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RevStPatrick

(2,208 posts)

18. I don't have a big problem with this.

Tue May 8, 2012, 02:35 PM

May 2012

A little problem, maybe, but not a big problem.

When someone gets elected president, he or she instantly becomes the most famous person on the planet. That's not an easy thing to deal with, and it doesn't stop once they leave office. And we pay them what, $400,000 a year? If that person were the CEO of a large corporation, their annual compensation would run into the 10's of millions of dollars. I think it's OK to pick up some of their post-presidency expenses.

Now I also think it's OK to limit the expenses the taxpayers will cover if that person makes huge amounts of money. But I don't know what the cutoff should be.

And I do think that ex-presidents should receive secret service protection for life, if they choose.

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Report: Bush's $80K phone bill [View all] kpete May 2012 OP

Yeah. aquart May 2012 #1

I feel dirty. In a small way, I agree with the proposed bill Suji to Seoul May 2012 #2

Same. BlueIris May 2012 #43

80K? SoutherDem May 2012 #3

yeah, hasn't he heard about unlimited long distance? grasswire May 2012 #5

He probably has a company doing robo calls for library donations and what not.. snooper2 May 2012 #6

He was probably calling 900 numbers. Joe Bacon May 2012 #36

No President should die in poverty, but they shouldn't they live as Kings, either . . . Journeyman May 2012 #4

But millions of Americans should? closeupready May 2012 #20

These expenses are peanuts xtraxritical May 2012 #7

I believe Clinton is the last president who will receive lifetime... brendan120678 May 2012 #16

So GWB will lose SS protection in January 2019? Zen Democrat May 2012 #17

Yes, he will (some time around then). We discussed this here closeupready May 2012 #21

Well he should be in the Hague by then and won't need SS proud2BlibKansan May 2012 #24

And the Cleveland Browns... awoke_in_2003 May 2012 #30

And The Chiefs in 2014! proud2BlibKansan May 2012 #33

The Chiefs... awoke_in_2003 May 2012 #35

It's a case of proportion. Turbineguy May 2012 #8

Not remotely close. That would be $16 Trillion over 8 years. From the US Treasury online, 24601 May 2012 #14

A lot of the increased debt is interest on the debt GWB accrued. JDPriestly May 2012 #22

The numbers work Turbineguy May 2012 #28

Nice joke, I'm laughing. For all of Bush's faults,and there are plenty, inhibiting oil production 24601 May 2012 #38

In Jan 2009 plantwomyn May 2012 #32

If you adjust the numbers adding a year on each end of the timeline, Bush's annual increase was 24601 May 2012 #37

I don't think any former legislater or president should get any stipend after leaving office. PavePusher May 2012 #9

Why the fuck are we paying any of their expenses? progressoid May 2012 #10

My gawd who is his cell phone plan with? LynneSin May 2012 #11

He could also get the cable telephone and pay 30.00 per month and have all the calls he'd shraby May 2012 #12

Hey Dubya - I got one word proud2BlibKansan May 2012 #25

No shit? They also need to look at what we're paying congresscritters, loudsue May 2012 #13

I don't consider them accounting for legitamite expenses as "us paying". harun May 2012 #15

The article says "billed" but if they are simply writing it off treestar May 2012 #44

I don't have a big problem with this. RevStPatrick May 2012 #18

Hasn't he heard of Skype? usrname May 2012 #19

Maybe he has (and does use it) kentauros May 2012 #31

Give him a break, it takes him longer. rug May 2012 #23

I forgot all about some of those pictures of the chimp arikara May 2012 #39

Oh fuck! lonestarnot May 2012 #40

Barbara: "Hello." George: "Mommy, it's me." Scuba May 2012 #26

Part of the problem is that the life expectancy for ex-presidents has sky-rocketed starroute May 2012 #27

I heard about Presidential Pensions just this past Saturday SoutherDem May 2012 #29

Obscene. These charge offs are totally out of line. MichiganVote May 2012 #34

He coudn't possibly have a phone bill that high. mysuzuki2 May 2012 #41

I'll bet there are boxes from QVC all over the Bushes' porch! gauguin57 May 2012 #42