That I think was the conventional thinking but it's gotten to a tipping point with massive new proposals for complexity / government spending/programs.  I think a large part of the popularity of the tea party/'throw the bums out' movement and perceptions of corruption in Washington is the result of push back.  Irrespective of political leanings, the loss of the seat Ted Kennedy for decades in Massachusetts to a Republican has to be a shocker (even to the republican leadership that didn't spend much time or energy backing their candidate until the last few days).  Simplification means less corruption and fewer costs not only for small business but for everyone.<p>A useful reference point is to consider the positive relationship between economic growth and reduced regulation and you can see that through the World Bank's Doing Business guide comparing various states (<a href="http://www.doingbusiness.org" rel="nofollow">http://www.doingbusiness.org</a>)