Especially for techies, there are some good programs available for people who want to try a startup. Specifically SBIR (small business innovative research) and STTR (Small business Technology TRansfer) are really well suited to get money to get your feet off the ground. And they don't want any equity in return, they just want to be a customer!
Washington has one purpose today - feed the beast. Entrepreneurship and small business isn't on anyone's radar that matters. I can assure you that Pelosi, Frank, Obama and Maxine Waters - none of whom have ever been in business - couldn't care less about an Entrepreneurs dreams or ambitions. They're blinded by their own.
There is a lot government can do to help, mainly by doing less:<p>1) Reverting bankruptcy laws to pre-2005<p>2) Health care availability for individuals (if I knew the perfect solution to US health care I'd be doing that as a startup, but some decoupling of employment and health care is key