Only American Free Enterprise Can Meet Our Nation's Job Challenge

With the economy slowly returning to form, we must now focus on a new challenge--putting America back to work. It won't be easy--the economy has shed 7.2 million jobs since the beginning of the recession, and unemployment is at its highest level in more than 25 years. We must create 20 million new jobs over the next decade simply to put the unemployed back to work and to keep up with a growing population. There's only one system that's proven capable of meeting this goal--American free enterprise.

Economic renewal will begin where it always does, with entrepreneurs and America's 27 million small businesses. These everyday heroes are unparalleled in their ability to create jobs, spur local development, and bring new products and services to market. Over the last decade, small businesses created between 60%-80% of all new jobs and, given the right business environment, can deliver big for job seekers once again.

But American free enterprise is about more than just a small startup or the biggest corporation. It's a powerful idea that is inseparable from the American Dream. Free enterprise offers the opportunity to dream big--and to turn that dream into a reality. This dream may start in a garage, with money borrowed from friends and family members. But long hours, creativity, and perseverance can transform a humble startup into a Main Street storefront-and provide livelihoods for members of the community. The sky is the limit and free enterprise makes it possible...

That's why the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is embarking on one of the most important initiatives in our nearly 100-year history. Today we are launching "American Free Enterprise: Dream Big," a comprehensive and sustained campaign to remind, educate, and persuade our fellow citizens and leaders that the free enterprise values of individual initiative, hard work, freedom of choice, and the free exchange of trade, capital, and ideas that built this great country can lead us back to prosperity.