As we enter the final days of 2012, one has to wonder what will be with 2013?
Will it be a better year economically? Will the Fiscal cliff issues, somehow, get
resolved? Will we have the types of tragedies we saw so much of in 2012?
The funny thing about the future, is that no one is right and everyone is right, as the
answers to these questions and many more, are still left to be determined. In some
small way, a lot of these answers have to do with how we, as consumers and as we,
as Americans, act in the future.
Economically, they say that 70% of all of our economic activity is about you and me as consumers
and how we feel about the security or the future of our jobs, homes, and overall economy is dependent
on if we spend and obviously, if we rack up the charges on our credit card bills (the English translation anyway…)
With all this talk about the fiscal cliff, it seems to me, will simply result in more fear and more reluctance to spend
on things one might need or want, but feel the need to cut back when times are uncertain. So, the obvious question
is why do those in power keep doing it?
As a small businessman, we rely on our customers to come into our businesses and buy our products and use our
services. But being both a business person and a consumer, I feel the pull both ways and I find myself making excuses
not to move forward on fixing one thing or the other, or delaying projects, or just feeling as though I don’t need to buy
that item or need that service quite yet.
At the same time, this is getting old and our leaders obviously do not get it, or feel the same things I do as a small
business person. I just do not get it, as none of their actions make any sense, as all they do is blame each other and
of course, nothing gets fixed, at best, the issues get pushed down the road. It is anyone’s guess what will happen next.
But I want to be on the side of optimism, even if there are some signs that optimism, in our world, is on short supply.
I am hopeful for increased retail sales and increased customer activity not just for us, as owners of a business, but for
our employees and our customers, its time all of us move forward, as the problem with this recovery is that it is uneven
and unfair to smaller businesses, as opposed to larger businesses, who have greater access to capital and better buying
opportunities that those of us in small regional businesses.
While it is said that the bigger you are, the better you are, and in some ways they are right, but there is no large corporation
on this earth that can provide the level of service to its customers than small business does, as has been proven for many,
many years. Some people forget this, like the politicians who decide that it’s their way or no way, and all they are doing it
hurting the small guy. I wish we had a better voice, but I am not give up hope that notwithstanding all of these issues,
we are going to have a good year, both economically and socially, as we need it, its overdue and we can’t wait any longer.
Bring on 2013, but let’s leave the politician’s behind…..
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