Welfare Makes America More Entrepreneurial

[MachineGhost]

Can we please have a Citizen's Dividend now?  Is there even anything left in the conservative's toolchest that holds up in the harsh, bright light of reality?

[quote=http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc ... al/388598/]In 1988, Ronald Reagan traveled to the Soviet Union and gave a speech at Moscow State University, making the case for capitalism. America’s secret, he argued, was its entrepreneurs, whose “courage to take risks”? was responsible “for almost all the economic growth in the United States”? and much of its technological edge. This risk-taking was made possible, he continued, by economic freedom, which he associated with “limited, unintrusive”? government.

Reagan was right about the link between startups and growth, but wrong in assuming that small government was the way to encourage them.

His belief in a tradeoff between taking care of citizens and promoting innovative new businesses is at odds with the evidence. In fact, one way to get more people to start companies, according to a growing body of research, is to expand the welfare state.[/quote]

[Dieter]

Wasn't there also a study showing more social mobility in Europe than the US?

Evidence based policy?

Seems to make intuitive sense -- cost of failure lower / easier to start over. Get it right the third time....

[ochotona]

Now that I have a reasonable quality (but expensive) post-Obamacare private marketplace insurance, I'm thinking of starting my own business after being let go from a Fortune 500 in the oilfield sector last week. If I couldn't have gotten it, I'd have had to try to bury my talents (again) in the hallways of some mindless corporation just to trade my hours for health insurance. 

Better social arrangements can make people feel less terrified, and to there take risks in other areas of their lives, like entrepreneurship. God, we don't want to be like Dickens' England, do we?

[Mountaineer]

Now that I have a reasonable quality (but expensive) post-Obamacare private marketplace insurance, I'm thinking of starting my own business after being let go from a Fortune 500 in the oilfield sector last week. If I couldn't have gotten it, I'd have had to try to bury my talents (again) in the hallways of some mindless corporation just to trade my hours for health insurance. 

Better social arrangements can make people feel less terrified, and to there take risks in other areas of their lives, like entrepreneurship. God, we don't want to be like Dickens' England, do we?

I am sorry you lost your job.    I hope you find something even better than what you left.  Best wishes.

... Mountaineer

[ochotona]

Now that I have a reasonable quality (but expensive) post-Obamacare private marketplace insurance, I'm thinking of starting my own business after being let go from a Fortune 500 in the oilfield sector last week. If I couldn't have gotten it, I'd have had to try to bury my talents (again) in the hallways of some mindless corporation just to trade my hours for health insurance. 

Better social arrangements can make people feel less terrified, and to there take risks in other areas of their lives, like entrepreneurship. God, we don't want to be like Dickens' England, do we?

I am sorry you lost your job.    I hope you find something even better than what you left.  Best wishes.

... Mountaineer

I will be working in my profession in 30 days as an independent contractor. For less pay, more freedom, and I buy my own benefits package. That's why future Congresses just can't fu** it up for people who have to go to the private health insurance marketplace. I'd have to try to jump into a corporation again, which isn't really possible now.

[MachineGhost]

God, we don't want to be like Dickens' England, do we?

That's funny coming from a self-avowed Republican.  You must be a RINO. 

[Libertarian666]

Yes, just think of all the inventions and startups for which we can thank welfare recipients!

[ochotona]

Yes, just think of all the inventions and startups for which we can thank welfare recipients!

If George H.W. Bush and Gerald Ford are RINOs, then yes, I am a RINO. Ronald Reagan would be pilloried today by the Tea Party for some of the actions he took as President. He would never have gotten re-nominated, if his body double were to run today. Too liberal.