A Message to the President:

Now that our election season is over, and our sitting president has been re-elected, I’d like to point out something that I’ve felt for years.

If a government was truly committed to reducing unemployment and poverty, it would invest heavily in entrepreneurism and self-employment.

Think of it. When someone is out of work, they have two options. They can go and find a job, or they can create one for themselves. Part of the reason why there is unemployment is that there are too few jobs in the pool in the first place. Why not encourage people to go out and create their own?

And from the worker’s perspective, it’s a benefit as well. The effort shifts from finding a job to finding clients or customers. They are immediately productive and active. Motivation is strong to succeed.

My experience has shown me that what holds a lot of people back is not always capital. There are a lot of ventures that can begin with little or no capital. But what’s worse is the paperwork and the fees and the taxes. Government often squelches small startups by overwhelming them with requirements. The poor entrepreneur, who often starts with just an idea or an interest, doesn’t always know what’s required of them in the long run. And as he/she learns what is requred, finds that those requirements can often be oppressive or even prohibitive.

So, Mr. President, if you really want to lift us out of recession, and if you’re truly committed to helping people help themselves, then make it easier for a person to start a home business.