“Shop Small” has been a movement for years to support America’s small businesses. Throughout the pandemic, it’s felt more like Congress and lockdown-happy governors across the country have embraced a Stop Small movement.
Berkshire Hathaway chairman and all-around business tycoon Warren Buffet is now throwing his support behind small businesses as they continue to struggle and shutter through the lockdowns of the coronavirus pandemic.
Buffet said, “It’s an economic war,” during a “Squawk Box” telephone interview with CNBC’s Becky Quick before pleading with lawmakers to get something done.
“I think the country owes it to the millions of small-business people … just renew the PPP and get us to the end of the tunnel,” Buffett said. “When we went into World War II, a lot of industries were shut down; everything went to the defense production. Well, we’ve shut down a lot of people in this particular induced recession and others are prospering, and I think the country owes it to the really millions of small-business people.”
Congress has remained frozen for months on new government aid as lawmakers continue to argue over the details. Nancy Pelosi admitted last week that her decision to block coronavirus relief for months was political and that she was “very proud” of that the decision.
While Pelosi plays politics, small business owners are trying to survive. Buffet says, “It would be so foolish to not follow through on this and enable those people to get back to where they could do the kind of business they were doing before.”
At this point, most small business owners would just be happy with earning a paycheck—something those in Congress have been receiving throughout the entire pandemic, despite doing nothing and being “very proud” of that.
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