Surveying the wrecked economy, I'm wondering who else might need a bailout? Everyone talks about AIG, the banks and the auto manufacturers, but these are only the high profile casualties of recent events.
So let's have some compassion here for those crushed by recent events that might need a helping hand to resurface.
Maybe we can start with a little known but now completely devastated industry:
WASHINGTON — Until recently, there were few better ways to start a lobbying career than by leaving the office of Senator Ted Stevens of Alaska.
With 40 years of seniority on important Senate committees, Mr. Stevens, a Republican, wielded unrivaled power over industries like fishing, forestry, communications, aviation and the military, steering billions each year to pet Alaskan projects like Eskimo whaling, missile defense and even salmon-based dog treats called Yummy Chummies.
His power made his good will a valuable commodity on K Street, where many lobbying firms are located. During the past five years, just nine lobbyists and firms known primarily for their ties to Mr. Stevens reported over $60 million in lobbyist fees, not including other income for less direct "consulting." The most recent person to leave his staff to become a lobbyist reported fees of more than $800,000 in just the last 18 months.
So when Alaskan voters narrowly rejected Mr. Stevens’s bid for re-election last month, just days after a jury convicted him of federal ethics violations, it was in some ways like the closing of the plant in a company town.
"It is sort of a miasma of ‘Wow, no Ted Stevens tomorrow?’ " said Ronald G. Birch, his first chief of staff and the informal dean of what might be called the Stevens lobby.
http://www.theledger.com/...
So is retraining for these lobbyists even possible? It would involve quite a bit of re-orientation - maybe some of those outfits that purport to "cure" gays might be willing to work on these unfortunate ex-lobbyists?
Moving on then, how about a helping hand to Amy Siskind? Don't remember her? Well here's a choice quote to refresh your memory:
Amy Siskind, a 42-year-old mother of two from Westchester, stood in a Washington, D.C., park on the last day in May, telling a few hundred cheering people that she would not, under any circumstances, vote for Barack Obama. She was a lifelong Democrat, she said, a donor and a volunteer for the party.
http://www.tnr.com/...
Wells she's still soldiering on to regain relevance, with a helping hand today from CNN:
Why some women's groups are miffed at Obama
...
[Obama's Cabinet] might be diverse, but not everyone is happy. Some women's groups are disappointed. Among Obama's strongest backers during the election, they now say they don't have enough seats at the table.
That's because of Obama's 20 announced Cabinet-level posts, five went to women.
...
Amy Siskind, co-founder of the nonpartisan group New Agenda, accuses Obama of taking "shocking steps backward" and said "this constituency does not matter to the president-elect."
http://www.cnn.com/...
Some folks just backed the wrong horse, but that doesn't mean they aren't deserving of a helping hand. After all they are providing us some well-deserved schadenfreude in the midst of difficult times!
So who else should be on our schadenfreude holiday list?