With Republicans barely holding onto a majority, it's doubtful that either party will be able to push through an ideologically driven agenda in the next session. The next Congress has to be about coalition-building, or else nothing will get done. But some business leaders welcome gridlock. As long as the economy continues to roll along, many prefer that government stay on the sidelines. This is especially important for small businesses, which don't have the deep pockets of their corporate brethren to lobby against unfavorable government regulations.
Trouble is, gridlock is also likely to bottle up the issues small-biz supports.
According to the NFIB, the No. 1 issue driving small biz to the polls on Nov. 7 was the high cost of health care. Most small business advocacy groups favor the Republican platform for health care. Even on issues where partisan lines haven't been drawn, don't expect much to get done. Many small businesses are winding up in court over Internet copyright and privacy issues, and it's quite possible Congress will have to weigh in on that next year, experts say. Gridlock is good for companies that are in good financial shape and aren't looking for legislative reforms.