A Powerful Voice – Use It or Lose It
The front page of this week’s Kiplinger Letter focuses on the Russian economy falling into a deep recession: The root cause (low oil prices), the effect on Europe, western energy producers, high-tech companies, online retailers, and the U.S. space industry. The bottom line Kiplinger message is that although our relations with Russia will continue to thaw, “Putin will hang tough, betting he can ride out the storm.”
Reading the article prompted me to reflect on other socialist nations such as Cuba, North Korea, Vietnam and now Venezuela. Cuba has been in decline for more than 50 years yet the leaders there hold tight to the warped ideology without a hint of discouragement. Note: my intent here is not to get into our national political debates but rather throw up the alert flag to the dangers if business owners remain silent. Atlas Shrugged is a novel published in 1957 by Ayn Rand revealing the utopian mindset with a scary similarity to what we read in our local newspapers today.
Rogue nations like those above heaped untold sufferings on millions of people and remain entrenched. Can it happen here? Business owners hope the incongruence with our way does not arrive to our shores. Yet collectivism has a tremendous appeal to the growing lower echelons of society with an emergent number of ideologues here willing to exploit them.
Mega companies in corporate America are active in government policies for a stable climate with resources to support these activities. We smaller companies may not have the capital but we do have an enviable voice with politicians. Small and mid-sized companies far outnumber the mega giants and our motives are pure. Yet our ability is powerful only when we use it.
We hold a privileged class in America, not because of wealth, selfishness or influence; but because small business is America.
We don’t have to give up our company position, run for office, to make a positive difference for the business community and the country at large. Many times the “back bench” position is more influential. Let’s be heard!