“First of all, I think he’s very smart. I think he is a good human being. I think the country would be much better off if he were president. I admire McCain for lots of things, but his pick of a completely inexperienced V.P. just because she has color and personality made me think of what it would be like if he were president. The next Supreme Court justices would be very conservative, and I am all against abortion, but I am also for every woman for making her own decision. Financially, we are doing terribly. We should be out of Iraq, and we got into Iraq because of Bush. He is the worst president in my memory, and my memory goes all the way back to Truman and Roosevelt. Obama is so able, so clear-thinking, so well spoken, we would again be well-regarded in the world. Right now, we are not. We are almost laughed at.”
– Alfred Bader, founder of Sigma Aldrich Corp., owner of Alfred Bader Fine Arts, Milwaukee
“First and foremost, I think we need strong leadership. I think he can be a demanding executive that will bring leadership with accountability. I am putting my faith in that he is going to change the way that Washington works, and I believe that we need very strong leadership to change our dependence. I don’t see that happening at all in the other platform. I don’t see the other platform regarding our health care policies and how they are gong to get 47 million Americans appropriate health care and costs. I simply do not see leadership on that side. I believe that the middle class of America is the backbone of this country, and it’s those individuals that do need to be helped at this time.”
– Peggy Coakley, chief executive officer, Coakley Bros. Co. and Coakley Tech, Milwaukee
“I am not a Republican or a Democrat. My primary reason for supporting Obama is the way that he makes decisions, and the way that McCain makes decisions … McCain is a very shoot-from-the-hip, don’t-do-your-homework kind of guy, and Obama is a do-your-homework and surround-yourself-with-objective-intelligent-people kind of guy. I also think the tax policies that he (Obama) is putting into place, reverting the taxes back to what they were before Bush came in, would be good for us. We had a stable, thriving economy. I would rather have a stable economy, without a lot of debt. That would be better for the economy and better for my clients.”
– Bob Chernow, wealth manager, Milwaukee
“The problem we have is just about all of us in small business in Milwaukee are not only competing against the guy or gal down the street, but that the street could be Wangfujing in Beijing. There are jobs and industries that have left this country that are not coming back. That’s the world we created, and coercion is not going to change it. So to create a better environment for small business is going to take innovation and credit. An Obama administration will promote both. Many companies such as mine may not be directly engaged in manufacturing, but we support these types of companies. If looking for the effect of innovation on an economy, go no further than the west side of Madison and check out how tech transfer from the University of Wisconsin-spawned companies has helped spur development. This is where an Obama economy will take us. Barack Obama back in March proposed a six-point economic program that included increased regulation to prevent the market meltdowns.
There is a growing recognition that government can be a partner, not an adversary. Obama’s experience of working across the aisle demonstrates that he can be comfortable with both the private and public sectors.”
– Keith Schmitz, owner, KRPR Inc., Shorewood
“What is good for the economy in general is good for small businesses. Obama is for tax cuts for 95 percent of people, a lot of whom are small-business owners. He really has a great plan for eliminating some of the burdens that small businesses face. I mean, we have a 401(k) here. If the economy isn’t doing well, then our employees can’t invest well for retirement. We also own another business, which is basically our office building. This is where Barack Obama’s capital gains tax relief really helps us out.”
– Jay Urban, president, Urban and Taylor S.C., Glendale
“I am the owner and developer of two large, historic office buildings in downtown Milwaukee. I have approximately 55 tenants, all of whom are also small-business owners from law firms to securities and insurance brokers, architects, business consultants, internet marketing firms, restaurant owners and so on. We all have similar challenges in business today. Our most imminent problem is the crisis in the financial markets. Average taxpayers and small-business owners like me should not have to bail out the banks and investment firms whose unethical behavior and cronyism created this mess, backed by the Republican administration.”
– Patti Keating Kahn, owner/developer, Colby Abbot Building, Railway Exchange Building, Milwaukee
“I have owned my small international business for over 30 years. I want to see women have equal pay for equal work. It was a real struggle for me to get where I am today, and I’d like to spare today’s younger business women some of the grief I experienced. I work with transitioning military, and we all want to see less war and more diplomacy. Bill Clinton had the highest IQ of any president, and we had a budget surplus. I think Obama is just as smart. Wouldn’t it be nice to have businesses stay in America, jobs available, and a thriving economy again?”
– Doris Appelbaum, CEO/president, Appelbaum’s Resume Professionals Inc., Milwaukee
“I run a downtown middle-priced apartment building, Chalet at the River. I think that a healthy economy for the middle class is very important for the good of the country and for my small business. I think that stability in the workplace is important to the livelihood of middle class people who are my tenants. I also think that a strong middle class is very important for the good of this country. Lowering the taxes for 95 percent of people is good for this country, and I think that the upper 5 percent should be pleased that they can be so successful and be willing to pay their share as their patriotic duty.”
– Bonnie Joseph, building owner, Bockle Enterprises, Milwaukee
