By Christopher Gabriel, CGabriel.com

Since 1927, TIME Magazine has chosen a Man of the Year.  The honor was later renamed Person of the Year for the man, woman or idea that “for better or worse, has most influenced events in the preceeding year.”  I believe we have arrived at a point in our history that TIME must now select a Word of the Year.  And if they did, one word stands alone deserving the honor more than any other:  Bailout.

How long before New York City’s Carnegie Deli adds The Bailout Brisket to their extensive menu?  Or perhaps Ben & Jerry’s will introduce Merry Berry Bailout.  Of course the reality here is far more serious than sandwiches or ice cream. 

With the Christmas season now upon us, there is an economic dichotomy on display practically everywhere you turn, and it’s striking.  

As the economy struggles, corporate executives are queuing up along Pennsylvania Avenue with outstretched arms, palms to the heavens and looks on their faces like my five-year-old daughter when she wants chocolate.  You don’t have to be a financial genius – and I’m not – to watch the parade of the wealthy and wonder what, exactly, is going on.

Here in the Minneapolis suburbs, several cities were recently named to Money Magazine’s list of Best Places to Live.  One of those cities, Plymouth, was rated #1.  When you drive through Plymouth you see beautiful neighborhoods, an abundance of lakes and parks, and plenty of restaurants offering a variety of cuisines.  And the schools?  They’re terrific, too. 

You also see businesses closed down. 

What you instantly realize is even the best places to live aren’t immune to what’s overtaken this country. 

I recently saw a story on a small business owner, we’ll call him “Ted.”  He runs a coffee shop outside the Twin Cities . . . rather, he used to run a coffee shop.  His doors are closed and the windows are boarded up.  He’s done.  Finished.  His business is another casualty of the crippled economy.

When he went to his bank to try and get some short-term help to keep his doors open, the bank said in so many words, “sorry, can’t help.”

All these politicians – and I don’t care which side of the aisle they’re on – talking about what they need to do to help Americans stay in their homes, keep their jobs and preserve small businesses smells like yesterday’s garbage.  The rhetoric only seems applicable to the big boys:  The banks, the mortgage companies and the auto industry. 

But when you get down to the folks not making headlines, the ones who aren’t sitting in congressional hearings begging for bucks, they don’t seem to matter much. 

And those same politicians will jump right in and say “Whoa!  They do matter.  Their contributions are what makes America strong and . . .”  And, what?  When Ted went to the bank, the bank was busy.  How many other Ted’s are out there?

Have you talked to anyone late on a mortgage payment?  How about someone late on paying their utilities, water or credit card bills?  The second you’re late, they’re calling.  Everyone has a responsibility to pay what they owe.  But this supposed sensitivity companies are showing to the economic plight of so many is a lot of talk with absolutely nothing behind it.  Don’t believe me?  Ask someone who’s in that situation and they’ll gladly tell you.

Few people used to discuss their own personal financial situations outside of their own families.  Now, many people aren’t the least bit hesitant to say “we’re hurting – we can’t pay our mortgage, we can’t buy Christmas presents . . . we can’t even put gas in the car.”

Meanwhile, back in Washington, we’ve got the grand gestures of auto industry executives Alan Mulally of Ford, Rick Wagoner of GM and Robert Nardelli of Chrysler saying if they’re granted a federal bailout, they’ll make hybrid and electric cars while taking a salary of $1.  That’s One Dollar.

Well if that doesn’t bring a tear to your eyes that these men are willing to “sacrifice” so much . . . each of these men wealthy enough to fund a small country . . . excuse me while I take a moment to collect myself.

America needs a healthy auto industry not to mention healthy banks and mortgage companies.  No one questions that.  But at the same time, there is a significant amount of culpability for this crisis that rests on the doorsteps of the auto industry, banks and mortgage companies and no matter how you slice it, the people in the most dire situations are not the executives at the long table in Washington pleading their cases.

Hamlet says “. . . the play’s the thing.”  This Christmas season, the bailout’s the thing.  But with billions being thrown around like peanut shells at a baseball game, the people still trying to find their way through the foggy financial abyss, and likely doing so for some time, will be the Ted’s of this country. 

Once Mulally, Wagoner and Nardelli figure out how to budget their families on $1 per year, maybe they can continue their season of good will by going on tour together.  Financial advice seminars on how the rest of us can learn to sacrifice to make ends meet, just like them. 

Alan, Rick and Robert.  The Three Wise Men. 

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