It's what everyone is talking about. The
decision and its effect on America is sparking dinner table and water cooler
conversation, pitting friend against friend. No matter on which side you
fall—for or against—your arguments are sure to be passionate, with examples and
anecdotes to support your position. Few people are indifferent. People
ask, “What are the long term effects?” Others say that a dip in the numbers
doesn’t require so drastic of an overhaul, especially an overhaul about which
so many people disagree.
I’m talking, of course, about the addition of the fourth
judge on “American Idol,” Kara (pronounced care-uh? Car-uh? Who knows)
DiSomething. For the record, I think the show needed another actual judge
(since Paul Abdul’s nonsense about wanting to squeeze cute contestants’ heads
and mount them on her rearview mirror shouldn’t really count as “judging” in a
singing contest) but I just don’t like Kara. Her pro-cute boy, anti-cute
girl attitude reminds me of high school, and she’s prone to
borderline-inappropriate outbursts that are slightly reminiscent of Meg Ryan’s
infamous “When Harry Met Sally” scene.
As much as I dislike her, I found myself imitating her this
morning—pounding my fists and saying, “Yes! Yes!"–when I read this piece in
the Wall Street Journal by Tom Hayes and Michael Malone. There have been
countless recommendations on how to help small businesses during this recession
(we made some here),
but, as a certain "Idol" judge might say, these guys just nailed it.
The column has real-world suggestions that would help
entrepreneurs and, therefore, the economy as a whole since small businesses do
most of the hiring and create somewhere north of 70% of all new jobs in this
country. And the suggestions, like eliminating the payroll tax, would be
of immediate benefit to small firms, allowing for additional cash flow. (I’m
still a fan of this,
which would have the same immediate effect, but is probably harder to
implement.)
So, what do you think, small business America? Do you agree
with the judge’s reaction? As it goes with Seacrest, DiSomething, and crew… The
choice is yours. The phone lines are now open.