Optimism?

All in favor of optimism here.  That's the culture that we grew up in and too late to abandon it now.

Small business will be revived as Congress and whatever administration realize that Regulation details monitored by people whose only hard ons or get kick backs in life are to regulate at the local level will be backed off.  The larger regulators empowered by Obama testorsorone will back off.  The other big issue is issue is immigration and its multiple facets.  That needs an answer that has some long term sticking power for small business.  Obama has been a total failure on this issue.

Large U.S. business has its heroes and failures as has always been true, but overall capital levels are strong and revenues are modestly growing.  Expense management is even on the lips of Boards of Directors, that being the only really controllable corrolary to net income.  Exports and global reach are growing.  What toothpaste would you buy in Indonesia, Colgate?

The popular belief is that the main issue for small businesses is taxes - taxes smaxies, that not the issue at these levels or levels higher.  The issues are regulation, economic growth, and immigration certainty.  Is there anyone in Congress with a brain who does not know this.

Our economy is on a growth path as long as Europe doesn't completely implode and China does not export its economic growth slowdown(if anyone could call 7% that) to the U.S. through ever cheaper competing exports.   

The opposite of optimism is not a slowdown into another recession which could be managed, but a credit freeze or panic in the global economy  - bunker up in gold now?  That's not a good choice.  At the least one hopes that is not the right alternative.