10 Things That WON'T Happen In 2009

The automakers got a big one. The financial sector got a really, really big one. But bailouts for the hundreds of thousands of smaller companies who actually need one? Not going to happen.

It's not that the government doesn't want to bail out small and midsize companies -- although it most certainly doesn't -- it's that it can't. Who would get what? How would they apply? Who would decide the terms? It's simply too complicated to make work. So, as usual, the politicos will make sympathetic noises about the importance of small business to the economy, and then pretty much leave them to compete on their own against giant corporations propped up with taxpayer money.

Even as SMB revenue and employment tank, the only help available to smaller companies will be their share of whatever general economic stimulus package is offered, which may include tax breaks, cash payouts, and new public spending projects. There is some talk of small business tax incentives, but you can expect that to be the first thing to be cut when they start crunching the numbers.

So while a general stimulus plan may help create some overall demand, it's not likely to help your company become more competitive.

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