As hard proof of the media tremors AED is unleashing through the Start Us Up USA! campaign, today's edition of "The Wall Street Journal" features a report on the crippling impact numerous Washington initiatives are having on small businesses around the country.

The following excerpt from Political Uncertainty Puts Freeze on Small Business" is of great interest and importance on the eve of Start Us Up USA's third AED-AEM grassroots rally, which takes place tomorrow on Capitol Hill.

Paul Campbell, executive vice president of Wheeler Machinery Co., a Caterpillar dealer in Salt Lake City, said Utah's contract work has ground to a standstill as well. "There's a trickledown when you mess with infrastructure," he said. "It has a freezing effect on everything." At his firm, this has meant 221 layoffs. He is considering more among the 629 employees left.

"There's very little private money going into any kind of construction," Mr. Campbell said. "You take the federal contracts out of that and it gets a whole lot worse really quick."

Today is Day 2 of AED's Equipment Industry Action Week, and spurred by this morning's e-mail notice, AED members have send approximately 350 letters to President Obama & Vice President Biden, and Secretary of Transportation Ray La Hood. Tomorrow our focus is on Congress. Look for an email in your Inbox first thing in the morning.