Small Business Credit Survey Results: Would Local Start-Up and Small Business Funding Increase Downtown Development?

(Illustrative Only)

Jackie is a local
banker and is 
pooling resources
for small businesses
started by young people
on Ludington St. Escanaba,
 allows for lower interest with 
profit agreements, takes different
 forms of collateral, and 
continues to encourage
investors to put 
money into a
community based local
entrepreneurial hedge 
fund. She tries
to hedge the type
of businesses through
clustering so 
they support each other, 
gets people together
for meetings to
share ideas,
and partners with
larger local and 
regional businesses
to sell products
and export internationally
under a local brand
that helps tourism, micro
manufacturing, and local
business development.

Hedge Start Ups,
Availability of Financial Info,
Venture Capitalism,
Interconnectivity of Firms,
Funding Start Ups

The report focuses on small employer firms and their access to business credit. Small businesses often rely on credit to start and grow operations. While some begin with personal savings, many eventually need financing as they expand. Using credit cards is common, but it is not always the most effective or sustainable way to support broader economic development in local communities.

Access to affordable financing—especially through local or community banks—can play an important role in helping small businesses succeed. Lower interest rates or pooled funding options could encourage more business formation and support local economic growth.

The survey suggests that small business conditions are slowing slightly, though not sharply. Growth may continue at a slower pace in the near future. At the same time, many firms are adapting by embracing new technologies, including artificial intelligence. Finance is still seen as a challenge.

About half of small businesses report that their financing needs are fully met, while others still face gaps. There is also a continued rise in the use of online lenders, though these options can sometimes come with higher costs.

Overall, strengthening local financing systems could help support small business development. Even though not all businesses succeed, a strong financing environment increases the chances that some will grow significantly and contribute meaningfully to local economies.

2026 Report on Employer Firms (Small Business Credit Survey)

• Based on the 2025 Small Business Credit Survey, which collected responses from over 6,500 small employer firms (1–499 employees) across the United States
• Revenue and employment growth remained relatively stable year over year, but overall performance is still below pre-pandemic levels
• For the second consecutive year, a higher share of firms reported revenue declines than increases
• Expectations for future revenue and employment growth declined to their lowest levels since 2020
• Approximately 38% of firms reported increased revenue, indicating slower growth compared to prior years
• Nearly half of firms source inputs internationally, and most reported higher input costs compared to 2024
• About 84% of firms relying on foreign inputs experienced cost increases, with many passing costs to customers
• Roughly half of firms had their financing needs fully met, while about one-third experienced a funding gap after applying for credit
• Use of online lenders increased for the fifth consecutive year, though 60% of borrowers reported higher-than-expected costs
• Just under half of firms (around 46%) reported using artificial intelligence, primarily for marketing, productivity, and planning
• A majority of firms using AI reported productivity gains, though most did not see major changes in labor costs

Federal Reserve Banks. (2026). 2026 report on employer firms: Findings from the 2025 Small Business Credit Survey. https://www.fedsmallbusiness.org/reports/survey/2026/2026-report-on-employer-firms

Genocide: Is it possible under certain circumstances? (The Story of the Clan)

(Illustrative Only)

"Let us overcome
 violence by gentleness;
let us overcome evil by good."

Buddha

Genocide is one of the most extreme harms humans can inflict on one another. It involves deliberately targeting groups seen as different, leading to severe social, moral, and economic consequences. Beyond the immediate damage to lives, it can weaken institutions, erode trust, and disrupt long-term development. These outcomes can be prevented when societies remain committed to shared values and apply them equally to everyone.

Social and economic systems are closely linked. When division, fear, and discrimination take hold, they often lead to negative economic outcomes. Systems built on exclusion tend to lose stability, legitimacy, and effectiveness over time. The people who make the decisions that weaken such systems often don't know the long-term consequences of self-seeking choices.

Consider a hypothetical “Story of the Clan” as a thought experiment. In this scenario, a group unites around shared hostility. Rumors spread, corruption increases, and accountability declines. Intimidation and harassment become normalized. Some individuals are targeted based on identity, while others avoid consequences due to favoritism or weak enforcement. Reporting wrongdoing leads to retaliation instead of reform, and legal protections are applied unevenly, creating an in-group versus out-group dynamic. 

A few factors to consider in this allegory are targetings, criminal misbehaviors, human rights violations, collectivization, lack of backstops and a sense of agreement that some are second class citizens and should be openly dehumanized with no correction for the wrongdoing. Some continue on even though the victims have done nothing to them. Sayig "no" can put you on a list in this hypothetical situation. 

While this represents a worst-case scenario, most people would oppose such behavior. But some also support collectivizing their hate. Some officials foster it. Societies depend on checks and balances—such as legal systems and constitutional protections—to prevent these outcomes. However, when these safeguards fail and misconduct goes unaddressed or incentivized, trust in institutions declines. This opens the door to further abuse, especially when decision makers prioritize loyalty, foreign ideologies (not inherent in social contracts, artifacts, rights) or personal gain over fairness and accountability.

Even in these conditions, some individuals may continue to uphold ethical standards, guided by earlier commitments to duty and principle. They didn't just say them, the believe, and want to protect them. People commited to principle and not identity. The risk doesn't matter because for each time they remind leaders of their oaths they can further move the needed needed to preserve society and save future victims. They willingly sacrafice despite extreme injustices. 

The question is whether such a breakdown could occur. Some believe it is nearly impossible and others are arguing the risks rise. While estimates of likelihood may vary, history shows that under certain pressures—such as economic instability, political polarization, religious extremism, hyper politics, and racial discrimination or weakened institutions—serious abuses like genocide can happen. Even a small risk is worth taking seriously unless you feel the oaths and central generation to generation sacred trusts have little value in practical form.

This is why strong, accountable systems with checks-and-balances are essential. There are many examples in the world where such systems defaulted and went into dehumanization and exclusion leading stained histories. Justice systems play a central role in maintaining fairness and correcting wrongdoing. When it weaponizes justice it also begins. When problems arise, addressing them early helps prevent escalation and the momentum to hate and evantual genocide. Institutions are not meant to incentivize misconduct or violate fundamental rights such as freedom of speech or religion.

Maintaining a just and stable society requires ongoing effort: reinforcing shared values, holding institutions accountable, and ensuring protections are applied equally. If we fail where we find it then we risk a broader failure. Good eventually does overcome exclusion and hate but that process is a slow one. A person's soul (essence) is defined by how they define these issues in themselves. They will be judged as we are all eventually judged. 

Finally, it is important to broaden the discussion of “out-groups” beyond race to include religion, ethnicity, political beliefs, and other identities. Under the wrong conditions, hostility toward any group can be amplified and collectivized, increasing the risk of harm. What are the small things you can do to prevent collectivization of hate? 

The Violent Path from Systemic Racism to Genocide

• Systemic racism operates at a structural level, embedded in laws, policies, and cultural practices that create unequal access to resources and opportunities based on race.
• It is often subtle and normalized, making it difficult for those not affected to recognize, while consistently shaping life outcomes such as education, employment, and health.
• Persistent patterns of racial discrimination can escalate into broader societal dangers, including violent conflict and genocide, as recognized by international human rights bodies.
• Warning indicators include entrenched inequality, rising racial hatred or propaganda, segregation or exclusion, and weak legal protections against discrimination.
• Historical examples, such as the 1994 Rwandan genocide, demonstrate how constructed racial hierarchies and long-term marginalization can culminate in mass violence.
• The persecution of the Rohingya in Myanmar illustrates a “slow-burning” process, where decades of discriminatory policies stripped rights, identity, and protections, increasing vulnerability to genocide.
• Systemic oppression weakens targeted groups over time, making large-scale violence easier to carry out and less likely to be resisted.
• Understanding systemic racism as a root cause is essential for early warning systems and prevention strategies aimed at stopping genocide before it occurs.

apa reference
The Sentinel Project. (2020, June 30). The violent path from systemic racism to genocide. https://thesentinelproject.org/2020/06/30/the-violent-path-from-systemic-racism-to-genocide/

Management Style, Job Satistfaction and Organizational Peformance

(Illustrative Only)

Management style has a significant impact on employee performance. However, this influence is sometimes underestimated because managers may unintentionally rely on their personality as a default management approach and apply it inconsistently or inappropriately to employees, which can affect organizational outcomes.

For example, a manager who adopts a highly laissez-faire approach and allows employees to work without clear structure, expectations, or guidelines may inadvertently harm the organization. Without adequate direction, employees may lack focus on key objectives, leading to inconsistency and reduced accountability. Conversely, an overly top-down or authoritarian management style that limits employee input and discourages new ideas can also weaken the organization. In such environments, innovation is often suppressed, and valuable contributions from employees may be overlooked.

Beyond management style itself, there is a secondary effect on employee motivation. Employees typically make an implicit assessment of how much effort they are willing to invest based on compensation, recognition, and the overall work environment. If the environment becomes negative due to an ineffective management style, employees may reduce effort, engagement, and creativity. This can lead to lower retention, decreased innovation, increased inefficiencies, and overall weaker organizational performance.

Even high compensation does not necessarily offset the negative effects of poor management. In some cases, organizations may experience diminished returns when leadership practices undermine morale and productivity. Therefore, management style plays a direct and indirect role in organizational success. Effective leadership requires more than familiarity or credentials; it depends on the ability to balance structure with flexibility, encourage engagement, and support meaningful employee contribution. The type or size of the organization doesn't appear to be the main issue. 

You may be interested in this study below, 

Impact of Management Style on Job Satisfaction and Organizational Outcomes

• Management style has a significant effect on employee job satisfaction and organizational performance
• Job satisfaction is a key factor influencing overall organizational outcomes
• Stimulating (supportive and engaging) leadership styles improve the effectiveness of HRM practices
• Corrective or control-oriented leadership styles show little to no positive impact on HR practices
• Leadership style shapes how employees perceive workplace policies and organizational support
• HRM practices contribute to higher job satisfaction when effectively implemented
• The influence of leadership on performance is largely indirect and operates through employee satisfaction
• Employee satisfaction plays a mediating role between leadership style and organizational performance

Vermeeren, B., Kuipers, B., & Steijn, B. (2014). Does leadership style make a difference? Linking HRM, job satisfaction, and organizational performance. Review of Public Personnel Administration, 34(2), 174–195. https://www.humanresourcejournal.com/archives/2026.v8.i1.B.423

February 2026 PPI Data Year-Over-Year Increases 3.4%, .5% January and .7% February

(Illustrative Only)

Working on a chair
and thinking of
costs. 

The most recent Producer Price Index (PPI) data is provided below. What is PPI

Producer Price Index (PPI) News Release Summary (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)

• The Producer Price Index (PPI) measures the average change over time in selling prices received by domestic producers for goods and services, reflecting inflation at the wholesale level.
• In early 2026, producer prices showed continued upward pressure, with final demand increasing 0.5% in January and 0.7% in February, indicating accelerating inflation trends.
• On a year-over-year basis, PPI rose about 3.4% by February 2026, with services contributing more strongly than goods to overall increases.
• Monthly changes are driven by fluctuations in services (e.g., trade margins, transportation) and goods (especially energy and food), which can move in opposite directions.
• Core PPI (excluding food, energy, and trade services) has shown consistent increases, signaling underlying inflation persistence across the economy.

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2026). Producer price index news release. https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ppi.nr0.htm

'The Night Bay' and 'San Diego After the Storm' Photography

 You may be interested in either of these photos I took recently. Check out the Art Page. I can print and frame so send me a message of what you would like. 

It is a hobby but still gets one outdoors and seeing the world. 

The Night Bay

San Diego After the Storm

The Value of a Hypothetical Feather Party for Learning About Third Party Systems

(Illustrative Only)

Demi and Robby 
are natural learners,
they play well together, 
they communicate well,
they explore solutions,
share responsibilities,
talk to knowledgeable people,
discuss their opinions openly,
listen genuinely to 
each other's needs,
are polite, kind to each other,
focus on the big picture, 
and decide what is
most beneficial for everyone.

They ask Grand Pa 
Sam what democracy
was? He thinks 
for a minute about the
past and present meaning
of the term, remembering
what it meant to him,
and what he learned as
a kid and as an adult.

He clears his throat, takes a sip,
pauses for just a second as
if to check his answer
and tells this
young generation, "You 
are already living it.
It is a future focused on you."

This discussion explores whether having more political party options—such as a viable independent third party—could provide meaningful benefits. To examine this idea, we introduce a learning conceptual model called the Hypothetical Feather Party.

The Feather Party is designed to prioritize logic, science, and long-term thinking, with a particular focus on younger generations. Rather than aiming to become the dominant party, its role is to act as a “vote tipper.” By maintaining independence, it can influence policy outcomes, introduce new ideas, and encourage broader debate beyond the traditional two-party framework. i.e. more pathways to feedback.

One potential advantage of this model is reduced partisan rigidity. Instead of strict party-line voting, ideas would need to be justified and supported across a more independent and diverse group. This could improve overall decision-making by requiring policies to stand on their merits rather than party affiliation.

An independent hypothetiecal Feather Party could function as a home for independent thinkers. Members would not be required to follow a fixed ideology but would instead collaborate using an agreed-upon decision-making matrix. This framework could include considerations such as short- and long-term impacts, economic health, environmental sustainability, and geopolitical factors. The goal is to provide structure without limiting individual thought.

Organizationally, the party would emphasize a bottom-up approach. It would seek to create input from the broadest most locally driven information focused on the average citizen. Candidates are drawn from the community based on capacity and not based on being connected, knowing the right people or PAC sponsorship. 

To reduce external influence, the party would limit or ban political action committee (PAC) funding and cap donations. It would not rely on large financial backing but instead aim to compete through ideas and public engagement. Media coverage, regardless of political leaning, would be welcomed, but the party would avoid heavy spending on campaigns.

Ultimately, the Hypothetical Feather Party serves as a philosophical way to explore what a strong third-party presence might contribute to political decision-making. It invites open consideration—whether one views the idea as beneficial, flawed, or uncertain. The key objective is to encourage independent thinking and reflection on how individuals, even within existing parties, can make decisions aligned with their own values and judgment.

---

Many Americans Want More Political Party Options

• Nearly 4 in 10 Americans say they want more choices beyond the Republican and Democratic parties, indicating dissatisfaction with the two-party system.
• Desire for additional parties is higher among Democrats (46%) than Republicans (29%).
• Independents are especially likely to want more options, particularly those who lean Democratic (56% compared to 42% of Republican-leaning independents).
• Younger adults are more likely than older adults to express interest in having more political party choices.
• Overall, the findings suggest growing frustration and openness to alternatives in the U.S. political system.

Pew Research Center. (2026, January 15). Nearly 4 in 10 Americans wish they had options beyond the Republican and Democratic parties. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2026/01/15/nearly-4-in-10-americans-wish-they-had-options-beyond-the-republican-and-democratic-parties/

Delta County Board of Commissioners Meeting (4/7/2026): Planning, Comments, Amendments, and Vision (40 Minute Executive Retreat To Generate Ideas)

(Illustrative Only)

People sitting around
a campfire during
corporate executive training
getting in touch with nature,
making bonds, sharing ideas,
and solving problems. 

40 Minutes to
Clear the Brain

They may want some 
refreshments so they
are trying to figure out
which type of
beverage they can open.

Max the Bulldog
thinks it is still
the cats doing all
the ordinance
violations. 🙃

This meeting covered a range of county issues, including opioid funding, park policies, Second Amendment topics, community engagement, finance, infrastructure, taxes, and public input. Overall, it reflects the county’s ongoing efforts to balance community interests with economic development. That leads to a sense of vision and over time teams create that vision through dialogue. While these may be at first wide, as coversations go on a vision ebgins to formulate.

Many discussions focused on local concerns, such as animal-related ordinances and public services, while also addressing broader goals like attracting business, increasing investment, and improving long-term growth. These social and economic elements are closely connected, as community feedback helps shape policies, funding decisions, and future priorities.

While much of the discussion is typical for county governance, there are signs of more forward-thinking and a stronger economic focus. Leaders are beginning to align decisions with a clearer long-term plannning for the county. This gradual shift toward shared goals and strategic direction is a positive step, as it helps guide future actions and encourages more coordinated progress.

Delta County Board Meeting Summary and Public Comment Issues

• Board approved motions for human services, opioid task force, and airport advisory items.
• Public comments raised concerns about park policies banning firearms and fireworks, arguing such restrictions may conflict with Michigan law and the Second Amendment.
• Speakers highlighted inconsistencies in alcohol rules in parks.
• Ecouraging public comment.
• Discussion on proposed dog licensing ordinance.
• Comments on county planning stressed the need for economic development, housing, and business growth, while encouraging public engagement with positive change.
• Administrator reported updates on infrastructure legislation (Basics Act), upcoming environmental conference, county audit, budgeting process, and opioid settlement funds.
• Finance committee reviewed budget policies and deferred recommendation on the Headlee Amendment rollback for full board discussion.
• Board approved payment of bills and multiple fiscal year 2024 deficit elimination plans, noting deficits were due to accounting errors and have been corrected.
• Equalization service agreements with townships were updated and sent for township review before approval.
• Appointments were made to the opioid task force, with one vacancy remaining.
• Headlee Amendment rollback introduced for discussion only; no action taken.
• Additional public comments emphasized transparency, public involvement in planning decisions, and support for economic development projects such as solar energy.

OpenAI. (2026). Summary of Delta County Board meeting transcript (April 2026). https://www.youtube.com/live/Kn9pYFk73lk?si=usfNxwSMpkVpbCg1