Why do you think the federal government commits so much time and so many resources to supporting small businesses when they make less of a contribution to the overall economy than large corporations? Small business owners and employees, when they are successful, purchase most of the products and services of the larger corporations; if small businesses failed the larger corporations would likely follow. There are more small business owners than corporate executives and elected officials need all the votes they can get. Small business owners have more effective lobbying techniques than the larger corporations. Nearly all U. S. senators and representatives began their careers in small businesses.