The declining confidence of small businesses

Although President Obama's unveiling of the American Jobs Act may have inspired the currently unemployed and small businesses alike, small business confidence has declined for the sixth straight month, according to a study by the National Federation of Independent Business.

According to the study, the Small Business Optimism Index is at its lowest rate since March of 2010.

Chief economist of NFIB Bill Dunkelberg remarked that the U.S. debt ceiling and last minute national economic legislation led to waning country-wide confidence over the past half year. Furthermore, he added that the short-term fixes by the U.S. government, which aimed to boost the economy and small businesses, in fact hurt Americans' poise.

"Private sector decision makers think longer term and they don’t like what they see. There is little clarity or certainty," he said in a statement. "When people are uncertain about the future or fear it, they don’t spend or invest, and they chase after protection -and protection is unlikely to come from the government."

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics, the United States has recovered quickly in the past during times of economic doubt. In 1982, the unemployment rate reached 10.8 percent and declined to 3.8 percent after approximately two years.