When a hand-out becomes a hand-up.

     I was on the phone with a friend on the U.S./Canadian border in Northern New York State  yesterday.  He voted for George W. Bush twice. I've yelled at him much more than twice about that.

     I asked him how the economy was up there, and he called it a "pocket" of decent economic news, due to the region's symbiotic relationship with Canada. His company will soon expand--again--and their facilities will total over 1,000,000 square feet of warehouse space in New York State.

     Wyeth Pharmaceuticals--that region's largest employer--announced in 2005 that their Rouses Point, NY facility would be phased out over a two to three-year period. Much of the work previously done there has been shifted to Puerto Rico over the past few years. There are nearly 800 manufacturing jobs in Rouses Point that would have been eliminated, affecting many communities throughout Northern New York State, as well as northwestern Vermont.  

     For some perspective, the population of Rouses Point itself was 2277, as of the 2000 census. 

     But, for once,  good news won out in the end. 

     Akrimax Pharmaceuticals stepped in and acquired the manufacturing and packaging operations from Wyeth, which averted the plant's closure. They also announced that salary and benefit packages would be maintained.

     In a Plattsburgh Press-Republican article, Garry Douglas, president of the North Country Chamber of Commerce, said it was "an impressive mix of local, regional, state and federal leaders coming together for a common goal."

     When I asked my Bush-backing buddy who he thought had pulled this deal together, I almost fell out of my chair at his response:

     "Oh, it was Hillary. She's been up here a lot."

     He also complimented New York's senior senator, Chuck Schumer. Both Schumer and Clinton have been instrumental in pushing for upgrades to the airport in Clinton County, which now has direct flights to places to which people might actually want to go.

     It's interesting--and probably telling--to note that Sen. Clinton is a leading recipient of political donations from the pharmaceutical industry. 

     Maybe this time, small-town America finally got something out of what a politician was paid (off) for.