Getting government contract work is difficult and cut-throat for small businesses competing with mega businesses. (graphic: What What via Flickr)

Despite at least $3 trillion in government spending aimed at stimulating the economy, a multitude of economic indicators now show that the economy is poised to slip into a double dip recession. I believe, as I am sure you do, that we need to bring down unemployment in order to stimulate the economy. To date, none of the actions taken by Congress or the Obama administration have met that need.

As you may know, small businesses create the overwhelming majority of net new jobs in America. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, businesses with less than 20 employees create over 97 percent of net new jobs. Statistics from the Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Advocacy indicate that small businesses create over 90 percent of all net new jobs. Any effort to create jobs must be focused on small businesses.

One of the most effective economic stimulus programs ever passed by the U.S. Congress was the Small Business Act of 1953. The Small Business Act requires that 23 percent of the total value of all government contracts must go to small businesses. This makes perfect sense, considering the important role small businesses play when it comes to the U.S. economy and job creation.

Since 2003, over a dozen federal investigations have found that most small business contracts actually go to Fortune 500 firms, European conglomerates and thousands of other large businesses around the world. Some of those companies are: Lockheed Martin, Boeing, British Aerospace (BAE), Rolls-Royce, Raytheon, Dell Computer, General Electric, Honeywell International Corporation, Ssangyong Corporation headquartered in Seoul, South Korea and Finmeccanica SpA, which is located in Italy and has 73,000 employees. . . .

The Obama White House signaled Alan Simpson Wednesday that he can say whatever damn-fool thing he wants, and since he’s the GOP co-chair of Obama’s Catfood Commission, it’s to be expected that Simpson will say some things Obama “strongly disagrees with.”

Even though the White House accepts apologies not directed to it from Alan Simpson.

Sounds like a Free White House Pass to mouth off, Alan: go for it.

This presages an exciting fall as no one is holding Alan Simpson back from his evening phone calls to folks who’ve written or called or emailed him. He’s not shy about writing to people. He’s also eager to call AP reporters with fun leads for stories about how Vietnam veterans aren’t doing their fair share to bring down the deficit.

Have you heard from Alan Simpson?

If you have, we’d love to hear from you here at Firedoglake. Put your correspondence with Alan Simpson in your own Seminal diary. Let the world know how Alan Simpson treated your concerns about America’s deficit, and the outsize role he sees for Social Security benefits in solving those concerns. Or perhaps you are a veteran who’s not doing enough to ease your country’s pain right now? If you’ve heard from Alan Simpson about your lack of sacrifice, please let us know.

Alan Simpson got his Free White House Pass. It’s going to be a very exciting three months until the Catfood Commission presents its report to President Obama in December. Simpson can, apparently, say anything he wants without White House censure. Simpson, unbound!

P.S. You can send emails to Alan Simpson at commission at fc.eop.gov

He’s got a shot, thanks to The Quitter’s purge of Murkowski.

A new snapshot of the Senate race in Alaska, taken in the hours after Sen. Lisa Murkowski conceded the GOP nomination, shows Joe Miller running six points ahead of his Democratic rival, Sitka Mayor Scott McAdams.

The Rasmussen survey of likely voters shows Miller, a lawyer who is backed by Sarah Palin, with 50% of the vote and McAdams with 44%. The poll has a margin of error of 4.5 percentage points.

And that’s Rasmussen, so it’s probably even closer.