Last year, President Obama revolutionized campaigning by utilizing online social networking sites as political tools to raise money and connect with constituents. In an ironic and scary twist of events, to help combat the Great Recession, President Obama is now turning to young Web entrepreneurs - some of whom have yet to make a dime on their businesses - for economic advice. 

Recently, twenty "young business leaders" were invited to a White House summit to discuss the economic crisis. While the guest list included a few of the Web elite, like Tony Hsieh, founder of Zappos, Jake Nickell of Threadless, and Chris Sacca, former Head of Special Initiatives at Google, it was the invitation of Evan Williams, the co-founder and CEO of micro-blogging site Twitter, that sits uneasily.

After accepting Obama's invitation, Williams appropriately "tweeted" to his two hundred thousand followers: "Going to the White House tomorrow for a meeting about the economy (which means they're *really* out of ideas). What should I tell them?"

Out of ideas is right. The financial direction of Twitter, much less the financial direction of the country, is uncertain, to say the least. With about six million users, Twitter has yet to determine a financially viable business model let or generate any revenue in the US.

Why then would the administration turn to Williams for economic advice during one of the worst economic crises in decades? Sure, Williams could provide Obama with sound advice in 130 characters or less on how to best "tweet" to his constituents, but Williams' economic credentials are few and far between.

Turning to a business owner that has yet to earn dollar one is not only scary, but it's also telling about the clear lack of business leadership pervading the administration. Can the White House afford to run the government like a venture-funded Silicon Valley startup, burning through cash in an attempt to just get people using their services? Can we as taxpayers allow unfettered spending without earning to persist indefinitely?

Now don't get me wrong, I am all for Obama embracing a variety of opinions - something that was disregarded in his predecessor's administration. But when we're shelling out hundreds of billions of dollars of borrowed money a week, and the country must find a way to start generating cash to pay back the exponentially growing multi-trillion dollar deficit; would it really be so bad to turn to business leaders who have actually made money from their ideas? After all, W was a failed businessman and look how well that turned out.

In an ironic tribute to its founder and to the insanity of it all, we invite you to share your thoughts with our resident gov doctor, Bureaupat, and others (for free) on Twitter at www.twitter.com/bureaupat.  

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