Transcendent moment on last night's Colbert. He had a small business

[theophilus]

maven who has a magazine article out on "What's wrong with small business?" or some such. This man says that the big corps, like Sysco, are now paying small businesses for work done in sixty, ninety, or even one hundred twenty days instead of thirty. He says this is really, really bad! He whined a bit and Stephen asked, "Well, what can small business do? Big business calls the shots, right?" The man said that the media should get the word out, etc. In other words, this obvious Republican voting small business touting chamber of commerce supporting fellow is beginning to feel the pinch we have all noted for years. He COULD NOT bring himself to say that the Govt. should regulate more! It gives me some hope, though, that some worms might be turning. Welcome to our world right wing small business types! See the corruption inherent in the system! Wake up before it is too late! (Sorry I don't know the guy's name, etc. but catch the interview if you can on the net. It was freaking awesome!

[Hello_Kitty]

1. I belonged to NFIB for a while. I quit in frustration.

These small business owners embraced GOP policies and politicians that favored giant corps and screwed small businesses.

[truedelphi]

3. Haven't seen you in a while.

Glad you are around.

And what does NFIB stand for?

[Hello_Kitty]

12. Sorry, it's National Federation of Independent Business.

They're the largest small biz lobby in the country with branches in every state.

I hate when people don't explain acronyms and here I was doing it! :hi:

[The Backlash Cometh]

16. Just a thought.

On a local level, do you suppose small businesses embrace Republican values because, on a local level, they're taking over their local governments the way that the Chamber is taking over everything else?

[Luminous Animal]

2. Yep. Unless you agree to discounts, you have to wait 120 days for payment.

Why did you characterize his complaint as a whine? It is a valid complaint that, essentially, puts small businesses in the position of floating a loan to a billion dollar corp.

[knowbody0]

4. and this new payment method

combined with the bank's cancellation of the line of credit most small businesses were using to make payroll between payments crushed so many little guys. it's like death valley in some spots around here.

[theophilus]

6. Will small businesses go to the Government for redress? Will they lean on

their Dem and Rep elected officials to stop the corporation's practices? I hope so. Some irony there, though.

[StarsInHerHair]

23. sounds like A LOT of thought went into this-how to wreck small biz while not

looking like you R

[theophilus]

5. I probably chose the wrong word, but he is obviously right wing and when they

complain and don't admit the possibility of a Government regulatory fix it just sounds more like whining to me. I admit the complaint is valid and corporations are evil in doing this but I believe they should be regulated until they stop and those who violate a possible law should be imprisoned.

[Jackpine Radical]

17. It's a whine because he doesn't see the point in regulation

or in voting for the party most likely to help him.

[theophilus]

19. Exactly. n/t

[Luminous Animal]

21. Well. a person can

categorize it as a whine. Or a person can categorize it as an open to a dialogue.

I've sent the guy a welcoming email and I hope that he answers.

I did not call him a whiner.

[Ian David]

7. That was Jeffrey Leonard

Jeffrey Leonard
Episode: #07024
Jeffrey Leonard explains why big companies are paying small businesses later than they used to. (07:37)
http://www.colbertnation.com/video/tag/Jeffrey+Leonard

[theophilus]

11. Thanks for putting this up! I hope many will watch it if they missed the original. n/t

[Ian David]

14. Colbert NAILED him! n/t

[Missy Vixen]

8. It seemed like Colbert was popping in and out of character

He was pretty taken aback when the guy snapped, "You've never had to meet a payroll, have you?"

IIRC, Colbert and Stewart were paying their staff out of their own pockets during the writers' strike. Colbert is the last guy his guest should accuse of being out of touch with the working man, even in character.

[Luminous Animal]

9. Colbert and Stewart were paying out of pocket because they could... When it came to the point

of not being able to, they most likely would have stopped and still kept their jobs. Not meeting payroll means laying off workers which means decreased productivity which means a smaller & weaker or non-existent business.

[Missy Vixen]

24. How many times has Colbert gone out of his way to fundraise for

schools, teachers, Iraq/Afghanistan vets, used his program as a platform to enlighten his (younger) viewers about stuff like, oh, the plight of migrant farm workers in the USA? How much has the sales of Ben & Jerry's Americone Dream, for instance, thrown off for the charity it benefits? He's done this over and over.

Obviously, Colbert makes a nice salary, but reaching into his own pocket to make sure someone else kept a roof over their head and food on the table during a strike was kind of him. He put his money where his mouth is to support the WGA.

>Not meeting payroll means laying off workers which means decreased productivity which means a smaller & weaker or non-existent business.<

While Colbert is the on-camera focus on his show, I'm guessing he would say those behind the camera are as important, if not more, than he is. He would have had a difficult time replacing a writing group that had already worked together for several years at that point, for instance.

[theophilus]

10. I agree. SC was obviously quite serious. He brought out, effectively I think,

the fact that Govt. regulation is the best way to change the situation. It was interesting that the guest suggested that the U.S. Govt. use the same tactics on the big corps! I'll bet they would like that...not. Regulation and law is the way to go, though....imo.

[upi402]

15. That was awkward

It always is when guests don't understand that he's in character - and take him too seriously.

[bluestate10]

13. Yep. The guy said it. Government needs to step in and use it's clout

to get big business to use the same payment practice the government use. How novel, how socialistic. The guy is a raging hypocrite.

[grasswire]

18. so that's it

I know a small businessperson who waits 120 days for payments from Intel. So it's not the industry standard -- it's the big business standard. Grrrr.

[KT2000]

20. After a private equity firm

bought the company where my friend works, they instituted this - they said everyone is doing it.
The people who worked in that department then had to make excuses and explain the late payments. They all quit because their jobs had become personally degrading. They had worked years for an honest company that was good on its word. They kept the policy and hired new workers.

My nephew installs transmissions in large equipment. He has held an Army fire truck until payment was received and threatened to remove transmissions he had just installed if he did not get payment in a timely manner.

A plumber who worked at our local Kroger store said he would not leave the store and he would undo the repairs he made if he did not gret paid NOW!

[SoCalDem]

22. What is really disheartening, is when my husband's company DOES the works, pays installers

and then gets stiffed when it's time for THEM to get paid..and then they have to SUE to get their payment.

The company he works for is UNION and pays very well..Most of their employees have been there for a long time..

The boss shuts the place down from Christmas eve through New Years and pays them.. (business is slow then anyway)

When work is slow, the workers get to decide on shorter days, more days off etc.. but he rarely ever lays anyone off