There will only be two victims of an attempt to impeach Biden:
1. The concept of impeachment itself because it's being made a mockery of and pretty soon no one will take it seriously any more.
2. The far right for making a mockery of themselves by attempting a groundless impeachment process. Can they really not see how utterly foolish that looks?
The fact that Trump is advising them makes this painfully obvious to most Americans. Only gonna help Biden in '24.
I think so! I suppose we should be grateful for MAGA idiocy.
"Pretty cookies, heart squares all around, yeah!" -Eddie Vedder, "Smile"
Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
0
curmudgeoness
Brigadoon, foodie capital Posts: 3,990
There will only be two victims of an attempt to impeach Biden:
1. The concept of impeachment itself because it's being made a mockery of and pretty soon no one will take it seriously any more.
2. The far right for making a mockery of themselves by attempting a groundless impeachment process. Can they really not see how utterly foolish that looks?
I think the first point is the key one: If impeachment is just a thing that one party does to another party, then it's no big deal, right? -- Just politics as usual. So if The Former Guy (typed out with you in mind, Brian :-) ) was impeached twice, meh, it's just politics.
I think it was Charlie Sykes who also said that the other reason Republicans are making noises about impeaching Biden is in the hope that impeachment hearings will serve as a distraction from The Former Guy's many, many trials.
All those who seek to destroy the liberties of a democratic nation ought to know that war is the surest and shortest means to accomplish it.
I don't like Biden issuing that statement to the press. What he's telling them to do is their job. They should not need him to tell them to do it. Plus it kinda feeds into the far right's narrative that media is left wing.
Either way--I agree with the above comments. I think the majority of Americans, with the press covering this the way they should, will view this skeptically and it will backfire on them. Something that ties into this that I don't believe is getting a lot of coverage (or maybe it is, I've been busy!) is that fucking Trump seems to be behind the whole thing--meeting with Taylor Greene and Stefanik...who essentially control the speaker. So the whole thing stinks and it should backfire while also hurting Trump if the reporting continues to follow his involvement.
I don't like Biden issuing that statement to the press. What he's telling them to do is their job. They should not need him to tell them to do it. Plus it kinda feeds into the far right's narrative that media is left wing.
Either way--I agree with the above comments. I think the majority of Americans, with the press covering this the way they should, will view this skeptically and it will backfire on them. Something that ties into this that I don't believe is getting a lot of coverage (or maybe it is, I've been busy!) is that fucking Trump seems to be behind the whole thing--meeting with Taylor Greene and Stefanik...who essentially control the speaker. So the whole thing stinks and it should backfire while also hurting Trump if the reporting continues to follow his involvement.
Impeachment is a political act. The administration should ABSOLUTELY release its points to the press and hammer it over and over. I'm sure Fox got a copy too. Not trying to shape a narrative would be political malpractice.
I don't like Biden issuing that statement to the press. What he's telling them to do is their job. They should not need him to tell them to do it. Plus it kinda feeds into the far right's narrative that media is left wing.
Either way--I agree with the above comments. I think the majority of Americans, with the press covering this the way they should, will view this skeptically and it will backfire on them. Something that ties into this that I don't believe is getting a lot of coverage (or maybe it is, I've been busy!) is that fucking Trump seems to be behind the whole thing--meeting with Taylor Greene and Stefanik...who essentially control the speaker. So the whole thing stinks and it should backfire while also hurting Trump if the reporting continues to follow his involvement.
Their job is to make money for owners and shareholders and nothing more.
Complaining about media coverage. Sounds like something Trump would do.
They have every right to be upset by it thus far....complaining about it in this fashion does not strike me as a smart way though.
It really plays into the "Twitter files" narrative
Asking the mainstream media to honestly and accurately report on the farce impeachment inquiry is a far cry from firing up the fax machine to send talking points and editorial content to every press room and media outlet in ‘Murica a La Rushbo and his legion of ditto heads. POOTWH was given a ton of free mostly positive media coverage in 2016 and was rarely pressed on his bullshit. The Brandon crime wave is asking that they don’t make the same mistake or be like faux.
There will only be two victims of an attempt to impeach Biden:
1. The concept of impeachment itself because it's being made a mockery of and pretty soon no one will take it seriously any more.
2. The far right for making a mockery of themselves by attempting a groundless impeachment process. Can they really not see how utterly foolish that looks?
I think the first point is the key one: If impeachment is just a thing that one party does to another party, then it's no big deal, right? -- Just politics as usual. So if The Former Guy (typed out with you in mind, Brian :-) ) was impeached twice, meh, it's just politics.
I think it was Charlie Sykes who also said that the other reason Republicans are making noises about impeaching Biden is in the hope that impeachment hearings will serve as a distraction from The Former Guy's many, many trials.
"The Former Guy" Got it, thank you!
I don't like using his name very often either. Mostly these days I just refer to him as "45".
The thing about impeachment that concerns me the most is that it was once a very serious and somber event, almost like how it was in one of Wendell Berry's stories in The Wild Birds in which a major character, Uncle Burley, is buried at home after he died. Serious shit! Now days, it's just a flippant politics-as-usual scene, a nearly senseless tit-for tat. And then worsened as a serious impeachment occurs without consequence like when 45 merely turned up his nose and now the MAGA seek revenge with nary a hint of a just cause. The whole mess is a very bad joke and a disgrace.
"Pretty cookies, heart squares all around, yeah!" -Eddie Vedder, "Smile"
Thing is, enough indies might stay home or vote RFKJr to tilt the election to POOTWH and when that happens, ‘Murica will deserve everything that befalls it.
I thought America already deserves everything we get? We lived through him once we can do it again if we have to.
What happens when he refuses to hold any elections and names himself president again & again? In other words hello Dictatorship
If he gets elected again he will nominate his generals that will be on his payroll! That’s the 1st step in taking hold of power and not giving it up again! Fuck the constitution he will burn it on the WH steps
Complaining about media coverage. Sounds like something Trump would do.
They have every right to be upset by it thus far....complaining about it in this fashion does not strike me as a smart way though.
It really plays into the "Twitter files" narrative
Asking the mainstream media to honestly and accurately report on the farce impeachment inquiry is a far cry from firing up the fax machine to send talking points and editorial content to every press room and media outlet in ‘Murica a La Rushbo and his legion of ditto heads. POOTWH was given a ton of free mostly positive media coverage in 2016 and was rarely pressed on his bullshit. The Brandon crime wave is asking that they don’t make the same mistake or be like faux.
LOL
In efforts to sway independents, who they will need next year, who may be of the belief that the media already leans left, I don't think openly telling the media to cover their opponents in certain way is necessarily going to help.
Complaining about media coverage. Sounds like something Trump would do.
They have every right to be upset by it thus far....complaining about it in this fashion does not strike me as a smart way though.
It really plays into the "Twitter files" narrative
Asking the mainstream media to honestly and accurately report on the farce impeachment inquiry is a far cry from firing up the fax machine to send talking points and editorial content to every press room and media outlet in ‘Murica a La Rushbo and his legion of ditto heads. POOTWH was given a ton of free mostly positive media coverage in 2016 and was rarely pressed on his bullshit. The Brandon crime wave is asking that they don’t make the same mistake or be like faux.
LOL
In efforts to sway independents, who they will need next year, who may be of the belief that the media already leans left, I don't think openly telling the media to cover their opponents in certain way is necessarily going to help.
It's okay to be critical sometimes, fellas.
What this admin is doing isn't Trumpy. Every admin whines about the press not being fair. That's totally normal and every admin should try to work the press over. The difference is that Trump tries to de-legitimize the press, calling it "fake", "deep state", whatever. That's different.
Complaining about media coverage. Sounds like something Trump would do.
They have every right to be upset by it thus far....complaining about it in this fashion does not strike me as a smart way though.
It really plays into the "Twitter files" narrative
Asking the mainstream media to honestly and accurately report on the farce impeachment inquiry is a far cry from firing up the fax machine to send talking points and editorial content to every press room and media outlet in ‘Murica a La Rushbo and his legion of ditto heads. POOTWH was given a ton of free mostly positive media coverage in 2016 and was rarely pressed on his bullshit. The Brandon crime wave is asking that they don’t make the same mistake or be like faux.
LOL
In efforts to sway independents, who they will need next year, who may be of the belief that the media already leans left, I don't think openly telling the media to cover their opponents in certain way is necessarily going to help.
It's okay to be critical sometimes, fellas.
What this admin is doing isn't Trumpy. Every admin whines about the press not being fair. That's totally normal and every admin should try to work the press over. The difference is that Trump tries to de-legitimize the press, calling it "fake", "deep state", whatever. That's different.
Well, I can imagine the Trumpy ones on the other side will make people believe it is though, as they're much better at messaging than the dems are.
Look, I agree with what they want the press to do. I just think there might be a better way of going about it than issuing a public statement that says "The media must do this!" Feel like that feeds right into the far right's hands and they view it as a gift.
Complaining about media coverage. Sounds like something Trump would do.
They have every right to be upset by it thus far....complaining about it in this fashion does not strike me as a smart way though.
It really plays into the "Twitter files" narrative
Asking the mainstream media to honestly and accurately report on the farce impeachment inquiry is a far cry from firing up the fax machine to send talking points and editorial content to every press room and media outlet in ‘Murica a La Rushbo and his legion of ditto heads. POOTWH was given a ton of free mostly positive media coverage in 2016 and was rarely pressed on his bullshit. The Brandon crime wave is asking that they don’t make the same mistake or be like faux.
LOL
In efforts to sway independents, who they will need next year, who may be of the belief that the media already leans left, I don't think openly telling the media to cover their opponents in certain way is necessarily going to help.
It's okay to be critical sometimes, fellas.
What this admin is doing isn't Trumpy. Every admin whines about the press not being fair. That's totally normal and every admin should try to work the press over. The difference is that Trump tries to de-legitimize the press, calling it "fake", "deep state", whatever. That's different.
Well, I can imagine the Trumpy ones on the other side will make people believe it is though, as they're much better at messaging than the dems are.
Look, I agree with what they want the press to do. I just think there might be a better way of going about it than issuing a public statement that says "The media must do this!" Feel like that feeds right into the far right's hands and they view it as a gift.
I'm in the camp of, whatever the admin does or does not do, they will be criticized. So might as well do what you think is right.
Look at this week. We release 6 billion of S. Korean money that was held up in sanctions, and will get the release of long held Americans. But of course Fox spins it like America is paying for hostages, we negotiate with terrorists, blah blah.
Complaining about media coverage. Sounds like something Trump would do.
They have every right to be upset by it thus far....complaining about it in this fashion does not strike me as a smart way though.
It really plays into the "Twitter files" narrative
Asking the mainstream media to honestly and accurately report on the farce impeachment inquiry is a far cry from firing up the fax machine to send talking points and editorial content to every press room and media outlet in ‘Murica a La Rushbo and his legion of ditto heads. POOTWH was given a ton of free mostly positive media coverage in 2016 and was rarely pressed on his bullshit. The Brandon crime wave is asking that they don’t make the same mistake or be like faux.
Mainstream media job is to make money not honestly and accurately report. Unfortunately.
There will only be two victims of an attempt to impeach Biden:
1. The concept of impeachment itself because it's being made a mockery of and pretty soon no one will take it seriously any more.
2. The far right for making a mockery of themselves by attempting a groundless impeachment process. Can they really not see how utterly foolish that looks?
I think the first point is the key one: If impeachment is just a thing that one party does to another party, then it's no big deal, right? -- Just politics as usual. So if The Former Guy (typed out with you in mind, Brian :-) ) was impeached twice, meh, it's just politics.
I think it was Charlie Sykes who also said that the other reason Republicans are making noises about impeaching Biden is in the hope that impeachment hearings will serve as a distraction from The Former Guy's many, many trials.
"The Former Guy" Got it, thank you!
I don't like using his name very often either. Mostly these days I just refer to him as "45".
The thing about impeachment that concerns me the most is that it was once a very serious and somber event, almost like how it was in one of Wendell Berry's stories in The Wild Birds in which a major character, Uncle Burley, is buried at home after he died. Serious shit! Now days, it's just a flippant politics-as-usual scene, a nearly senseless tit-for tat. And then worsened as a serious impeachment occurs without consequence like when 45 merely turned up his nose and now the MAGA seek revenge with nary a hint of a just cause. The whole mess is a very bad joke and a disgrace.
Nearly a hint of just cause!!!! Come on man, you know better then that Brian.
Complaining about media coverage. Sounds like something Trump would do.
They have every right to be upset by it thus far....complaining about it in this fashion does not strike me as a smart way though.
It really plays into the "Twitter files" narrative
Asking the mainstream media to honestly and accurately report on the farce impeachment inquiry is a far cry from firing up the fax machine to send talking points and editorial content to every press room and media outlet in ‘Murica a La Rushbo and his legion of ditto heads. POOTWH was given a ton of free mostly positive media coverage in 2016 and was rarely pressed on his bullshit. The Brandon crime wave is asking that they don’t make the same mistake or be like faux.
LOL
In efforts to sway independents, who they will need next year, who may be of the belief that the media already leans left, I don't think openly telling the media to cover their opponents in certain way is necessarily going to help.
It's okay to be critical sometimes, fellas.
No it isn’t ok to be critical sometimes on here!!!! Conform, Abide, Conform , Abide…
Complaining about media coverage. Sounds like something Trump would do.
They have every right to be upset by it thus far....complaining about it in this fashion does not strike me as a smart way though.
It really plays into the "Twitter files" narrative
Asking the mainstream media to honestly and accurately report on the farce impeachment inquiry is a far cry from firing up the fax machine to send talking points and editorial content to every press room and media outlet in ‘Murica a La Rushbo and his legion of ditto heads. POOTWH was given a ton of free mostly positive media coverage in 2016 and was rarely pressed on his bullshit. The Brandon crime wave is asking that they don’t make the same mistake or be like faux.
LOL
In efforts to sway independents, who they will need next year, who may be of the belief that the media already leans left, I don't think openly telling the media to cover their opponents in certain way is necessarily going to help.
It's okay to be critical sometimes, fellas.
What this admin is doing isn't Trumpy. Every admin whines about the press not being fair. That's totally normal and every admin should try to work the press over. The difference is that Trump tries to de-legitimize the press, calling it "fake", "deep state", whatever. That's different.
Well, I can imagine the Trumpy ones on the other side will make people believe it is though, as they're much better at messaging than the dems are.
Look, I agree with what they want the press to do. I just think there might be a better way of going about it than issuing a public statement that says "The media must do this!" Feel like that feeds right into the far right's hands and they view it as a gift.
I'm in the camp of, whatever the admin does or does not do, they will be criticized. So might as well do what you think is right.
Look at this week. We release 6 billion of S. Korean money that was held up in sanctions, and will get the release of long held Americans. But of course Fox spins it like America is paying for hostages, we negotiate with terrorists, blah blah.
I bet the vast majority of the country is not even aware of these things though. Part of the reason is they are so bad at getting the word out to the public. KJP is a horrible press secretary. She is horrendous and looks even worse considering who she followed. Messaging has been a problem for the dems forever. This administration has accomplished a lot. Age plays a big factor, unfortunately, but Joe's approval numbers should be higher given all they've done over the last few years. I'm not talking 50% or higher but mid 40's should be within reach considering his celling is low 50's. They need to do a better job.
Complaining about media coverage. Sounds like something Trump would do.
They have every right to be upset by it thus far....complaining about it in this fashion does not strike me as a smart way though.
It really plays into the "Twitter files" narrative
Asking the mainstream media to honestly and accurately report on the farce impeachment inquiry is a far cry from firing up the fax machine to send talking points and editorial content to every press room and media outlet in ‘Murica a La Rushbo and his legion of ditto heads. POOTWH was given a ton of free mostly positive media coverage in 2016 and was rarely pressed on his bullshit. The Brandon crime wave is asking that they don’t make the same mistake or be like faux.
LOL
In efforts to sway independents, who they will need next year, who may be of the belief that the media already leans left, I don't think openly telling the media to cover their opponents in certain way is necessarily going to help.
It's okay to be critical sometimes, fellas.
No it isn’t ok to be critical sometimes on here!!!! Conform, Abide, Conform , Abide…
Can I get a gift article…lol
Oh your back too! Catch any of the liberals PJ shows?
There will only be two victims of an attempt to impeach Biden:
1. The concept of impeachment itself because it's being made a mockery of and pretty soon no one will take it seriously any more.
2. The far right for making a mockery of themselves by attempting a groundless impeachment process. Can they really not see how utterly foolish that looks?
I think the first point is the key one: If impeachment is just a thing that one party does to another party, then it's no big deal, right? -- Just politics as usual. So if The Former Guy (typed out with you in mind, Brian :-) ) was impeached twice, meh, it's just politics.
I think it was Charlie Sykes who also said that the other reason Republicans are making noises about impeaching Biden is in the hope that impeachment hearings will serve as a distraction from The Former Guy's many, many trials.
"The Former Guy" Got it, thank you!
I don't like using his name very often either. Mostly these days I just refer to him as "45".
The thing about impeachment that concerns me the most is that it was once a very serious and somber event, almost like how it was in one of Wendell Berry's stories in The Wild Birds in which a major character, Uncle Burley, is buried at home after he died. Serious shit! Now days, it's just a flippant politics-as-usual scene, a nearly senseless tit-for tat. And then worsened as a serious impeachment occurs without consequence like when 45 merely turned up his nose and now the MAGA seek revenge with nary a hint of a just cause. The whole mess is a very bad joke and a disgrace.
Nearly a hint of just cause!!!! Come on man, you know better then that Brian.
several GOP senators have come out in opposition to this. the GOP themselves have admitted they don't have any/enough evidence for an inquiry. it's a sham. they are just banking on enough public support from people who don't read.
"Oh Canada...you're beautiful when you're drunk" -EV 8/14/93
Go ahead disprove these numbers will be here waiting I dare you I double dare you
And add the following but you know, Hunter’s laptop and the Brandon Crime Family’s age.
American entrepreneurship is on the rise
In a post-pandemic shift, more people are starting and running their own businesses, a new study finds. But more businesses are closing, too.
Americans are starting and running their own businesses at record rates, part of a post-pandemic shift toward entrepreneurship led by women and people of color, according to a new report.
Nearly 1 in 5 adults — 19 percent — are in the process of founding a business or have done so in the past three-and-a half years, according to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, an annual report by Babson College released Thursday. That is the highest level since the survey began in 1999.
“We’re seeing an upward trend in entrepreneurship that’s continued through the pandemic, and that’s a really great sign,” said Donna Kelley, a professor at Babson College and the report’s lead author. “It means businesses are introducing innovation, creating jobs and contributing to the competitiveness of the United States.”
Globally, the United States had the third-highest entrepreneurship rate among 21 high-income economies, lagging behind the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, but ahead of Canada and the United Kingdom, researchers found.
The recent surge builds on momentum that began early in the pandemic, when sudden job losses spurred many to branch out on their own. Applications for new businesses spiked to an all-time high in July 2020, when more than 550,000 Americans filed paperwork to start their own companies, census data shows. A boost in government funding — in the form of stimulus checks, extra unemployment benefits and small-business loans — gave many people the financial cushion to get started.
“We had covid, we had the ‘Great Resignation’ — and whenever there are tremendous job losses, it’s natural for folks to go out on their own and start a business,” said Kathy Korman Frey, director of the Center for Entrepreneurial Excellence at George Washington University.
Since then, business registrations have remained well above pre-pandemic levels. A robust recovery, combined with extra savings and steady consumer spending, have helped encourage new waves of entrepreneurship.
But experts say many small businesses founded in recent years may be reaching a critical turning point. Economic uncertainty, higher costs and a slowdown in consumer spending have created new challenges for nascent companies. Business closures ticked up last year, to 5.2 percent from 2.9 percent in 2019, researchers found.
“It’s easy to get started, but maybe not so easy to keep businesses growing,” said Kelley of Babson College. “That’s a challenge we need to look at more. Do we need more training? Access to finance? How do we ensure businesses can outlast their initial start-up phase?”
Cheryl Shao, a Boston-area dentist, has spent the past two years designing a device that’s a mix between braces and clear aligners. But it’s been tough: Many of Shao’s partnerships fell through during the pandemic and although she’s won multiple pitch competitions and been part of two start-up accelerators, it’s been a struggle to secure the money she needs. She spends 40 hours a week fundraising, she said, and hopes to begin selling the product next year.
“I’m a double minority — Asian and a woman — which has made it much harder to find funding,” Shao, 36, said. “I kind of fell into entrepreneurship. I had this idea and was excited by the opportunity to really change orthodontics on a bigger scale. But now I’m dedicating all my time to raising enough money to make this a reality.”
The country is adding nearly 500,000 new businesses a month
For minority groups, in particular, starting a business has become a promising alternative to traditional employment. Entrepreneurship rates are highest among Black and Hispanic adults — 35 percent and 27 percent, respectively — compared with 15 percent of White adults, the report found.
Other marginalized groups, such as formerly incarcerated Americans and those with criminal records, are also more likely to be entrepreneurs, according to Kylie Jiwon Hwang, an assistant professor at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.
“Oftentimes, when we think of entrepreneurship, we’re thinking of high-growth tech start-ups,” she said. “But a lot of the entrepreneurship we’re seeing comes from the fact that marginalized people continue to face difficulties in employment — not just in finding work, but in moving up.”
Latavia Thomas quit her job at AT&T during the pandemic and moved back in with her parents in Long Beach, Calif. She suffered from depression and said it was difficult to get out of bed most days, much less feel motivated to return to a 9-to-5 office job.
Thomas, 36, spent the next several months juggling therapy and cosmetology classes. In early 2021, she started her own business doing makeup and microblading, a form of semi-permanent eyebrow-tattooing. She rents space at a nearby salon, but says she hopes to one day open her own studio that specializes in services for Black and Brown people in the entertainment industry.
“It’s been hard, but a good type of hard,” she said. “At the end of the day, I’m working for myself.”
The latest report from Babson, part of an international partnership with London Business School, offers a snapshot of American entrepreneurship. Adults between the ages of 18 and 34 were nearly twice as likely to start businesses than those between 35 and 64, the report found. And although men are still slightly more likely than women to start their own companies, that gap continues to narrow. There was also a clear shift away service industries such as finance and real estate, toward manufacturing and logistics.
In south Mississippi, Joseph Smith lost his job at a cell-tower maintenance company early in the pandemic. Stuck at home with little to do, he began selling his homemade soap bars for $5 apiece online — and was surprised when sales took off.
“No one was hiring, so I decided to take this small-scale idea and run with it,” said Smith, 40. “The first month was great. We sold a ton of products through Twitter.”
But, he says, online sales took a large hit once pandemic-lockdown orders ended and people began venturing out again. Now he sells most of his products at local farmers’ markets, trade shows and festivals. He’s recently added artisanal bread to his lineup of soaps and lotions and hopes to open a mobile bakery.
After three years of working for himself, Smith says he can’t imagine going back to a corporate job. He makes all of his products from a spare bedroom and has begun home-schooling his children, ages 9 and 14, while his wife works as a public school teacher.
“I get to hang out with my kids much more than I did when I was in the corporate world,” he said. “Entrepreneurship has opened up family time in a way I never thought I could have.”
Comments
-Eddie Vedder, "Smile"
Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
Either way--I agree with the above comments. I think the majority of Americans, with the press covering this the way they should, will view this skeptically and it will backfire on them. Something that ties into this that I don't believe is getting a lot of coverage (or maybe it is, I've been busy!) is that fucking Trump seems to be behind the whole thing--meeting with Taylor Greene and Stefanik...who essentially control the speaker. So the whole thing stinks and it should backfire while also hurting Trump if the reporting continues to follow his involvement.
There are no kings inside the gates of eden
There are no kings inside the gates of eden
There are no kings inside the gates of eden
Libtardaplorable©. And proud of it.
Brilliantati©
-Eddie Vedder, "Smile"
In efforts to sway independents, who they will need next year, who may be of the belief that the media already leans left, I don't think openly telling the media to cover their opponents in certain way is necessarily going to help.
It's okay to be critical sometimes, fellas.
Look, I agree with what they want the press to do. I just think there might be a better way of going about it than issuing a public statement that says "The media must do this!" Feel like that feeds right into the far right's hands and they view it as a gift.
Look at this week. We release 6 billion of S. Korean money that was held up in sanctions, and will get the release of long held Americans. But of course Fox spins it like America is paying for hostages, we negotiate with terrorists, blah blah.
There are no kings inside the gates of eden
This administration has accomplished a lot. Age plays a big factor, unfortunately, but Joe's approval numbers should be higher given all they've done over the last few years. I'm not talking 50% or higher but mid 40's should be within reach considering his celling is low 50's. They need to do a better job.
Libtardaplorable©. And proud of it.
Brilliantati©
Libtardaplorable©. And proud of it.
Brilliantati©
-EV 8/14/93
American entrepreneurship is on the rise
In a post-pandemic shift, more people are starting and running their own businesses, a new study finds. But more businesses are closing, too.
Americans are starting and running their own businesses at record rates, part of a post-pandemic shift toward entrepreneurship led by women and people of color, according to a new report.
Nearly 1 in 5 adults — 19 percent — are in the process of founding a business or have done so in the past three-and-a half years, according to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, an annual report by Babson College released Thursday. That is the highest level since the survey began in 1999.
“We’re seeing an upward trend in entrepreneurship that’s continued through the pandemic, and that’s a really great sign,” said Donna Kelley, a professor at Babson College and the report’s lead author. “It means businesses are introducing innovation, creating jobs and contributing to the competitiveness of the United States.”
Globally, the United States had the third-highest entrepreneurship rate among 21 high-income economies, lagging behind the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, but ahead of Canada and the United Kingdom, researchers found.
The recent surge builds on momentum that began early in the pandemic, when sudden job losses spurred many to branch out on their own. Applications for new businesses spiked to an all-time high in July 2020, when more than 550,000 Americans filed paperwork to start their own companies, census data shows. A boost in government funding — in the form of stimulus checks, extra unemployment benefits and small-business loans — gave many people the financial cushion to get started.
“We had covid, we had the ‘Great Resignation’ — and whenever there are tremendous job losses, it’s natural for folks to go out on their own and start a business,” said Kathy Korman Frey, director of the Center for Entrepreneurial Excellence at George Washington University.
Since then, business registrations have remained well above pre-pandemic levels. A robust recovery, combined with extra savings and steady consumer spending, have helped encourage new waves of entrepreneurship.
But experts say many small businesses founded in recent years may be reaching a critical turning point. Economic uncertainty, higher costs and a slowdown in consumer spending have created new challenges for nascent companies. Business closures ticked up last year, to 5.2 percent from 2.9 percent in 2019, researchers found.
“It’s easy to get started, but maybe not so easy to keep businesses growing,” said Kelley of Babson College. “That’s a challenge we need to look at more. Do we need more training? Access to finance? How do we ensure businesses can outlast their initial start-up phase?”
Cheryl Shao, a Boston-area dentist, has spent the past two years designing a device that’s a mix between braces and clear aligners. But it’s been tough: Many of Shao’s partnerships fell through during the pandemic and although she’s won multiple pitch competitions and been part of two start-up accelerators, it’s been a struggle to secure the money she needs. She spends 40 hours a week fundraising, she said, and hopes to begin selling the product next year.
“I’m a double minority — Asian and a woman — which has made it much harder to find funding,” Shao, 36, said. “I kind of fell into entrepreneurship. I had this idea and was excited by the opportunity to really change orthodontics on a bigger scale. But now I’m dedicating all my time to raising enough money to make this a reality.”
The country is adding nearly 500,000 new businesses a month
Latavia Thomas quit her job at AT&T during the pandemic and moved back in with her parents in Long Beach, Calif. She suffered from depression and said it was difficult to get out of bed most days, much less feel motivated to return to a 9-to-5 office job.
Thomas, 36, spent the next several months juggling therapy and cosmetology classes. In early 2021, she started her own business doing makeup and microblading, a form of semi-permanent eyebrow-tattooing. She rents space at a nearby salon, but says she hopes to one day open her own studio that specializes in services for Black and Brown people in the entertainment industry.
“It’s been hard, but a good type of hard,” she said. “At the end of the day, I’m working for myself.”
The latest report from Babson, part of an international partnership with London Business School, offers a snapshot of American entrepreneurship. Adults between the ages of 18 and 34 were nearly twice as likely to start businesses than those between 35 and 64, the report found. And although men are still slightly more likely than women to start their own companies, that gap continues to narrow. There was also a clear shift away service industries such as finance and real estate, toward manufacturing and logistics.
In south Mississippi, Joseph Smith lost his job at a cell-tower maintenance company early in the pandemic. Stuck at home with little to do, he began selling his homemade soap bars for $5 apiece online — and was surprised when sales took off.
“No one was hiring, so I decided to take this small-scale idea and run with it,” said Smith, 40. “The first month was great. We sold a ton of products through Twitter.”
But, he says, online sales took a large hit once pandemic-lockdown orders ended and people began venturing out again. Now he sells most of his products at local farmers’ markets, trade shows and festivals. He’s recently added artisanal bread to his lineup of soaps and lotions and hopes to open a mobile bakery.
After three years of working for himself, Smith says he can’t imagine going back to a corporate job. He makes all of his products from a spare bedroom and has begun home-schooling his children, ages 9 and 14, while his wife works as a public school teacher.
“I get to hang out with my kids much more than I did when I was in the corporate world,” he said. “Entrepreneurship has opened up family time in a way I never thought I could have.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/09/14/small-business-entrepreneurship-gem-report/
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