I've tried everything I can think of and I don't see anyway to create transparent images.  Everything I try leaves a white background.

What format image are you trying to create? SVG files by nature, have transparency.

I tried both svg and png  Neither are transparent

even tried export select only.

Please attach sample files using the paperclip icon by the lower-left corner of the reply area.

the 2 "logo-" files were created saved from inkscape.  The 'bearsampp" was the source.

What I'm trying to do is create an image ( hopefully just one ) that will look as sharp @ 32px as it does @ 500px.  That might be asking too much so if we went from 16px-128px that would fit too.
I appreciate all your help

OK, here's the deal... the svg file has only a bitmap image inside, no vector objects.

I'd recreate the blue features, using shape and path objects, then remove the bitmap from the file, so only vector objects are contained.

Explore the tutorials in Inkscape's Help menu, to get a quick idea of using the tools. 

OIC.. Because I started with a rasterized image, that image is still rasterized.

k, ty.