Any Lessons from the Washington Deal for the CA Budget?
Preventing a
shutdown of the federal government, Republicans and Democrats in Congress and
the White House managed to reach agreement on the budget against seemingly
insurmountable odds. Are there any clues in the budget deal that could lead to
California’s politicians reaching agreement on a stalled budget plan?
The
particulars of a budget deal in Washington and Sacramento are different, of
course. California’s budget debate centers on taxes and the governor’s promise
to allow the people to vote on those taxes. Just as important is the question
of major budgetary reforms and the willingness of special interests, lead by
the public employee unions, to give the green light to friendly Democrats to allow
votes on those reforms.
The unions
have said no to putting reforms on the ballot. Republican legislators have felt
pressure from certain sections of their party not to even put tax measures
before the people.
Inland California Here We Come!
To the people of the San Joaquin Valley and the Sacramento
Valley and the Imperial Valley and the Inland Empire And All Those Other Places
Not On the Coast That I Never Bothered to Learn the Names Of:
Get ready
for an invasion.
An invasion from the coast.
Because
those of us in the counties are really, really worried about you.
And so we are on our way to visit
you and seek your help.
Big Picture’s Small Problem
If you operate a medium or smaller business, you might be feeling left behind.
Your business may be muddling along while the economy is racing ahead. At least, there’s all that news about how businesses are doing so much better. You’d think we are all on some Alpine climb, what with the constant references to how the economy is pulling itself up and getting its footing.
Just look at the stock markets. They’re rising. Even if you’re feeling down. Nasdaq has jumped 15 percent from a year ago.
And large companies? Well, the Business Roundtable just last week said its members – big-company CEOs – never felt better. In fact, business is so good that 52 percent of them expect to increase hiring soon. Good for them.
But you? Maybe not so much.
The Best Cities For Minority Entrepreneurs
Cross-posted at NewGeography.
As the American economy struggles to recover, its greatest advantage lies with its diverse population. The U.S.’ major European competitors — Germany, Scandinavia, France, Italy, the Netherlands and Italy — have admittedly failed at integrating racial outsiders. Its primary Asian rivals, with the exception of Singapore, are almost genetically resistant to permanent migration from those outside the dominant ethnic strain.
In contrast, America’s destiny is tied to minorities, who already constitute a third of the nation’s population and who will account for roughly half of the population by 2050. Younger and more heavily represented in the labor force, minorities are poised to become the primary source of entrepreneurial growth.
The clear advantage with minorities, particularly immigrant minorities, lies in their own self-selection. Risk-takers by the very act of emigration, they are more likely to start small firms than other Americans. In fact, a recent Kauffman Foundation study found that immigrants were unique in boosting their entrepreneurial activities since the onset of the recession. Overall the share of immigrants among new entrepreneurs has expanded from 13.4% in 1996 to nearly 30% this year.