. >> reporter: terry orcholski, president and c.e.o. of orbital tool technologies, goes a step further. his company makes components and provides service to power generators. he thinks the government needs to either stop piling emission regulations onto utilities or allow them to raise rates. >> it's hundreds and hundreds of thousands of jobs that make the utilities work. now if you want to shut these power plants down, what are you doing, ultimately? you're shutting down hundreds of thousands of jobs. >> we have boston baked beans. >> reporter: tom snyder, owner of the sweetery company, has an entirely different take. he thinks if washington really wants to create jobs, it should prod banks into lending more to small businesses. >> they just don't want to lend money out anymore unless they have a guarantee that they're going to get it back. >> reporter: many of the businesses along belvidere's state street are confident the u.s. economy will improve in time if only washington would get out of the way. diane eastabrook, "nightly busines