[aristeides]

Recent legislation does exempt small business from a lot. That's the work of the post-'94 Republican Congress. The '93 tax increase -- pre-Republican Congress -- did not include such exemptions.

[bain_sidhe]

Small quibble - the FMLA was passed by pre-Republican Congress, and IT exempts small businesses. But I don't doubt the benefits of divided government. And (surprise, surprise) I actually appreciated the Republican "obstructionist" role during Clinton's term in a few cases - for example blocking the worst parts of Clinton's "anti-terrorism" bill introduced after the Oklahoma bombing. (Or was it the first WTC bombing? Time flies, memory fades.) I wish they had done the same with the egregiously mis-named "PATRIOT" Act. I didn't like Clinton's search and surveillance provisions back then, when "my gal" was running the Justice Department - and I like the steroidal version of those provisions a damn sight less with Ashcroft in charge.

Memo to self and anybody else who will listen... NEVER give your friends power you wouldn't want your enemies to have!