As small business owners nationwide register a marked decline in confidence, the economic tremors beneath the surface recall a foundational truth: prosperity withers when national policy lacks steadiness and foresight.
Details:
- Small business confidence plummeted in the fourth quarter, with 45% citing inflation as their primary challenge.
- The administration’s "America First" agenda, imposing tariffs and threatening trade pacts, creates a commercial environment reminiscent of colonial mercantile restrictions.
- A net 34% of small-business owners are raising prices—the largest monthly jump in 29 years—even as 52% anticipate lower revenues.
- Small firms accounted for all net private sector job losses in November, a systemic ailment reflecting a pervasive lack of "concrete vision for 2026 and beyond."
Why it Matters:
The Founders understood that economic instability from an "inconstant government" posed a fundamental threat. The administration's unpredictable tariffs and trade threats echo the "unsteady system of national policy" early American thinkers warned against. This uncertainty obstructs investment, fostering a "want of confidence in the public councils" that stifles enterprise. Such conditions risk more than quarterly losses; they question economic liberty itself. As John Dickinson observed, "If any person considers, these things, and yet not thinks our liberties are in danger, I wonder at that person's security." This pervasive insecurity suggests an erosion of conditions vital for a truly independent populace.