Katie Couric's Notebook: Small Businesses

Small businesses are the backbone of the U.S. economy, employing half of the nation's private sector workforce. But many small business owners felt all they got from the stimulus package were table scraps...if they got invited to the table at all. In fact, of the 787 billion dollars, just 730 million was provided to the Small Business Administration.

President Obama had promised them tax credits for hiring new employees, and a break on capital gains taxes, as well.

But last night, he showed them money - a proposed 30 billion from money paid back to the government by bailed out banks...which will be loaned through smaller banks to the driving schools, design shops or pizza parlors that really need it.

Entrepreneurs say it is a step in the right direction.

If your business makes the pie, you might as well get a piece of it.

That's a page from my notebook.

I'm Katie Couric, CBS News.