Here's another thing re: health insurance, which might be a benefit--or not--depending on what types of employees your father hires as a small businessman, and how he currently treats them.

If everyone has the same universal healthcare, then healthcare is not a consideration for smart candidates when they consider a job offer.

I've worked for small businesses all my life, and aside from a few that are owned by people unusually compassionate towards their workers, the average health insurance packages available from them have been not as good as the larger corporations, because a small business does not have the same negotiating power (or employee pool, or profits) to offer the same plans that the big guys have.

So there will be a segment of smart workers who really don't like their job, but stay because they have a duty to their family or another dependent that requires the health plan they currently have.

If healthcare is universal, those smart workers are free to walk and find new jobs.

Now, the effect this will have on your father very much depends on his business and a host of other things. But options will open up, and the smarter workers will probably see it as an opportunity to jump ship to a new employer, or a smaller employer they wouldn't have dared try before.

This is great for small businesses that will attract these sorts of workers. On the other hand, small businesses that have people holding on ONLY for the healthcare may see an increase of employees quitting for greener pastures once they know their healthcare plan won't be at stake.

As an employee, deciding to work for a small business has always been a calculated risk for me. Some are basically mini "cult of personalities" and the small businessowner is crazier than a sack of cats. But others are awesome and don't have the same downsides of reams of red tape that large corporations have.

Universal healthcare will allow a segment of workers who wouldn't take a chance on a small business to feel comfortable enough to take that chance.