Denver whine-athon

DNCC press release:

The Democratic National Convention Committee (DNCC) and the Obama for America campaign today announced that everyday Americans will speak each night of the Convention in primetime to share their voices as the people who have been powering Barack Obama’s campaign for change. . . .
The speakers selected to be part of the nightly program come from across the nation, but they are all brought together through their personal stories, which address real life challenges. . . .
On Monday night, Mike and Cheryl Fisher of Indiana will speak. After years of working to provide for their three children, the Fishers are facing the possibility of Mike being laid off from his job as an Amtrak mechanic. The Fishers believe Barack Obama is the best hope because he understands what it is like to face every day economic struggles.
"I'm just a poor railroader. I've got a small house and a family I'm trying to raise,”
said Mike. Barack and Michelle can relate to that because of their upbringing."

For crying out loud. Amtrak mechanic? Amtrak gets $1.9 billion -- that's "billion" with a "b" -- a year in subsidies from the American taxpayer. It used to be $1.2 billion, but the Senate voted last year to increase it:

The Senate on Tuesday authorized a sharp increase in federal money for Amtrak for six years. . . .
The Senate voted, 70 to 22, for $11.4 billion, or $1.9 billion a year, up from $1.2 billion that corporation has received in recent years. . . .

So when Mike Fisher goes on stage to sing his sad song -- and don't you just know he's probably got one of those union jobs that pays $65,000 a year with no-deductible health insurance? -- just remember that his job is already subsidized with your taxes.

What next? Unemployed buggywhip makers? Bankrupt purveyors of whalebone corsets?