President Obama is calling for more female and minority entrepreneurs, but one female says he needs to first look at his policies.
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Speaking August 4 at a White House showcase of more than 30 startup teams of women, minorities and young people, the president said there is an underrepresentation of women and minorities among the nation's startup businesses.
Charlotte Hays, director of cultural programs and senior editor at the Independent Women's Forum, says there is an underrepresentation of startups, period.
"We don't have as many startups as we used to,” she says. “I work for a women's organization, so of course we want there to be more startups by women and minorities as much as anybody.
"But, look, having a White House confab about this is not going to solve the problem. What we really need are policies that are different from the ones he proposes. We have so much regulation that it's difficult to have a startup. Student loans prevent people from engaging in a startup."
President Obama has announced efforts to help people with student financial aid. Still, think tanks and news outlets from Politico to Forbes to the The New York Times have articles expressing doubts as to whether it would work.