Gallup: 85% of small businesses not hiring (Most cite economy, regulations)

Hotair ^ | 02/15/2012 | Ed Morrissey

[SeekAndFind]

Gallup polled small-business owners (value under $20M) about their expansion plans in early January, which for some strange reason didn’t get reported until today. Among those who do not plan to hire — 85% of the entire sample — almost half of all such businesses cited expected costs from health care coverage and government regulation:

U.S. small-business owners who aren’t hiring — 85% of those surveyed — are most likely to say the reasons they are not doing so include not needing additional employees; worries about weak business conditions, including revenues; cash flow; and the overall U.S. economy. Additionally, nearly half of small-business owners point to potential healthcare costs (48%) and government regulations (46%) as reasons. One in four are not hiring because they worry they may not be in business in 12 months.

Remember all of those hiring tax credits Obama included in his stimulus bill and in his proposals in the State of the Union speech? What kind of impact did they have on hiring plans among the 15% of businesses looking to expand? Not much:

Small-business owners who are currently hiring are most likely to say they are doing so because their business operations expanded, consumer or business demand increased, sales and revenues justify adding more employees, and they need to replace an employee who left. Thirteen percent of owners point to their ability to get new capital, while 7% indicate they were influenced by government tax incentives.

Seven percent of a subset of 15% think Obama’s economic plans have helped them. Forty-six percent of a subset of 85% think Obama’s regulations hurt them. What does that say about Obama’s policies? Small businesses are looking at this administration and seeing hostility and costly interference rather than a partner for long-term investment — and for very good reasons, one might add.

Respondents could choose multiple reasons in the survey, and the two most cited reasons for non-expansion are a lack of need for more employees and a lack of sales volume to justify hiring, which are of course related. Coming in a close third at 66% are worries over the status of the economy, which probably comes rationally from seeing the lack of demand that would allow these businesses to grow. Considering that small businesses of this class are the engine of job creation, this signals that we will not see any rapid expansion of employment in the near term, much as the CBO predicted last month. It’s a vote of no-confidence from the innovators and risk-takers that drive our economy.

[bigbob]

Only because there wasn’t a category called “That Idiot in the White House and his Idiot Friends in Congress”

[GOPRaleigh]

The media outlets scream “RECOVERY!” while the rest of us live in the real world and see the truth. The truth is “The One” has been a disaster. The Emperor has no clothes...

[Sun]

We need to get this info out to as many people as possible.

Obama’s approval ratings are rising again. Too many people are so uninformed.

[DJ MacWoW]

We're also going to try to replace some of our older servers and failing equipment this year so we're going to add a little extra to our FReepathon goals. John is estimating ten to fifteen thousand to do this and I'd like to get it all in place and working before the election cycle is fully heated up, so we'll try to bring in a little more now if we can and the rest next quarter.
Jim Robinson

Click The Server To Donate

Support Activist Free Republic

[relictele]

Expect a visit from THE TRUTH TEAM

[Drew68]

The media outlets scream “RECOVERY!” while the rest of us live in the real world and see the truth.

Well, the IRS is hiring 17,000 new agents to enforce Obamacare. Who says Obama hasn't created jobs?

I've heard repo guys are doing quite well also.

[tcrlaf]

NO, NO, NO....
You obviously don’t understand how the New Groupthink Doublespeak works.

This means that 15% of Small Business IS HIRING! See, the RECOVERY! is rolling along! You will accept the Current Truth Narrative.

Should I report you to the Obama Truth Team Gestapo for reeducation??

[Redleg Duke]

In other words, “85% of small US businesses are racist!”

[FroggyTheGremlim]

I have a small business. I am not hiring in the near (1 - 3 years) future.

[poobear]

DJ, that breaks down to 3000 Freepers donating $5.00. Do we have that many who have already donated that would be willing to give this minimum? I know I am willing. Broke but willing! Please consider. Just an idea.

[DJ MacWoW]

The only thing that I'm certain of is, if it's a mail-in, FR gets the whole amount. If it's a CC etc, I think they only get half. You'd have to FReepmail the Boss or post your question on the thon thread.

[Twotone]

I was doing a recurring contribution through PayPal, but have cut it off. While it wasn’t half, it was still a substantial ding & after Sheriff Mack’s run-in with PayPal I figured I wouldn’t give the lefties any more of my money. From now on I’ll mail a quarterly check & I’ll up my contribution level.

Couldn’t live without FR...

[DJ MacWoW]

Thank you SO much!

Could you repost this on the Freepathon thread?

[indthkr]

small business bump for later......

[onyx]

Sweet, thoughtful poobear! DJ is about right. The credit card companies and paypal charge a handling fee, which is why I think Jim decided to try to raise the extra amounts over two FReepathons, this one and the next one.

I think we could have easily raised the extra $15K in one fund raiser for just that purpose, but of course I and our Team weren't consulted...lol. Likely had more to do with the ordering and securing of the new servers and not wanting to disappoint members anxiously awaiting the installation.

[onyx]

Needed to correct tagline.

[lonevoice]

ping

[Attention Surplus Disorder]

One in four are not hiring because they worry they may not be in business in 12 months.

[Cyman]

One of my seven employees just quit this am. Great worker, nice gal. Am I gonna replace her? NOPE.