[babygene]

“Not everyone has the skill set, knowledge or ability to start their own business.”

I don’t agree... Walk down main street and into the first 50 businesses and you will find probably probably none that are run by somebody with an MBA, or in my case an engineering degree. Just ordinary folks... 12 will be run by a fifty year old woman who speaks broken English.

[central_va]

The us government provides capital to refugees, Citizens, not so much.

[Red in Blue PA]

12 will be run by a fifty year old woman who speaks broken English.

And what do you want to bet they are "special" government grants backing her in her endeavor?

[Jim from C-Town]

Yes. You will also find that they are often illegal and don't give a crap about following rules and regulations as once they get their money they don't pay taxes, insurance, proper wages and often are just as happy to move and set up somewhere else as soon as the heat comes down. Or are or ‘refugee’ status being paid thousands in benefits a month while they ‘acclimate’ themselves tot he US economy and reality.

The point is that H1B1 regulations, EPA, IRS, OSHA, and the entire alphabet soup of local, state & Federal regulations, rules, procedures, taxes and enforcement have made opening up a business of any sort too costly of an enterprise. The time and investment in opening up a corner news stand is staggering. Try opening up a candy store or ice cream parlor without a wad of cash and a corporate lawyer.

At one point you might have simply failed and lost your investment and time. Today you not only could lose that, you could also lose your home, often less valuable than the investment you have in it, any savings and your very freedom by running afoul of a nonsense unknown law that a bureaucrat nitwit chooses to use in order to put the ‘screws to the man’. You, the private citizen being the man.

No as silly as you may find it it is a much more intelligent decision to do whatever work you can under the table and, rely on your spouses income and take the government largess they are willing to shoot you. It may be demoralizing, but after losing your livelihood, your sense of self and not being able to even get an interview it is often the best of a series of bad choices.