Sheila Bair is in a tough spot these days.
 

As head of the troubled FDIC, she’s got the difficult task of reassuring the American public that even though the economy seems to be going down the toilet, everything is okay.
 

But, on the bright side, Forbes named the University of Kansas grad the second most powerful woman in the world. Not bad, not bad at all.
 

The list measures “power” based on a combination of the woman's public profile, job title, past career accomplishments and the amount of money she controls. With this in mind, Forbes describes Bair’s importance:

The head of the embattled FDIC has been trying to reassure an edgy American public that the country's financial institutions are sound—even as six banks have now failed this year. Bair's domain is the last stop for capital-starved banks (and their insured customers) before going under. But the July demise of IndyMac, the largest bankruptcy of a financial institution in the last two decades, has rattled nerves. As banks continue to fail, Bair must continue to show the fortitude that has helped her lead an institution that is suddenly an actor in this global drama.

The economic superstar came in second only to Germany’s chancellor, Angela Merkel.
 

And as if Hillary Clintong didn’t have enough failure to deal with, she only came in at 28.
 

Better luck in 2012, Hil.