[pdeffebach]

I think small businesses owners often treat their workers badly and are overall a reactionary force in American politics.

But sympathy makes a bit of sense when you think about it economically. The businesses that do make it in have more market share and are selected to be those that are politically connected. The regulations serve to keep other businesses out, and we should try to help people that aren't as connected start businesses as well.

[bestcoder69]

> The regulations serve to keep other businesses out, and we should try to help people that aren't as connected start businesses as well.

If we're talking about pure regulatory capture, fine. But the only concrete examples I ever hear about ones like "small businesses can't afford to pay for health insurance" w/r/t the ACA.

To put my cards on the table, though, I'm not pro-regulation for regulation's sake. I'm more of a "skip the middlemen and just do it through the State, and no one needs to 'regulate' anyone - I can just regulate them myself w/ my vote (and my dollar, if it's a state-owned-enterprise)" guy. But if my quality of life is 100% controlled by disconnected, self-interested private owners who don't care what I have to say, I need the government to come in and at least give me a freedom or two to leverage against them...please.