How Bipartisan Support for Entrepreneurship Can Unite Divided Voters

With the outcome of the U.S. presidential election now known, we confront the challenge of how our nation’s civic fabric – stretched so severely in this tumultuous election season – can regain its shape. Will opposing sides prioritize civility, despite our clear differences? Or will the rancor of the electoral process prevail? Will the U.S. descend into an endless campaign season – a never-ending electoral loop – or will we seek opportunities for policy changes that can benefit everyone?

Fortunately, there’s one issue that offers unique potential for such action: entrepreneurship, our ability to start and grow new businesses. Unlike any other political issue today, entrepreneurship has almost universal support across the political spectrum and has a direct bearing on bread-and-butter concerns.

Fostering Unity and Change

That breadth of support is evident from a recent survey conducted by a bipartisan team of pollsters for Right to Start, the national nonprofit organization I founded that advances entrepreneurship as a civic priority. The survey reveals that American voters almost unanimously agree that “it is important to America’s future that citizens have a fair opportunity to start and grow their own business”: 94 percent agree, 2 percent disagree, and 4 percent are not sure.

At a time of pronounced political division in our nation, that remarkable consensus stands out. What other topic provokes that kind of agreement in a polarized America today?

At the same time, 92 percent of voters think it is difficult to start and grow a new business today: 45 percent think it is very difficult, while 47 percent think it is somewhat difficult. The fact that nearly half of voters think it is “very difficult” is especially notable. That assessment of difficulty also crosses partisan lines: 94 percent of Republicans think it is difficult to start and grow a new business, as do 93 percent of independents and 92 percent of Democrats.

Beyond the Ballot Box

Further, 47 percent of voters think that the federal government is doing more to get in the way of people who want to start new businesses than to help them. In addition, 43 percent of voters have thought about starting a new business, but only half of them (21 percent) have tried. That aspiration is reaches across different groups: 54 percent of Black voters have thought about starting a business, as have 50 percent of Hispanic voters, and 40 percent of White voters.

Ironically, because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the U.S. has seen a surge in startups –due to the disruptions in our lives, not because starting a business became any easier. Likely, that means public frustration will only grow as more Americans start businesses and encounter needless obstacles. That creates a window for driving broader change.

Government at all levels – ideally with the federal government leading by example – should take stronger actions to support entrepreneurship and, in doing so, bring the nation together. The voters want that kind of change. Every elected official should get on board. Those who don’t will be sending a clear and unmistakable message to their constituents: They are not listening.

What exactly should government officials do to advance entrepreneurship in every community?

Rebuilding the Civic Fabric

First, remove unnecessary obstacles at all levels of government. Examine the role of government and ask whether regulatory requirements can be simplified and clarified. Several states are leading the way by establishing an office of entrepreneurship: in Nevada and Missouri through enactment of legislation known as the Right to Start Act; in New Mexico, Michigan, and other states through executive action to designate a lead official.

Second, listen to entrepreneurs. They are the heroes creating the jobs in our economy, as new and young businesses create virtually all net job growth in America. Seek them out and listen to them. They reside in every community.

Third, consider the broader needs of entrepreneurs. I recently drove from California to Washington, D.C., meeting with entrepreneurs and their supporters. The frustration that I heard on that road trip was not just with government and its complex processes, but with “the system” as a whole. Many entrepreneurs cited wide-ranging issues that hinder their efforts, like the high cost or unavailability of childcare, the difficulty of accessing capital, and the lack of recognition for the challenges small business owners face.

The Quest for Civility

One clear lesson from the presidential election is that bread-and-butter issues are key. Part of that concern, of course, is keeping inflation down. But just as important is the need to create greater economic opportunity for everyone.

That’s what entrepreneurship does. That’s what the American people, across the political spectrum, want. Elected officials, regardless of party, should deliver it – or they risk appearing tone-deaf.

Not only does entrepreneurship have virtually universal support from American voters, but it also benefits everyone. Research shows that in the U.S., for every 1 percent increase in the entrepreneurship rate in a state, the poverty rate decreases by 2 percent.

The future of our nation depends on bipartisan policies that fuel our shared prosperity, even in the midst of political division. Entrepreneurship provides that opportunity. It’s time for all elected officials to listen to the American people and get on board.