Changes

Small businesses are defined as privately owned and operated companies employing a small number of workers. In the United States, the legal definition of a small business is determined by a set of criterion specified by the [[SBA|Small Business Administration]]. Generally, those criterion mean that a manufacturing business with fewer than 500 employees or a non-manufacturing business with less than $7.5 million in revenue will be considered a small business by the U.S.A. [https://www.sba.gov/contracting/getting-started-contractor/make-sure-you-meet-sba-size-standards/summary-size-standards-industry-sector ] </onlyinclude> Alternatively, the European Union defines a small business as a firm with fewer than 50 employees.[http://ec.europa.eu/growth/smes/business-friendly-environment/sme-definition/index_en.htm ] </onlyinclude> Small business are pervasive throughout the United States and other countries. Typical examples of small businesses include: freight truckers, residential builders, exterior contractors,and architectural contractors[http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/226256]. According to the SBA there are approximately 28 million small businesses in the United States that comprise 55% of all US jobs. Furthermore, the number of small businesses in the United States has increased by approximately 49% since 1982.

{{:SBA}}

*The CATO Institute argues that the very conception of the SBA was a bad idea, questioning the federal government's strategy in intervening in the credit market. They say that the United States grew to be an economic powerhouse with a small centralized federal government that largely left business development to the private sector. For more information about the CATO institute's criticism, see this [http://www.cato.org/publications/congressional-testimony/waste-fraud-abuse-small-business-administration-programs article].

==Health Care==

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*The Small Business Administration: https://www.sba.gov/

*The Federal Reserve Board Survey of Small Business Finances: http://www.federalreserve.gov/pubs/oss/oss3/nssbftoc.htm

*Trends in Small Business: http://smallbiztrends.com/

1. http://www.gallup.com/businessjournal/186179/student-loan-debt-major-barrier-entrepreneurship.aspx