Entrepreneur Magazine’s Diana Romer talked Global Entrepreneurship and Development Index author Zoltan Acs and others to compile a list of most small-business friendly Presidents and also the and least friendly of U.S. Presidents. Ronald Reagan is ranked 4th best. From the write up on the 40th U.S. President:
Although he faced several foreign challenges, Ronald Reagan arguably took on the reins of commander-in-chief during a relatively quiet period in international relations. As such, he focused on the economy. The 40th President, who was a big believer in smaller government, also advocated trimming taxes and regulations.
“He essentially reverses the New Deal of the Roosevelt legacy, repositioning the U.S. on the course of economic prosperity,” says Acs.
Specifically, to aid small businesses, Reagan launched the Small Business Innovation Research program in 1982, which reserved 2.5% of federal research and development funds for small businesses. He also passed the Federal Technology Transfer Act of 1986, which required government-run laboratories to actively seek opportunities to transfer technology to businesses and universities. Then in 1988, he signed into law the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act, to gauge and potentially aid U.S. companies’ competitiveness with countries that have large trade surpluses with the U.S.
Any thoughts on their list? Who did Entrepreneur miss?
