I want to preface my comments by mentioning that there is absolutely nothing wrong with making 109 million dollars after eight years in office. Nothing. Bill and Hillary Clinton are smart people. They deserve to make money. They ought to preserve a life for their children, and their children's children, and so on and so forth until they possibly can... not because it's their right, but because it's their duty.
What I'm more concerned about, first of all, is the shady nature of their deals. 20% of that 109 million has come from Ron Burkle, whose Yupica investment companies utilize tax havens in the Caymans, which do not charge corporate taxes and have strictly secret banking laws. They've also been involved in many other nefarious deals, including a deal that left many Pennsylvania churches in shambles.But my second concern is: A person can live off of 109 million dollars. So why are we still paying 8 million dollars to fund Bill Clinton's post-presidential life?
hat tip to Politico.
A little background: In 1958, Congress passed the Former Presidents Act, which essentially guaranteed American presidents a salary after they were out of office. According to Politico, this was a result of Harry Truman's financial struggles after he left office.
The act and subsequent legislation now entitle each former president to a pension, an office and staff, travel costs, mailing privileges and assorted other supplies, materials and services.
This doesn't even include his Secret Service protection.
Clinton has received almost every single one of these perks. Some numbers: 420,000 dollar phone bill. $3.2 million for his office. Bush the First and Carter racked up $5.5 million and $4 million respectively in the same period that Clinton received $8 million.
Clinton has received more than the other former presidents for "other services" ($751,000) and "supplies & materials" ($143,000), while Bush got the largest allowance for "equipment" ($328,000).
The GSA said "supplies" include "office supplies, publications and subscriptions," while "equipment" means "computers and peripheral equipment, as well as servers."
Bill Clinton is receiving more money for "other services" than I'm paying to go to college. And who is paying for that? Me. You. The taxpayers. While he's making (at least) 109 million dollars in post-presidential business deals, I can't go home for spring break because I can't afford a bus ticket because books and education are so expensive.
Is it the law that isn't right? Partially. But the ol' Big Dog could spread the love. The ol' Big Dog could turn it down. He doesn't have to take so much money for "other services".
I guess it's true what they say: there's no such thing as a free lunch.
Update: I doubtless should have mentioned that I don't believe that in this day in age ANY President should receive these benefits. Not Bush the First, not Carter, NOBODY. It may have been necessary in the distant past but now it is just wrong. That is, unless we start paying our presidents MORE, and making it illegal for them to even dwell in corporate life before or after the Presidency. Now THAT'S an idea.