Ex-presidents about to collect raises

Sun Times ^ | January 26, 2003 | BY LYNN SWEET SUN-TIMES WASHINGTON BUREAU CHIEF

[GrandMoM]

WASHINGTON--Congress is about to give a little boost to a perk shared by the five living former presidents: money for a pension, office rent, non-vacation travel and staff.

The tab for the whole group, according to the fiscal 2003 appropriations bill, is $3.339 million, up from $3.196 million for the previous year.

The spending document shows how the nation bankrolls former Presidents Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George Bush and Bill Clinton.

Lady Bird Johnson, the widow of former President Lyndon B. Johnson, gets a $20,000 pension and free postal services, according to the bill.

Not counting costs for Secret Service protection and presidential libraries, here's a breakdown:

*$1.084 million for Clinton. That includes a $150,000 pension; $58,000 for travel; $436,000 for office rent and $29,000 for phones.

*$674,000 for Bush, the father of the president. That includes a $96,000 pension; $58,000 for travel; $174,000 office rent and $14,000 for phones.

*$530,000 for Reagan, who maintains an office though afflicted with Alzheimer's disease. That includes a $96,000 pension; $16,000 for travel and $17,000 for phones.

*$508,000 for Carter. That includes a $96,000 pension; $2,000 for travel; $102,000 for office rent and $25,000 for phones.

*$521,000 for Ford. That includes a $96,000 pension; $50,000 for travel; $112,000 for office rent and $25,000 for phones.

[GrandMoM]

Your Tax Dollars at work here!!!!

[trebb]

Interesting that the pension was $96K for the last four before Klinton and his jumped up to $150K...

Anyone know the story?

[nothingnew]

This is really pissing me off....not that I wasn't already pissed off by the "perks" (what a fargin' cute word), but I'm even more pissed off now. (Now...replace "pissed off" with "pissed on")

FMCDH

[Lee Heggy]

The thought of any of our ex-presidents having to wear something twice or having to actually flush would be an international outrage. NOT!

[malia]

This, and the new raises congress gave themselves along with their growing staff and aids, needs to be looked at with a serious eye. Talking about poor economy, layoffs, and raises for congress, present and past Presidents is insensitive and offensive (to me).

[afraidfortherepublic]

Interesting that the pension was $96K for the last four before Klinton and his jumped up to $150K... Anyone know the story?...

I want to know too. How come Xclinton gets $54,000 more than the other ex-presidents? And how come Lady Bird only gets $20,000 as a widow? Johnson served many, many years in the House and the Senate before becoming Vice President and then President.

Ford was a member of the House for years and years before he was tapped to be VP and then President.

Carter served only 4 years as President and no other Federal service. He has the least Federal service of all of them.

Reagan served 8 years in Federal office -- the same as X42.

Bush served in the House, served as head of the CIA and as Ambassador to China, then 8 years as VP and 4 years as President -- all on the Federal level and the most service at a higher level, I think.

X42 served only 8 years on the Federal level (and stole us blind when he left). How come he gets more money????

I'm not even mentioning office requirements here. That's extra.

[freeper12]

Its the royal class...get used to it. They take care of themselves first, both parties.

Nice work if you can get...4 years in office and you get a minimum $1M per year for the rest of your life.

KNowing that even a bad ex-president can make tens of millions of dollars writing books and giving speeches, I am not sure why they can *anything* from the taxpayers once they leave..perhaps SS protection for a few years, but that should be it.

[ambrose]

Interesting that the pension was $96K for the last four before Klinton and his jumped up to $150K... Anyone know the story?

The pension $$$ is based on the salary amount. The Republican controlled Congress raised Kkklintoon's salary to 400k... so his pension is higher than the rest...

[freeper12]

...make that 8 years, not 4

[malia]

- can't find my sandbox to make a link - sorry!!! I do remember this passing

http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/stories/1999/05/24/pay.raise/

[isthisnickcool]

$58K for travel? That's only about 15 hours in a Challenger 600. And most 600's are not configured such that someone like Clinton would have "BJ privacy". But I bet he flys in something like the Challenger.

So, if Clinton is flying private, which he is, I'd bet it takes 2.5 to 3 million a year just to cart lardbutt around. I wonder who is paying for that besides the people he is "speaking to"? And what about the secret service expenses? Betcha there are more expenses here being paid for than this shows. A lot more. Hidden in other budgets.

Hillary will run for president. Why? The same reason Bill did. For the stuff. For the money. The power too. But these people lust for money. It's the thing that keeps them in the lifestyle they love so much.

It's always been about the money for the Clintons. Know how you can tell? Because they said over and over it was not about the money.

[GrandMoM]

Its the royal class...get used to it. They take care of themselves first, both parties. ....but, but, it's for the children.

[Question_Assumptions]

Might I suggest a new law or two...

Stipulate that either (A) no government employee may earn a salary high enough to qualify as "rich" or (B) any government definition of "rich" cannot be lower than the highest government salary. The justification should be that the government has no business using the taxpayer's money to make people rich at taxpayer expense. Yes, I realize that this would be a largely symbolic effort but it would shine the light of class envy on all those in Washington who like to "get the rich" but have no trouble getting or staying rich at taxpayer expense.

[afraidfortherepublic]

Panel Studies Presidential Pay Raises

This story says that the $400k would not take effect until Clinton's successor took office. How did Clinton get in on the higher pension amount? He sure doesn't deserve it, IMHO.

[Mia T]

Just yesterday I saw her on the senate floor speaking against the high salaries of company CEO's.....

Hillary Rodham Clinton, as a New York State Senator, now comes under this fancy "Congressional Retirement and Staffing Plan," which means that even if she never gets reelected, she STILL receives her Congressional salary until she dies.

If Bill outlives her, he then inherits HER salary until HE dies. He is already getting his Presidential salary until he dies. If Hillary outlives Bill, she also gets HIS salary until she dies. Guess who pays for that? WE DO! It's common knowledge that in order for her to establish NY residency, they purchased a million dollar-plus house in upscale Chappaqua, New York. Makes sense. They are entitled to Secret Service protection for life. Still makes sense.

Here is where it becomes interesting. Their mortgage payments hover at around $10,000 per month. BUT, an extra residence HAD to be built within the acreage to house the Secret Service agents.

The Clintons charge the Federal government $10,000 monthly rent for the use of that extra residence, which is just about equal to their mortgage payment. This means that we, the taxpayers, are paying the Clintons' salary, mortgage, transportation, safety and security, as well as the salaries for their 12 man staff - and this is all perfectly legal!

When she runs for President, will you vote for her?

4 posted on 01/26/2003 5:10 PM EST by shaggy eel

EXCELLENT analysis.

It seems the most expeditious solution for us "regular people" is to make certain the clintons' primary residence is the hoosegow.

I cannot think of a more satisfying way of killing two birds with one stone.

 HALF A HOUSE, HALF A BRAIN: Why the clintons hit on Simon & Schuster

link to movie

[JebBush2008]

$508,000 for Carter. That includes a $96,000 pension; $2,000 for travel; $102,000 for office rent and $25,000 for phones.

Not that I want Jimmy traveling anywhere but why does he only receive $2,000 for travel?

[isthisnickcool]

Hi Mia! Luv ya!

It's always been about the money to them.....

[shaggy eel]

Not that I want Jimmy traveling anywhere but why does he only receive $2,000 for travel?

,,, because there's enough people around to kick his arse far enough to where they think he should be.

[ambrose]

I think Jimmy has most of his travel paid for by his "foundation"... and the foundation is funded by the various dictators that he so loves to coddle.