Diverting 23% of all federal contracting to small businesses, as required by law, would create jobs, hold the line on government spending and, incidentally, end a decade of fraudulent contract reporting. But despite the best efforts of aPetalumagadfly, it’s still not happening.

Lloyd Chapman

The question of whether or not this fraud is actually occurring is beyond dispute, says Lloyd Chapman, president of the American Small Business League. It's been documented repeatedly by the Small Business Administration's own Inspector General.

There is a straightforward proposal in Congress to correct the situation, The Fairness and Transparency in Contracting Act of 2011. But Chapman predicts that the bill, which he helped draft, will die a quiet death long before it ever reaches the House or Senate floor.

With a potent and timely issue to talk about, Chapman might seem like a good candidate for widespread media exposure. He thinks so too, but despite his best efforts, that hasn't happened. And the way in which it hasn't happened has aroused his suspicions.