What goes around comes around.
Seems that a number of political appointees of the Bush Mafia are having trouble finding gainful employment.
"This is not a great time for anyone to be job hunting, including numerous former political appointees," said Carlos M. Gutierrez, Mr. Bush's commerce secretary. Previously chief executive of cereal maker Kellogg Co., he hopes to run a company again because "I have a lot of energy."
Only 25% to 30% of ex-Bush officials seeking full-time jobs have succeeded, estimated Eric Vautour, a Washington recruiter at Russell Reynolds Associates Inc. That "is much, much worse" than when Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton left the White House, he said. At least half those presidents' senior staffers landed employment within a month after the administration ended, Mr. Vautour recalled.
Isn't that just a crying shame?
I mean, after all the hard work these folks did running the economy into the ground, raping the environment, mismanaging a war and trampling on the Constitution, you'd think they'd be rewarded for their efforts.
Unfortunately, the prisons are all full and there are just so many jobs at right-wing think tanks to go around. So, many members of the Bush gang might have to accept real jobs where actual work is required -- assuming they can find one. The horror!
Senior Bush aides keen to work again "have to look broader than Washington," said Nels B. Olson, a recruiter for Korn/Ferry International. Mr. Vautour agrees. A number of former officials are now saying, " 'I'll look anywhere' " because they realize the Washington job market "is very tough," he said.
Washington think tanks, charities and trade associations long provided fertile ground for ex-political appointees. But many lack interest in hiring high-profile Republicans when Democrats control the White House and Congress. Mr. Bush's low approval ratings at the end of his term don't help, said Leonard Pfeiffer IV, a Washington recruiter for nonprofits.
Former Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne has told acquaintances he would like to run an industry trade group but hasn't landed a position. Mr. Kempthorne, a former Idaho mayor, governor and U.S. senator, said he is discussing employment "with two major and well-respected organizations."
This needs to be addressed by the Obama Administration. We can't have former Bush appointees wandering the streets asking for handouts or standing on street corners with a tin cup and a sign that reads "Will ruin country for food."
We need Congress to pass the Full Employment for Bushies Act of 2009 and help these desperate Republicans pull themselves up by their bootstraps.
Let's provide some real jobs for these folks. For instance -- with all the new highway projects being funded in the stimulus package there is going to be demand for crews to help spread asphalt this summer.
Corporate America could help out too. Wal-Mart seems to be the only major retailer doing well these days. The company could hire these people to be greeters. And somebody has to cook the fries at McDonald's.
The worst thing would be to let these people waste away at home, sitting on the couch eating potato chips and watching HBO while drawing welfare and food stamps.