Ghee whiz. I thought a small business was a mom and pop hardware store, or a Carvel franchise where an immigrant family puts in 12 -16 hour days. Our politicians need to define their terms for the rest of us. Or are we being deliberately misled when they talk about helping “small business owners?” Bush Jr.was particularly murky; his idea of a small businessman was clearly someone with only a few wells; but he never defined this term that he used so freely. For that matter, no one either on the right or the left does. Deliberately misleading?

What is SBA’s definition of a small business concern?
SBA defines a small business concern as one that is independently owned and operated, is organized for profit, and is not dominant in its field. Depending on the industry, size standard eligibility is based on the average number of employees for the preceding twelve months or on sales volume averaged over a three-year period. Examples of SBA general size standards include the following:
Manufacturing: Maximum number of employees may range from 500 to 1500, depending on the type of product manufactured;
Wholesaling: Maximum number of employees may range from 100 to 500 depending on the particular product being provided;
Services: Annual receipts may not exceed $2.5 to $21.5 million, depending on the particular service being provided;
Retailing: Annual receipts may not exceed $5.0 to $21.0 million, depending on the particular product being provided;
General and Heavy Construction: General construction annual receipts may not exceed $13.5 to $17 million, depending on the type of construction;
Special Trade Construction: Annual receipts may not exceed $7 million; and
Agriculture: Annual receipts may not exceed $0.5 to $9.0 million, depending on the agricultural product.