Entrepreneurs: Saving America From the Blame Game

There's plenty to be upset about right now when it comes to the economy. So many people are losing money in this rollercoaster market that it makes me wonder why exactly it's legal to invest money based on the speculative performance of a business entity, yet it's illegal to bet on sports. At least gamblers know they're dealing with people who can't be trusted. But I digress.

Things are tough--tough to the point that most people don't need it explained to them by experts anymore. But that hasn't stopped the media from looking for other ways to feed the 24-hour-news-cycle beast. MSNBC has a special interactive website dedicated to figuring out whom you can point the finger at. Anderson Cooper, cable news' prettiest pseudo-journalist, has a new special called "Ten Most Wanted: Culprits of the Collapse," complete with shootout-at-the-OK-Corral graphics. And I'm sure somoene at Fox News is feverishly working on a way to blame Bill Clinton.

Thank God for the little guy. Around here, even as things were just starting to go south, we've been talking to entrepreneurs who are looking for solutions, not scapegoats. Is everything puppy dogs and ice cream? Of course not. But small-business owners know what it's like to be out on a limb, because that's where their whole lives happen. And they also know the benefits of being nimble, adaptable and realistic.

So what now? By the time some talking head claims to have the answer, someone has changed the questions. All the more reason to look to entrepreneurs for inspiration. Their brand of passion, innovation and optimism is what built this country's economy, so there's no reason it can't be used to rebuild it.

Assigning blame is a necessary evil in terms of analyzing problems to come up with the right solutions. But on its own, it's just another casualty of our struggling economy. As an entrepreneur or aspiring entrepreneur, take heart in the fact that you're part of the solution.