There are 64 million independent professionals, small business owners, contractors, entrepreneurs, and solopreneurs who not only contribute to the economy but drive it. We delight in not only pursuing our American Dream but in our contributions to the fabric and stability of our community and our nation. We ask for little, and this may be part of the problem.
Through government overreach, end-run laws, and regulatory measures, the last decade has seen an unprecedented attack on our livelihoods, hampering our ability to build our businesses and pursue our work in the ways we see fit. We want elected officials and candidates to respect what we have built and its contribution to our society and not co-sign or create policies that hamper our economic freedoms.
Thanks to the freelance-busting tactics employed by federal legislators via the PRO Act, and through the U.S. Department of Labor regulation via the final independent contractor rule, independent professionals and small businesses continue to be under threat of having what they have spent years and decades in building snatched away from them—all on the premise of saving “workers,” unions, and the supposedly coveted union membership.
This is why, after decades of voting, I have become a one-issue voter. Many other independent professionals have joined me in this chorus.
Less than 10 days from a national election, candidates and incumbent electeds do not appear to be interested in respecting or representing independent professionals. Bottom line: Any candidate not interested in supporting the economic freedom of its citizens should not be allowed into office, and any politician currently in office should be voted out.
Kim Kavin has been an independent writer and editor for 21 years. As the founder of Fight for Freelancers, Kavin testified in front of Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison’s Advisory Task Force on Worker Misclassification. Kavin has been at the forefront of these battles with elected officials who, in their claimed goal to address the misclassification of workers, are restricting and eroding the ability of independent professionals and small businesses to maintain their livelihoods.
Misclassification has become a convenient excuse for labor unions to institute freelance busting measures into law. Laws like California’s Assembly Bill 5 all but destroyed independent contracting in the state while doing nothing to increase union membership or W-2 employment.In her video testimony to the MN task force, Kavin called them out on the fact that the panel was heavily weighted with union interests but only had one independent contractor among their ranks.
“Now, look at the members of your task force. You allowed only a single independent contractor to be on a task force about independent contractors.
“What you have is a task force that’s heavy on unionists. I understand why you want to help unions: Membership is at an all-time low, and Gallup says 80% of people either don’t want to join a union, or are at best neutral on the subject.
“But when you try to solve that union problem by destroying the livelihoods of independent contractors, all you do is come off as extremists.
“And in the end, it doesn’t even work.”
Candidates and elected officials fighting to maintain their office continue to fall for the siren song of union interests over the interests of independent professionals. This must stop. Only by independent professionals becoming single-issue voters and choosing their economic interests over all else, can this be adequately confronted.
Jake Poinier has been an independent professional since 1999. As the founder and owner of Boomvang Creative Group, he started his own shop after a decade of positions in magazine editing, sales and marketing, and public relations. If Poinier had wanted to remain in that space, he could have easily done so. Instead, he pursued the American Dream of owning his own business.
Poinier said, “I’ve always based my vote on economic factors, but this is the first time my business is at stake due to government overreach. The Biden-Harris administration has shown its intentions through the PRO Act and Department of Labor, privileging union jobs over independent contracting and creating uncertainty.”
That uncertainty continues to loom large because neither presidential candidate has presented policies that will champion the independent professional and small business owner.
In his administration, former President and Republican nominee Donald Trump helped to secure the freedom of independent professionals through his independent contract rule. Unfortunately, it was replaced by the more restrictive Biden-Harris rule. Concerningly, Trump’s Vice Presidential candidate J.D. Vance is fully on board with unions and regularly promotes sectoral organizing, which would force entire business sectors into union bargaining on wages, benefits, and workplace standards. While seeming like a solution that could satisfy both unions and independent contractors, it would create a cartel-like machinery that would limit and eliminate independence and freedom for professionals and small businesses.
Sadly, an administration headed by now-Vice President and Democrat nominee Kamala Harris portends even worse news for independent professionals, as Poinier points out.
“Harris’s proposal to cut taxes on startup businesses has grabbed a lot of headlines, but does she have any plans to make life better for the existing 60+ million people who own or are employed by small businesses? All I saw in her [September 19, 2024] conversation with Oprah was scorn for small business people like me, so I’m not holding my breath for an answer.”
Despite Harris’ perpetual protestations that she supports small business and the rollout of her “Opportunity Economy” plan in September which purports to give $500,000 to startup businesses and entrepreneurs, Harris has also expressed full support for the PRO Act and has promised to sign it into law. VP Harris has also done nothing to limit the damage being done to independent professionals and the trucking industry through the Biden-Harris DOJ’s final independent contractor rule.
The majority of independent businesses, especially those owned by women, are solo businesses (you are the business) and corporations. IWF’s senior policy analyst Carrie Sheffield has outlined that Harris’ plans to raise the corporate tax rate to 28% would effectively be a $1.4 trillion tax hike on Americans. It would also kill 125,000 jobs and lower wages for those workers Harris claims to champion. The economy would shrink under her watch, rather than thrive.
This only confirms the dire need for independent professionals to become one-issue voters and use our collective 70 million-plus strength to let elected officials and candidates know that they cannot kowtow to the unions and union interests. It must remain our work our choice; anything else restricts our constitutional right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Independent translator Diane Gunn, who fled California for Nevada in 2020 after AB5 destroyed her livelihood, is disheartened that she still has to fight against this attempt to nationalize the destruction of our livelihoods.
“I hate politics and try my best to not get involved in anything. But this is too much,” Gunn explains. “I’ve become more informed than I ever wanted to be and have become a ‘single issue’ voter. I will vote against anyone, in any role and any party that supports this legislation.”
Every American should vote according to their interests and values. However, independent professionals need to understand that their vote could further the protection of their ability to thrive or usher in their demise.
Do vote, but vote wisely.