Rick Allen: “Republicans in Washington, D.C., are always talking about what small business wants and it always comes down to what…”

“Republicans in Washington, D.C., are always talking about what small business wants and it always comes down to what Washington Republicans want. But when I talk to small business men and women in Maine, the two most important issues to them are the education and training of their workforce and the cost of their health care. The strong economy has meant that it is harder to find and keep qualified employees. But remember, the Republicans in this Congress tried and failed to eliminate the Federal Department of Education and the assistance that goes to local school boards. It is Democrats who are fighting for school construction and modernization, which will improve education, hold down property taxes, and give our businesses, large and small, a better trained workforce. On health care, too many small business men and women in Maine can now only afford to buy catastrophic health insurance with an annual $5,000 deductible. They are seeing 10 percent to 40 percent increases in their premiums. They will not get help from the Republicans in Congress because the majority here will not even support providing a guaranteed Medicare prescription drug benefit for our seniors. For small business, Democrats stand for continued economic growth, support for education and health care, and fiscally responsible tax cuts.”