The dust has finally settled on the invective-laden midtermelections (I sure won't miss those automated phone messages), andthe Republicans (and the Tea Party) are claiming a major victory onCapitol Hill. (Although AA&B readers taking a website poll are skeptical that Congressional changeswill improve the economy — 42 percent of them didn't think thingswould change for the better.)

Say what you will, one good outcome is the fresh new influx inCongress of small businessmen — 20 of them. Consider Robert Dold, newly elected representative for the 10thIllinois district. His family business is Rose Pest Solutions, awell-recognized name in the Chicago area. Or new FloridaRep. Steve Southerland, who owns a funeral home.

Although none of the new crop of legislators seems to be anindependent insurance agent, as small businessmen they all feel thesame pain that everyone who has to meet a payroll has beenstruggling with over the past two or more years. And although allare Republicans, the political idealogy of most seems to be morecentrist than extreme.

With the megabusiness bailouts and the Fed's focus on WallStreet, small business has gotten the short end of the stickthroughout the recession. Ironically, it's these businesses thatover the years have proven to be the real engines of the economy.According to SCORE, the estimated 29.6 million smallbusinesses in the U.S. account for more than half of the privatesector workforce, represent 97.3 percent of all goods exporters,and generate most of the innovations that come from U.S. companies.Yet banks are still hoarding profits instead of loosening thepurse strings for small business.

According to a recent Federal Reserve report, more thanthree-quarters of small-business loan applicants in the first halfof this year received only “some” or “none” of the credit theyrequired. And since the recession began, small business loansdropped from more than $710 billion in the second quarter of 2008to less than $670 billion in the first quarter of 2010, accordingto bank financial reports submitted to the government.

Of course, you can make the argument that the Supreme Court'sJanuary ruling eliminating many corporatecampaign financing restrictions means that all our electedofficials are bought and paid for by Big Business. But the factthat small business will have a significant voice in Congress is ahopeful sign that the little guy might at least stand a fightingchance.