Farm bill good for business

Small business is the backbone of rural America. Investing in small business development is the most critical step our leaders in Washington can take to create genuine opportunity in our small towns.

Small businesses with 10 or fewer employees are economic building blocks that can help rebuild our economy, providing immediate economic stimulus and planting the seeds of long-term rural revitalization. Consider, during the recession earlier in this decade, employment fell among large employers but grew among small businesses.

Recognizing the importance of these small businesses, the 2008 farm bill created the new Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program to provide funding for loans, training and assistance to rural small businesses.

The program is a valuable resource for rural America, but woefully underfunded at just $4 million for the entire nation. That’s just five dollars for every $1 million  injected into big banks to solve the nation’s financial crisis.

President Obama proposed increasing funding for this rural small business program to $26 million. Over the summer, the Senate passed a spending bill that would increase funding for rural small business development. The House passed a bill that does not increase funding for the program.

In the coming month, congressional leaders will meet to hammer out their differences, and rural America will be stronger if the Senate’s plan to increase funding this program prevails. The increase would also be a start on reversing the bias against small rural businesses in economic policy.

To learn how you can make a difference, visit cfra.org/09/small-business.

Brian Depew, Center for Rural Affairs

 

Gallegly lies

President Obama spoke to a joint session of Congress regarding healthcare and insurance reform. While the debate has been robust and ongoing, there have been many myths and lies incorporated with the debate to destroy and “Kill the Bill.” Congressional Republicans and Congressmen Elton Gallegly (R-CA, District 24) have all but been leading the fight to end healthcare and insurance reform.

Gallegly’s false claim on his website that Obama and HR 3200 are cutting Medicare benefits to seniors to pay for the healthcare reform is false, still it does not stop Gallegly from repeating it.

The truth is that the pending HR 3200 extracts $500 billion from projected Medicare spending over 10 years, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

Such extraction are not found in payments to physicians, but rather are found in trimming projected increases in Medicare payments for medical services And added increases such as physicians’ payments ultimately will bring savings down to less than half that amount.

The truth is none of the predicted savings or cuts come from reducing current or future benefits for seniors. AARP has said: “None of the health care reform proposals being considered by Congress would cut Medicare benefits or increase your out-of-pocket costs for Medicare services.” AARP is a senior advocate group.

Gallegly, the lies on healthcare and insurance reform need to stop and work on reform needs to start.

Christopher J. Grant, Ojai

 

Prepare for conferences

Parent-teacher conferences can be a very helpful means of communication. Ideally, it is a two-way exchange of information about a child. Parents always want to know how their child is doing, what are their strengths and weaknesses, and how they can help, but teachers also want to know of any stresses in a child’s life that could affect classroom performance.

To increase the effectiveness of these conferences, parents should consider taking some preliminary steps.

First, take time before the conference to think about your child’s strengths, weaknesses, study habits, and classmates. 

Ask your child: What do you like about the classroom? What would you like to change? Do you understand the work? Do you feel you’re doing well? 

There are also several questions a parent should consider asking the teacher during the conference: 

•  What are my child’s best and weakest subjects? 

•  How can I help him improve?

•  Is my child working up to his ability? If not, why do you think so and how can I help?

•  Is my child’s schoolwork progressing as it should? If not, how can I help her catch up?

•  If my child is ahead of other students, what will challenge or encourage her?

•  How does my child get along with other students?

•  Are there any special behavior or learning problems I need to know about? 

•  What kinds of tests will be given this year? What are the tests supposed to tell?

•  Is my child’s homework turned in on time, in completed form, and does it meet your expectations? 

•  How much time should be spent on homework each night?

Parents and teachers have much in common. Neither wants a child to fail. Neither wants a child to be caught between the pressures of differing standards at home and at school. Both know that learning goes on at school AND at home.

Together, parents and teachers can become a powerful force for positive change in the life of a child.

Bill Cirone, Santa Barbara County Superintendent of Schools