Politics and national issues are in the headlines every day, with this being such a big election year. As lobbyists and special interest groups scramble to be heard by politicians, special efforts are also being made to help small business issues rise to the forefront. SMC Business Councils in conjunction with its national affiliate, The National Small Business Association, unveiled a broad campaign this week, "Small Business: 70 Million Strong ... And Voting" to educate lawmakers, candidates, and the public on the importance of small business. More than one in two people in the U.S. private workforce work for or run a small business according to data from the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy and the U.S. Census Bureau. "This campaign was created to underscore the significance of this number," said NSBA Chair Marilyn Landis, who is also the chairwoman of SMC Business Councils and president of Pittsburgh-based Basic Business Concepts, Inc. "For the past 15 years, small business has created on average 93.5 percent of all net new jobs and comprised 99 percent of all employers, yet continues to be an afterthought for many lawmakers and candidates," Landis stated. "This campaign will help us change how people think and talk about small business." NSBA is working closely with its affiliate members, like SMC, across the country to get the word out about the significance of the overall small business community. The campaign aims to address the lack of small business focus in the 2008 election season by urging every small business owner and employee to speak out as part of the overall small business community. "Beyond the very positive attitude people have about small business, we want to drive home the point that small business comprises 33 percent of the voting population in the U.S.," said Lee C. Taddonio, president of SMC Business Councils. "We want to let people know that the small business community is a force to be reckoned with." Since 1937, NSBA and its affiliates have advocated on behalf of America's entrepreneurs. Reaching more than 150,000 small businesses, NSBA is the first national small business advocacy organization in the United States. Founded in 1944, SMC Business Councils is headquartered in Churchill with a branch office in Harrisburg. For more information, visit http://www.smc.org. | 
