What if we could patent business models?

But, it's not. It's recent. It's in the Lean Startup group.

You already can patent business models, if they're defined specifically enough: that's a business model patent, like Amazon One-Click.

You can probably also patent business models if they're not defined specifically enough, because the USPTO will let all sorts of things through these days, and then you can saber-rattle all sorts of things out of it.

Are you really a viable startup founder when you don't understand the basics of the current practices in IP law? Given that failed startups often have their IP as their only viable asset?