Jon Stewart: Lower entrepreneurial risk
OK, so, I am ardently socially liberal, and I've had a man-crush on Jon Stewart that hasn't waned ever since his appearance on Crossfire.<p><i>But.</i><p>I don't think that decreasing risk will result in more entrepreneurship.<p>I would support a wider social safety net for entrepreneurs -- er, business owners -- on principle alone, because I think what we <i>should</i> be saying is that these people are vitally important to our economy and to our nation's future, just as much as larger enterprise is, and we should support that.<p>But the thing is, most people don't want to run their own business no matter how safe you make it. I've spent the last few years encouraging people around me to start or run or improve their businesses, but so many of them just want to be a professional in their field; they don't want to deal with all of the other aspects of running a business.<p>So don't lower entrepreneurial risk because you think it will open more businesses, because you think that the guy with a good paying job and some savings is worried about his health insurance. If he (or she!) wants to open or run a business, he (or she!) will do that regardless. It's one of the few probably universal aspects of entrepreneurship that the people who will do well at it aren't really happy working for other people anyway, they have this itch that they can't scratch unless they strike out on their own, risks or not.<p>But <i>do</i> lower entrepreneurial risk because you recognize the value of entrepreneurs and you want to make sure that small business owners with families can still get good health care and dental care and afford a modest living.