As the 2024 Republican presidential candidates prepare to take the stage for the second primary debate, three American business owners discussed their top concerns over the state of the nation with FOX News Digital.
“I personally feel all the ‘free’ money that was given out during the COVID closures were the start of things going poorly, and now government is raising taxes and interest rates so as to gain back some of that money that was given out, all while still spending recklessly,” Houston Fast Track owner Vera Balic said.
“I think the most important thing would be what exit strategy they would provide to put in to get us out of the Ukraine war,” Connecticut bakery owner Nora Brunnett also told Digital. “I want my children and my grandchildren to really have an America without a war.”
“Why is over $70 billion of our tax money going over to a war that, here, the people aren’t asking for? I’ve been to war and it’s not a pretty sight,” Direction.com CEO and Army veteran Chris Kirksey also said. “And knowing that I’m paying all these tax dollars to fund something that I am pretty strongly against, the killing of other people, it’s just kind of sad to see.”
All three business owners – who participated in RedBalloon’s Freedom Economy Index survey last month – expressed their lack of confidence in current elected leaders to address policies impacting their success and quality of life in “troubling” ways.
Those issues include government spending and national debt, rising costs of everyday goods, lack of domestic energy production and unfriendly small business taxes – all topics that any of the GOP presidential candidates may note on the second primary debate stage Wednesday night, moderated by FOX Business.
“Since 2020 I’ve seen the price of just about everything related to my business increase. From items to go into my vending machines to the price of tires,” Balic said. “We’ve also had to contend with so many items being out of stock by vendors. Things really have been very difficult.”
The Texas business owner further prioritized rebuilding an America-only supply chain and reducing the national deficit.
“I truly feel if more production of goods were brought back home, that would have the largest impact of everything, while reducing our reliance upon foreign economies,” Balic added. “[And] controlling our national debt. When this is out of control it trickles down to financial instability everywhere along with causing other side effects such as inflation, unemployment, etcetera.”
While Brunnett also criticized spending U.S. dollars on foreign economies in terms of aid and oil, she spoke emotionally about how decades-high inflation forced her to close her business’ doors after eight-and-a-half years.
“My prices have gone up 30% in the last two years… it’s really hard to pass that on to a customer,” the bakery owner said. “No one’s going to pay $6 for a cupcake no matter how good it tastes and no matter how great the recipe is and that it’s from scratch, no one wants to pay $6 for a cupcake.”
“I did close my business,” Brunnett reflected. “I was constantly busy, but it was just never enough. And energy went up and the cost of items to purchase just went up. And it’s just really, really unfortunate. And then I got slapped with taxes, and there’s no tax relief for small business… it was a heartbreaking decision to have to make because I literally put everything into it. This was my fourth child… the American dream is to be self-sufficient and to own a business and to give back to your community, and to have something that you can be proud of and that you can pass on to your family. And I feel that the government has just really done everything that they could to stomp out the American dream.”
For Kirksey, the CEO and veteran wants government spending and Ukraine aid redirected and invested back into the U.S.
“I’d prefer to see money like that being spent here in the U.S., strengthening our ourselves, I think boosting our economy, fighting inflation, securing our border, helping homeless people,” Kirksey said. “I’d rather see that money go into making ourselves the best country ever.”
Brunnett claimed she has a lack of confidence in every elected official in Washington, while Balic and Kirksey put the onus on President Biden.
“[Biden’s] track record shows he puts America last with financial, domestic security and other issues. Shutting down Keystone and canceling our oil leases shows he wants the U.S. to be dependent upon foreign oil. Not keeping the southern border as secure as the northern border shows he wants the illegal influx into our nation which is burdening our government as these individuals are not paying back into the local and federal tax systems,” Balic said. “The money being given to Ukraine with no push toward peace and diplomacy while threatening to veto pay raises for our military shows a dangerous double standard.”
“In the past, our leaders have been people who can walk on stage and not fall over. And it just seems like he won’t even debate the next Democratic candidate, RFK Jr., who wants to debate him,” Kirksey said. “I know there’s been a long thing of the sitting president doesn’t debate. But I think when you can’t even finish a speech up, or shake someone’s hand or salute the right direction, how can anyone have confidence in someone like that?”
Though the business owners may not have the opportunity to pose questions to the Republican candidates, Wednesday night, FOX News Digital gave them the floor – asking each what they’d like to hear the GOP contenders expand on at the debate.
Brunnett said she would ask which government agency they would defund first as president.
Balic said she would ask what they would do to prevent future lockdowns, mandates or suppression of speech that started in 2020 due to COVID.
Kirksey said he would ask for their detailed plan to “empower” our economy.
And if the 2024 general election were held today, the three business owners all provided different answers as to who they’d cast their presidential vote for.
“I would vote for President Trump. During his presidency we had a strong economy, there was more freedom of speech and there was more world peace in general,” Balic said. “While he may lack tact in talking with people, he is a business person and ultimately he does know the art of the deal.”
“I’d vote for Vivek Ramaswamy because he just seems to be very knowledgeable. He’s also a business owner like I am, so he understands the pains of a business, what potential roadblocks are in growing a business,” Kirksey explained. “But not just that, he’s willing to speak the truth without any remorse, and he’s also willing to accept other beliefs. And he says, sometimes I’ve been wrong, sometimes I’ve said things and then learned something else and changed my mind. Whereas I feel like politicians today, they’re not willing to accept that they were ever wrong.”
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“I would really consider myself more of a centrist libertarian, and I think that I would vote for the candidate that is the least of a politician. I’m not sure exactly who that’s going to be at this moment, but I would definitely vote for the party and for the person that is not a politician,” Brunnett noted. “I want a candidate that’s going to come out and they’re going to say: I feel this way about this particular issue. I’m not looking for somebody that’s perfect. I am not looking for somebody that is exactly my candidate on every single issue… I am going to vote for the person that is furthest from being a politician.”
The second Republican primary debate will broadcast live on FOX Business from the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, starting at 9 p.m. EST.