DEREK THOMPSON ON BUILDING THE STARTUP STATE. “Here’s a new framework for competitiveness: What if the law were biased, not toward the oil and gas industry or the cotton farmers, but to the creative, the self-employed, and the entrepreneurs?” The problem is, declining industries usually have more political clout than rising ones. Even if Thompson’s approach were viable — with is unclear — it will be very unlikely to be enacted. Which is our economic/legislative problem in a nutshell.