My View | Baptists and Bootleggers

A number of months ago, Florida Gulf Coast University's Regional Economics Research Institute published the findings of its local survey concerning barriers to business growth in Southwest Florida. Among small businesses, the major barriers to growth were identified as: finding qualified employees, financing, government regulation, increasing health and insurance costs and taxes.
Large businesses cited all of the same reasons, with the odd exception of taxes.
As I pondered the two lists, the voice of Professor Bruce Yandle called out to me (metaphorically, of course!). It is unlikely that many of you know Professor Yandle, so let me briefly introduce you. On top of being as gracious and as kind of a person as you could meet, Professor Yandle is also an insightful political economist. He retired as dean of the College of Business and Behavioral Science at Clemson University, but he started his career in business, so he brings a unique perspective that many pure academics are missing.