Entrepreneurial spirit suffering

USA TODAY ^ | 9/18/02 | Jim Hopkins

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

For the first time in more than 50 years, entrepreneurs are failing to lead the United States out of recession, government data suggest.

The impact is broad. Experts say flagging entrepreneurship might partly explain the wobbly rebound: Fewer start-ups mean fewer new jobs and innovations.

[ikka]

Cut taxes. Cut regulations and red tape. Problem solved.

[Texas_Jarhead]

looks like the watermelons anti-business agenda is starting to yield fruit

[Galtoid]

Create a climate in which someone WANTS to start a business!
Get off the backs of thousands of people who become discouraged once they learn all the federal, state, and local regulations they will have to face. Jumping through hoops to please bureaucrats first, is no incentive to start any sort of small business.

[Copernicus]

This is not particularly surprising.

In living memory, say as recently as the 1960's, all a man with a high school education needed to do to build a house was to buy a lot and purchase the necessary materials. He could work on it himself or hire out any part to any labor he chose.

Today there is a very real possibility any number of bureaucrats will find and ENFORCE any number of truly arcane and nonsensical rules in regard to the design, location,and materials of his house, critique his hiring practices and onsite construction techniques as well as question his paperwork and legal standing to engage in the practice of housebuilding.

Try something even more sophisticated and the problems multiply.

One of the titans of gun design (I'm not sure which) is said to have started his career at the age of about 15 in the mid 19th Century by purchasing the metal and machinery necessary to build his first rifle. No BATF oversight, no underage requirement, no Columbine syndrome. Just a skilled and visionary young man operating in an environment most people today would consider to be anarchy.

Somehow it all worked then and if we, the people, would just get some gumption it would work again.

To paraphrase Ronald Reagan at the Berlin Wall:

Mr. Bush, If you truly love the principles of Liberty and the Constitution, TEAR DOWN THIS BUREAUCRACY!

Best regards,

[pt17]

Mr. Bush, If you truly love the principles of Liberty and the Constitution, TEAR DOWN THIS BUREAUCRACY!

Uhh, I hate to tell you this but it isn't Mr. Bush that's the problem. It's the voters and non-voters who ultimately determine who gets elected to city, county state and federal elected offices. Perhaps you recall that our Constitution calls for a separation of powers across separate branches of government, which makes it, say, impossible for the President to tear down a bureaucracy all by himself. To your point, however, he could display greater leadership in this area. That he doesn't is, again, the fault of the voting populace.

[Moonman62]

For the first time in more than 50 years, entrepreneurs are failing to lead the United States out of recession, government data suggest.

Right, blame the people, just like Miriam Oliphant did for the most recent voting scandal in Broward county.

[Moonman62]

Mr. Bush, If you truly love the principles of Liberty and the Constitution, TEAR DOWN THIS BUREAUCRACY!

Great line.

[Moonman62]

Uhh, I hate to tell you this but it isn't Mr. Bush that's the problem. It's the voters and non-voters who ultimately determine who gets elected to city, county state and federal elected offices.

Bush lied his ass off during the campaign, portraying himself as a Reagan-style supply sider. His policies and attitude have a tremendous effect on federal bureaucracy, and the state of our economy.

[caa26]

I would love to start my own business. But I think of the all the taxes and regulations, and all the hours I would spend working, it doesn't seem worth it. Something like software consulting might be feasible.

Today you are penalized for being an entrepreneur, its not encouraged by the government.

[pt17]

Bush lied his ass off during the campaign, portraying himself as a Reagan-style supply sider. His policies and attitude have a tremendous effect on federal bureaucracy, and the state of our economy.

OK, whatever, but the ultimate responsibility for this monstrous bureaucracy lies with the voters. Busting the bureaucracy will require voting the right people into office at all levels of government, including the city and state level. The anti-business, anti-innovation, anti-entrepreneurial mentality starts at the grass-roots level. If you don't work on the roots, the weeds will continue to grow.

[Copernicus]

It's the voters and non-voters who ultimately determine who gets elected to city, county state and federal elected offices.

You are correct. Citizens who abdicate their Sovereignty can expect their liberty to evaporate.

That is one reason I said "if we, the people, would get some gumption it would work again"

That said, there are any number of steps President Bush could take from the Bully Pulpit of the Presidency to influence the tone and tenor of the times in both symbolic and substantial ways.

He could summarily stop the insanity of airport searches with nothing more than a memo.

He could fire Norman Mineta.

He could direct his administration to arm airline pilots immediately

He could be photographed at target practice with a Homefront Defense rifle. Preferably an M-14 or maybe even a .50 caliber Barrett.

He could take the press corps to a target range.

He could repeal any number of executive orders from the past century.

He could impound funds for various useless departments.

He could introduce legislation to eliminate, abolish, and close various departments and agencies.

He could veto bills submitted to him by Congress.

In short he could take a tip from former Senator Barry Goldwater:

"I have little interest in streamlining government or in making it more efficient, for I mean to reduce its size.

I do not undertake to promote welfare, for I propose to extend freedom. My aim is not to pass laws, but to repeal them.

It is not to inaugurate new programs, but to cancel old ones that do violence to the Constitution, or that have failed in their purpose, or that impose on the people an unwarranted financial burden.

I will not attempt to discover whether legislation is 'needed' before I have first determined whether it is constitutionally permissible.

And if I should later be attacked for neglecting my constituents' interests, I shall reply that I was informed their main interest is liberty and that in that cause I am doing the very best I can."

- Former Sen. Barry Goldwater (R-Ariz.), "The Conscience of a Conservative"

Best regards,