Thomas Daschle: “small businesses in America embody much of what makes our country strong--the spirit of individualism and…”

“small businesses in America embody much of what makes our country strong--the spirit of individualism and entrepreneurialism; commitment to one's workers; service to one's community; and the strongly held belief that the ``little guy'' can still get ahead in America. At the same time, small businesses highlight what makes our country's health care system so weak--the fear that one illness will wipe out everything a small business owner has worked for; the vulnerability of employees and small business owners to the whims of an insurer who at a moment's notice can drop the firm's coverage; the fact that a small business person, as much as he cares about his workers, simply does not have the market muscle of his corporate counterparts to bargain for affordable coverage. Unfortunately, what is wrong with our health care system is threatening what is right about our small businesses. Health care problems are discouraging some entrepreneurs today from taking risks and starting new businesses, just as they are scaring workers away from small firms that do not provide insurance. Indeed, skyrocketing health care costs are one of the top reasons today that small businesses fail. At the same time, 1 out of 3 workers fears leaving his or her current job because of concern about losing health coverage. Nowhere else is fear of losing health insurance permitted to trap citizens in jobs they no longer want, or to prevent them from establishing small businesses of their own.”