-50: R 5-50; D 44-0; I 1-0, 3/14/06, Obama Voted Yea; S. Con. Res. 83, CQ Vote #41: Rejected 46-54: R 1-54; D 44-0; I 1-0, 3/14/06, Obama Voted Yea; S. Con. Res. 83, CQ Vote #43: Rejected 45-53: R 1-53; D 43-0; I 1-0, 3/15/06, Obama Voted Yea; S. Con. Res. 83, CQ Vote #45: Rejected 43-55: R 0-54; D 42-1; I 1-0, 3/15/06, Obama Voted Yea; S. Con. Res. 83, CQ Vote #47: Rejected 43-53: R 0-53; D 42-0; I 1-0, 3/15/06, Obama Voted Yea; S. Con. Res. 83, CQ Vote #51: Rejected 44-53: R 1-53; D 42-0; I 1-0, 3/15/06, Obama Voted Yea; S. Con. Res. 83, CQ Vote #57: Motion Adopted 51-49: R 6-49; D 44-0; I 1-0, 3/16/06, Obama Voted Yea; S. Con. Res. 83, CQ Vote #60: Rejected 48-49: R 5-49; D 42-0; I 1-0, 3/16/06, Obama Voted Yea; S. Con. Res. 83, CQ Vote #61: Rejected 42-56: R 0-55; D 41-1; I 1-0, 3/16/06, Obama Voted Yea; S. Con. Res. 83, CQ Vote #63: Rejected 46-54: R 2-53; D 43-1; I 1-0, 3/16/06, Obama Voted Yea; S. Con. Res. 83, CQ Vote #64: Rejected 49-51: R 4-51; D 44-0; I 1-0, 3/16/06, Obama Voted Yea; S. Con. Res. 83, CQ Vote #66: Rejected 48-52: R 3-52; D 44-0; I 1-0, 3/16/06, Obama Voted Yea; S. Con. Res. 83, CQ Vote #67: Rejected 46-53: R 2-52; D 43-1; I 1-0, 3/16/06, Obama Voted Yea)
OBAMA AT ODDS WITH MANUFACTURING INTERESTS
Obama Joined The Senate Manufacturing Caucus, But Rarely Votes With Manufacturing Interests:
Obama Joined The Manufacturing Caucus In The Senate. "Senators ... announced formation of a Senate Manufacturing Caucus to advance and study the issues and interests of manufacturers. ... [F]ounding members of the Caucus were the following Senators: ... Barack Obama (D-IL) ... " (National Association Of Manufacturers, "Senate Announces Manufacturing Caucus," "ShopFloor" Blog, www.blog.nam.org, 6/15/05)
As Of February 4, 2008 110th Congress Obama Has Received A 0% Rating From The National Association Of Manufacturers. (National Association Of Manufacturers Website, www.bipac.net, Accessed 2/4/08)
In The 109th Congress Sen. Obama Received A 16% Rating From The National Association Of Manufacturers. (National Association Of Manufacturers Website, www.bipac.net, Accessed 1/10/08)
OBAMA SUPPORTS HIGHER TAXES ON SMALL BUSINESS
Obama's Plan For Health Care And Higher Taxes Would Burden Small Businesses:
Obama's Tax Hike For Health Care Would Hit At Least 1 Million Taxpayers And Would Also Include A New Tax On Small Businesses That "Don't Provide Health Care To Their Employees." "[Obama] is calling for the tax cuts pushed by President Bush to expire in 2010 for upper-income earners -- an effective tax hike for more than 1 million taxpayers -- and is proposing a new tax on small businesses that don't provide health care to their employees." (Rick Klein, "No Lip Service: Dems Trade Higher Taxes For Social Programs," ABCNews.com, 5/29/07)
Obama's Plan For Social Security Would Raise Taxes On 3 Million Small Business Owners:
Eliminating The Earnings Cap Would Hurt Small Business Owners Who Create Two Of Every Three New Jobs. "Lost in Obama's calculations is that many of the people who would be affected by eliminating the earnings cap are small-business owners who employ more than half the nonfarm private-sector work force and create two of every three new jobs in this country." (Editorial, "Caps Off For Obama," Investor's Business Daily, 9/25/07)
Three Million Small Business Owners Will Have Their Taxes Raised. "Taxes would also be raised on 3 million small-business owners. By fiscal 2015, the number of job opportunities lost would exceed 865,000 and personal savings would decline by more than $55 billion." (Editorial, "Caps Off For Obama," Investor's Business Daily, 9/25/07)
"The Self-Employed Would Be Subject To A Double Whammy, Since They Pay Both The Employee And Employer Portion Of The Payroll Tax." (Editorial, "Caps Off For Obama," Investor's Business Daily, 9/25/07)
In The Senate, Obama Repeatedly Voted Against Tax Incentives For Small Businesses:
Obama Has Voted At Least 6 Times Against Tax Incentives Benefitting Small Business. (H.R. 2206, CQ Vote #181: Motion Agreed To 80-14: R 42-3; D 37-10; I 1-1, 5/24/07, Obama Voted Nay; S. Con. Res. 21, CQ Vote #161: Motion Rejected 44-51: R 44-2; D 0-47; I 0-2, 5/9/07, Obama Voted Nay; H.R. 2, CQ Vote #37: Motion Agreed To 49-48: R 1-46; D 46-2; I 2-0, 1/31/07, Obama Voted Yea; H.R. 4297, CQ Vote #118: Motion Adopted 54-44: R 51-3; D 3-40; I 0-1, 5/11/06, Obama Voted Nay; H.R. 3058, CQ Vote #258: Motion Rejected 42-57: R 42-13; D 0-43; I 0-1, 10/19/05, Obama Voted Nay; S. 256, CQ Vote #27: Rejected 38-61: R 38-17; D 0-43; I 0-1, 3/7/05, Obama Voted Nay)
Obama Voted For Higher Income Taxes On Small Businesses:
Obama Voted Against Extending The 2001 Tax Cuts, Which Cut All Income Tax Rates. (S. Con. Res. 21, CQ Vote #107: Rejected: 46-52; R 46-2; D 0-48; I 0-2, 3/23/07, Obama Voted Nay)
If Republican Tax Relief Is Not Extended, Small Business Owners Will Experience An Average Annual Tax Increase Of $3,637 In 2011. (United States Department Of The Treasury, "Fact Sheet - 2011 Taxes: Millions Could See Billions In Increases," www.treasury.gov, 8/25/06)
- "Over 20 Million Small Businesses That Pay Tax Under The Personal Income Tax System Would ... Benefit From Rate Reductions." (Joint Economic Committee, "Economic Benefits Of Personal Income Tax Rate Reductions," www.house.gov, 4/01)
- "Recent Research Finds A Strong Link Between Marginal Tax Rates And Small Business Hiring And Investment Behavior." (Joint Economic Committee, "Economic Benefits Of Personal Income Tax Rate Reductions," www.house.gov, 4/01)
Obama Opposed The Inclusion Of Tax Relief For Small Businesses In Minimum Wage Legislation:
Obama Spoke Out Against Tax Relief For Small Businesses As Part Of Minimum Wage Legislation. "[S]en. Barack Obama, D-Ill., criticized the tax breaks attached to the [minimum wage] bill. ‘It should not be loaded up, it should not be complicated,' he said. ‘The notion that we are still using this as a bargaining chip, dickering for various other tax breaks I think makes no sense. It's time to get this done.'" (Jim Kuhnhenn, "Minimum Wage Bill Heads Into Negotiations As GOP Insists On Tax Breaks," The Associated Press, 2/2/07)
Obama's Record On Small Business Expensing:
Obama Voted Against Extending The Increased Small Business Expensing Amount Through 2009. (H.R. 4297, CQ Vote #118: Adopted 54-44: R 51-3; D 3-40; I 0-1, 5/11/06, Obama Voted Nay)
