That's a statistic that could be true, if eBay actually employed the entrepreneurs who sell stuff reguarly on its website.

James Glassman, who publishes the popular free market website, Tech Central Station, mentioned in a recent commentary, that the Internet has made it easier for people to become entrepreneurs. He made an interesting point...

A remarkable new survey by A.C. Nielsen International Research finds that about 724,000 Americans use eBay, the online auctioneer and general marketplace, for their primary or secondary income. That figure is up from about 430,000 Americans in a similar 2004 survey. In other words, about 300,000 people have started businesses on eBay in the past year. So eBay can properly be viewed as America's No. 1 generator of, not just businesses, but jobs.

As David Faber of CNBC said recently, "If eBay employed the ... people who earn an income selling on its site, it would be the nation's No. 2 private employer, behind Wal-Mart."

The thing is that many of us don't think of eBay as being a job creator, let alone an "entrepreneur creator".

But it doesn't have to be limited to selling stuff online. Website publishing, such as what I do here at Clear Digital Media, Inc., is very much the same way.

The large number of affiliate marketing programs offered through Commission Junction, LinkShare and other, along with advertising networks like Google AdSense, and BlogAds, all make it possible for people to become business owners themselves.

Well, as the true blue capitalist pig American that I am, we need laws and regulations that empower people to become entrepreneurs. The United States does not have a future in manufacturing, that future belongs to China. But we do have a future as business owners. Thank God for companies like eBay that allow people to find new careers after losing their old jobs overseas. Thank God for programs like AdSense, for publishing platforms like Blogger, and affiliate marketing networks like Commission Junction.