Another rant, cuz I hate Dubya

[hellziggy]

Why are we paying him so much? Because he needs the money?

We are paying that fucktard $400,000 a year plus a $50,000 non-taxable expense allowance. Because there are so many extra expenses when you live in a god-damn mansion for free with a cleaning & cooking staff & can fly for free on Air Force One.

I think the president should be paid the Federal Minimum Wage. Period. It is supposedly enough to live on so it should be good enough for him! Of course $5.15/hr at 40 hrs a week is only $10,712 before any taxes, soc security, health insurance, 401k, etc are taken out... Hell, working 24/7 for $5.15 an hour would still be less than his god-damn expense account!

Comments

[mesmericone.livejournal.com]

I agree w/you on this one.....but people will say it is compensation for all the stress and aging process.......:)

[notmonochrome.livejournal.com]

There's one reason that full-time public office jobs should be well paid - it allows ordinary citizens the option of taking the job without going bankrupt. We don't want rich people to be the only people who can afford to take the position.

(I'm ignoring the costs of campaigning, okay? Another rant.)

There are a lot of other public office jobs that have salaries tied directly to the President's -- they may only be able to make up to 75% of what the President makes. When that percentage is smaller, it can drive good, qualified people away from public office because they can make more in the private sector.

Of course, you could quit your job and live comfortably in DC for much, much less than $400,000. If you got rid of the direct salary ties, I don't think it'd be a big deal to lower it a bit... especially when you think about the income from book deals and speaking tours afterward.

Maybe the salary should be tied to the individual's net worth, so if someone gets elected who isn't already filthy rich, they get the money, but the extremely wealthy have to do it pro bono.

Another viewpoint

[wiredferret.livejournal.com]

I think that for a job where you're on call 24/7, required to be polite 95% of your waking day, and responsible for juggling enormously complex problems simultaneously, it's not unreasonable. It's not out of line what the CEO of a major company makes, and is, in fact, less.

I do wish he would stop taking month-long vacations, but even presidential vacations are just the same work in a different location.

The pre-qualifications to be President are pretty steep -- you pretty much have to have climbed the political ladder to either senator or governor, and that takes immense amounts of sweat.

Do I think GW is performing as capably as I want Presidents to? No. But I wasn't upset about paying Clinton that much.

As for the expense allowance, it doesn't take many diplomat-level suits to spend that kind of money.

Dubya

[freyjakj.livejournal.com]

But then why would he want to make any less than a public school superintendent!? Arghh--these fat cats make way too much. Don't forget free 100% health coverage for life for the prez and senators and (who else?) I especially have a hard time with that one for any senator, since this applies to senators of even one term. Unfortunately, the decision makers will never cut their own salaries and benefits, whether it be in government or business. It doesn't matter if a light fraction of all those extra perks combined would --perhaps-- fix social security (that they "borrowed" from!!!) or a serious health coverage crisis. Why should the super duper rich actually pay 100.00 a month for insurance when it could be given to somebody more needy? Those waiters in the Hamptons need their 18% gratuity! But lay off the prez, please: How could somebody earning only 33,200*.00 a month possibly survive!!!? ( --400,000 divided by 12 months =@33,333.33)

Rant mode off -but blood still boiling

Insulting names

[freyjakj.livejournal.com]

By the way, hellziggy, "Fucktard" is really inspired. I think that will be one of my favorite insulting monikers from now on.