I love my country and I’m in awe of anyone who’s tasked with leading it. I’m no political junkie by any stretch but, from time to time, I keep tabs on what the President is saying and the initiatives he’s pushing. Given that my world centers around entrepreneurship and working with startups I’ve been watching the emergence of a new Presidential initiative called Startup America.

From the website and the embedded video above it appears start up America is an initiative to help kids in garages with ideas to build a bridge across a valley of death so they can run large factories with small windows. But, that’s just at the high level. The details are a bit more intruiging.

Apparently this valley of death over which said bridge will be built consists of broken lightbulbs, which appear to be very dangerous. What causes said lightbulbs to plunge into the valley of death? Apparently the answer is access to capital and “other things”. Everyone still following this?

OK, so we’re going to build a bridge over the broken lightbulbs, and we’re going to do it with 4 things. 

1. Access to $2B in matching funds for new investments. Because the SBIC’s venture program was such a smashing success?
2. “Comprehensive” review of legislation. Really. We need to read the legislation and give its a “special look”.
3. Mentorship. Because everyone knows the place to go look for a mentor is at the local Small Business Administration office.
4. Tax relief and incentives. Addition by subtraction, yes please.

Maybe I’m just bitter because I didn’t get invited to the dinner at John’s house last week. But i can’t help but think that there has always been more opportunity in the government’s loopholes than in their legislation. When their paper programs meet a startup’s reality they become as laughable as the video above.

Look, I hope the program works. Heaven knows we have fertile soil here to sow the next generation of start up successes. But real entrepreneurs don’t ask permission from anyone to startup America, not even the President.