Article by:
Shaundell Newsome
With so much at stake in the 2020 election, I’m focused especially on who can restore the promise of economic mobility for everyone. That is the essence of the American Dream – a dream now under siege by a President that cares more about big-money, special interests than about the small businesses that make our economy run.
Small business owners like me know: We need leadership from the top that is focused on helping us grow, create jobs, and put working families and small businesses first. When Nevadans pick a presidential candidate in the February 22 Democratic caucuses, that must guide our choice.
I’m a two-time Small Business Administration award winner, third-generation U.S. Air Force veteran, and African-American; I know that Vice President Joe Biden is not only our surest bet to beat Donald Trump – which is essential – but he’s also surest to put the needs of small and minority-owned businesses, veterans, and the African-American community first.
I’ve been a small business owner in Las Vegas for 14 years, and it has been the gift of a lifetime. The family-owned firm I founded, Sumnu Marketing, has been able to elevate voices, causes, and leaders from across the community – including other small businesses. That work has taught me that small businesses are cultural linchpins and essential forces for fair economic representation. Every American deserves the opportunity I’ve had to start their own business.
Unfortunately, our current president is a lot more focused on serving special interests, large corporations, and the very wealthy than he is in sticking up for everyday Americans. He talks about a “booming economy,” but many in my community are not feeling any “boom.” Too many hard-working Americans are still struggling, while the rich get richer. Inequality keeps growing, and so many deserving folks are missing out on their shot to enter the middle class. Business loans -- the loans that are absolutely essential to starting a small business -- are in decline. When Trump campaigned in 2016, he promised to stand up for the “forgotten man.” But as soon as he became President, he forgot him and her.
This country can do so much better.
That is why I’m supporting Joe Biden, who got into this race exactly because he wants to rebuild what he knows is the backbone of our country – the middle class. He has spent his whole life fighting for working families – in the Senate, and as Barack Obama’s vice president – and Joe brings a track record that separates him from the rest of the field.
As a senator, he worked to pass the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, to ban discriminatory lending practices that kept black families from buying homes.
As vice president, Joe played a key role in helping to save the auto industry, to pass the Recovery Act, and to lift this country out of a crippling recession. He secured the key votes to pass Obamacare, which has given so many people the freedom to leave their jobs and start their own ventures, without having to sacrifice their health insurance. And Joe helped to pass the Small Business Jobs Act and create new funds that have lent billions in capital to small businesses and to community banks. One fund created by the law--the State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI)--provided $1.5 billion to states to support small businesses, with more than 40% of that going to minority and women-owned businesses.
As president, Joe will expand access to capital further by extending that program and doubling its federal funding. He is also proposing a $5 billion competitive grant program for startups outside our biggest cities, to ensure that we are making the middle class attainable for Americans across the country. And, he’ll boost funding for workforce training programs and offer every American two years of debt-free community college, so entrepreneurs can get the extra skills they may want to grow.
Joe’s plans fill resource gaps that have left so many in our community unable to start or grow their own businesses. But most importantly, Joe’s plans aren’t just plans – he is the one candidate with the proven experience to bring people together and actually deliver on them.
I’m caucusing for Joe on February 22 because I know he won’t just pay lip service to these issues. Time and again, he has demonstrated a unique ability to stay above the political fray to get things done. He will work closely with Congress to make sure that our government works for everyone, especially on issues related to our economic well-being. That is the leadership we’ll need after four years of Donald Trump.
So, let’s caucus for an ally at the very top who is genuinely committed to economic empowerment. On February 22, let’s make sure that Nevada caucuses for Joe.