Clinton v. Obama

[Partha]

Where are you getting your fantasies that the announced Democrats on the board have universal love for the Clintons?

As far as shit-tons of cash, look at the Bush family. You think Poppa isn't rolling in it after his presidency? Or Carter?

Your past defense of Clinton speaks volumes...

Making money after your presidency is much different from making money ON your past presidency. You get the difference right?

You mean that they make money for reasons other than the fact that they were President?

[Embar Angylwrath]

Using George H Bush as an example, yes. He was well off before he became President. Did he take speaking fees? Absoutley. Did he take over $40 million? don't think so.

Again, I have no issue with Clinton leveraging his time in the White House to become filthy stinking rich. But don't expect there to be much motive other than that. The White House was an investment for him, and it paid off nicely. His wife is just doing the same.

Oh.. and while you villify corporate execs for inflated pay packages, you remain mysterioulsy silent on the issue of making shit-tons of cash by virtue of the fact a person sat in the Oval Office. With that kind of financial generative power, a politician would do almost anything to get that spot.

Hence, Hillary's continuing efforts at making a long-shot attempt at the nomination, no matter what damage it does to her party.

[Embar Angylwrath]

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/04 ... Page2.html

Also, there's that niggling question of why we fund ex-Presidents activities. Does an ex-president making over over $100 million since the time he left office really need to be subsidized?

All the perks were part of, or desceded from, a reation to Truman's financial state since he refused to whore out his presidency. Now, I think the whole Former Pesident's Act should be repealed, or at least have triggers, instead of just being a big give-away.

Public office should be about service, about a calling to serve the greater good (call me sentimental), so if we want to provide some security to an ex-President, fine.. but only if they NEED the financial security.

[Partha]

Using George H Bush as an example, yes. He was well off before he became President. Did he take speaking fees? Absoutley. Did he take over $40 million? don't think so.

Except, of course, you can't possibly know that, since his tax returns aren't public. We only have guesses and rumors.

http://www.consortiumnews.com/2006/061406.html

But Bush was not telling Menem the whole story. By fall 1996, Bush and Moon had been working in political tandem for at least a decade and a half. The ex-President also had been earning huge speaking fees as a front man for Moon for more than a year.

Throughout these public appearances for Moon, Bush’s office refused to divulge how much Moon-affiliated organizations have paid the ex-President. But estimates of Bush’s fee for the Buenos Aires appearance alone ran between $100,000 and $500,000. Sources close to the Unification Church told me that the total spending on Bush ran into the millions, with one source telling me that Bush stood to make as much as $10 million from Moon’s organization.

[Embar Angylwrath]

Are you using that as support that Clinton is whoring out.. becasue Hey Look! Every President whores out?

This should be fun when Bush junior leaves office, and you'll be forced to support what he does because it was done before.

[Ddrak]

All the perks were part of, or desceded from, a reation to Truman's financial state since he refused to whore out his presidency. Now, I think the whole Former Pesident's Act should be repealed, or at least have triggers, instead of just being a big give-away.

Public office should be about service, about a calling to serve the greater good (call me sentimental), so if we want to provide some security to an ex-President, fine.. but only if they NEED the financial security.

Sounds fair to me.

Dd

[Ariannda Kusanagi]

Personally I'm a bit confused myself... President Bush currently earns $400,000 per year, along with a $50,000 expense account, a $100,000 nontaxable travel account, and $19,000 for entertainment, he pays nothing for groceries, he doesn't drive himself anywhere and I doubt he pays for gas, and he never has to see the electric bill or the cable bill or the phone bill and pay them every month. And lets not forget he lives for free in The White House, which has 132 rooms, 32 bathrooms, a movie theater, bowling alley, billiards room, tennis court, jogging track and putting greens. AND lets not forget he can hop on over to Camp David whenever he feels like on his private jet. Anyone seen The American President where the guy is trying to buy flowers for his girlfriend, but all his credit cards are with the rest of his personal stuff ? WHY exactly do we need to pay the President at all ? What exactly does he NEED a salary while in The White House ? even after living in The White House the President is making a current salary of 183k a year. Anyone HERE make 183k a year, combined WITH their spouse ?
I didn't think you did.
Anyway I just don't understand why he needs a salary at all... I can understand the pension, but why the salary ?

[Ddrak]

Anyone HERE make 183k a year, combined WITH their spouse ?

Probably a few, just at a guess...

And like I said - you have to pay him enough to make him less susceptible to bribes.

Dd

[Trollbait]

Anyone HERE make 183k a year, combined WITH their spouse ?
I didn't think you did.

Yes. And I do not apologize.

[Ariannda Kusanagi]

Blech Jecks !

Ok but that certainly isn't a normal salary by any means. I realize people do it, however I think it's quite a lot of money to be paid for 4 years of Presidency...

[Embar Angylwrath]

With a working spouse, 150K-200K/year is not that unusual. Especially if both spouses have college degrees.

[Klast Brell]

With a working spouse, 150K-200K/year is not that unusual. Especially if both spouses have college degrees.

Define unusual. Have you looked at the median income in the U.S. lately Over 150K puts you in the top 5%
Median income is 48.2K http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www ... 10583.html

I think that's part of the problem with some of the tax whiners in America. They are under the mistaken belief that they are middle class. but if their household income is over 75K they are in the top 25%

[Embar Angylwrath]

Note my comment about being college educated.

[Rsak]

It also depends on where you are working. Some markets like California or Virginia have a higher cost of living that those numbers would be reasonable and equitable to a household making $100k in other areas.

[Ddrak]

I think that's part of the problem with some of the tax whiners in America. They are under the mistaken belief that they are middle class. but if their household income is over 75K they are in the top 25%

I'd consider all but the top 5%-ish to be "middle class", probably starting at the 25%-35% mark. Below that, a mortgage gives you very little disposable income which tends to toss you out of the bracket.

Dd

[Ariannda Kusanagi]

I can't see myself ever making 150-200k combined, even if i did get my degree. I know the job offers the b/f has been getting and he has a masters. I fail to see how me teaching secondary education would ever total up to us making 100k at that rate

[Embar Angylwrath]

I can't see myself ever making 150-200k combined, even if i did get my degree. I know the job offers the b/f has been getting and he has a masters. I fail to see how me teaching secondary education would ever total up to us making 100k at that rate

Depends on where you live some, but I know a school teacher in San Jose can make upwards of 80K. And that's grade school, not secondary. If you think you and your spouse can't make 50K/year each, you're selling yourselves short. Want to make real money?

Sales.

Sales people are some of the highest paid people in any organization. One of my sales people will make more money than me or any of my partners. And I wouldn't have it any other way.

[Ddrak]

Takes a certain type of personality (and alcohol tolerance) to be a kickass sales guy though...

Dd

[Embar Angylwrath]

Takes a certain type of personality (and alcohol tolerance) to be a kickass sales guy though...

Dd

All of my best performing sales people have been college educated women.

[Harlowe]

Takes a certain type of personality (and alcohol tolerance) to be a kickass sales guy though...

Dd

All of my best performing sales people have been college educated women.

Our kickass salespeople have all been guys (one of the top guys use to be a math teacher). The women blew. Must be relative to the product.