Small business policy becomes the realm of women

Posted on | January 6, 2009 | No Comments

I want to back-peddle for a minute to something I just mentioned in this week’s podcast but didn’t explore very thoroughly.

One big change that’s going to happen in 2009 — change we can really believe in because it’s already happened — is that small business policy will be largely in the hands of women during the 111th Congress.

Three of the top four lawmakers presiding over the Small Business Committees in the House and the Senate will be women: Nydia Velazquez in the House and Mary Landrieu and Olympia Snowe in the Senate.

On top of that, the incoming SBA Administrator is Karen Gordon Mills, another woman.

And I’m wondering to what degree the gender difference will make a difference?

I think it has been pretty well established that women tend to do things differently than men. In practical terms, what will that look like in this particular context?

Over the last few years, small business policy measures have been largely stalled because of partisan sniping, bickering and procedural maneuvers. And, granted, women on Capitol Hill indulge in as much of that stuff as men do (or do they?) when they think the occasion calls for it.

On the other hand, women on Capitol Hill tend to be less ideologically dogmatic and more pragmatic — unless they’re maneuvering to move up in the party hierarchy, of course. And even when they breath partisan fire and brimstone in public appearances, privately they are often less stubborn and more willing to compromise if that’s how to get things done.

So, this will be something else to watch. Will these four women mange to bypass the stupidity that has stopped all sorts of non-controversial small business legislation in its tracks? Or will they do things the way those things have always been done in D.C.? (Somehow, I doubt it.)

And, if they do things differently, will we be able to tell?

Something else to monitor in the coming months of Politics: My Favorite Spectator Sport.


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