It’s the shrinking workforce stupid

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Tuesday July 24, 2012 · 4:30 AM PDT

2012/07/24 · 04:30

Now President Obama has done it twice. The first time was his "the private sector is doing fine" comment, and now his "“If you’ve got a business, you didn’t build that" statement. Never mind that both these comments were taken out of context - or even that it clearly wasn't what the President meant. None of that matters - for the tens of millions of small business and self employed in America, who try to defend him, this was worse than being kicked in the gut- it was like being stabbed in the heart.

robmarkg

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Tuesday June 05, 2012 · 3:35 AM PDT

2012/06/05 · 03:35

Do progressives have a business agenda? What do we really believe about business? What policy, or policies should we support that help American business and address the abysmal situation of job creation in this country? Since this is obviously shaping up to be a Presidential election where business issues are front and center, it is critical that we have a clear understanding and positive message about business issues. This report summarizes basic conservative business principals and suggests a number of progressive business principles for discussion. The shocking number of unemployed Americans in the recent job reports, as many as 100 million by some estimates, has turned this into an emergency situation, and made it critical that we not concede the business and job creation debate to conservatives.

robmarkg

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Tuesday October 04, 2011 · 12:43 PM PDT

2011/10/04 · 12:43

The Obama Administration "Startup America" initiative, a $2 billion public-private partnership, is apparently not accepting small startup companies and entrepreneurs. The private sector component of this program, a group called the "Startup America Partners", whose Chairman is Steve Case, the founder of AOL, and whose CEO is Scott Case, the founder of Priceline is funded by the Kauffman Foundation. They have set up a "platform" whose primary purpose seems to be that of a discount platform where Corporations can sell their goods and services to startup companies. Scott Case was quoted in the Wall Street Journal as saying they intend to screen out any company without two employees or founders and that: "Sole proprietorships, freelancers, independent consultants and aspiring entrepreneurs" are not likely to be accepted. The public sector side of this initiative is even less transparent, and it is unclear, to this writer at least, who is getting access to the allotted $2 billion, and how it is being spent.

robmarkg

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Wednesday August 31, 2011 · 11:03 AM PDT

2011/08/31 · 11:03

The Kauffman Foundation released a study last month that concluded that new companies are “starting smaller and staying smaller” and this study was then used to form the basis of the proposed “Startup Act” – a set of policy proposals that they say will help American startups and job creation. It will do nothing of the sort, and apparently was produced mostly to benefit major corporations. Unfortunately many of our politicians seem to believe the so called "Startup Act" will somehow help startup companies and entrepreneurs and the proposal got a huge amount of positive and mostly uncritical press in major business publications. Something clearly needs to be done to help the 40 million self employed Americans, and those starting companies because traditional jobs have all but disappeared, but this is not it.

robmarkg

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Sunday July 17, 2011 · 4:11 PM PDT

2011/07/17 · 16:11

The Startup America program is being organized to help a relatively small number of companies they believe have the potential for "hypergrowth". The program had great promise, but as currently organized is elitist, seems to be taking on elements of cronyism, has several built in conflicts of interest and may have been captured by big business. In many ways, it is reminisent of the bank bailout and stimulous programs - both of which helped the well off, but did nothing for small business.

This approach of the Startup America Partners could be a political disaster, and might even cost Obama the Presidency in a close election. Specifically, they are ignoring the huge number of "zero employee companies", a vast constituancy that could number as many as 40 million Americans, but has been virtually ignored by our political system. As currently structured, it will do nothing to help these companies realize their potential, and there is no sense that they even understand or want to help them.

There is a better way, but first we have to acknowlege the serious problems with this program, and begin to explore alternatives that could be far more effective. Small business and startup companies are the one best hope for America, and they deserve better than this.

RSS

It’s the shrinking workforce stupid

Towards a Progressive Business Agenda

Startup America: "Aspiring Entrepreneurs" need not apply

Kauffman Foundation and the Startup Act: A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing?

Startup America: The Greatest Good for the Smallest Number