Presidential Perks: Paying for Carter’s postage, Bush’s bills, and Clinton’s rent

[Angry Dragon]

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/power-players-abc-news/presidential-perks-paying-carter-postage-bush-bills-clinton-100551264.html





It's a little-noticed part of the federal budget: Each year U.S. taxpayers pick up the tab for the expenses of our former Presidents. For the likes of Carter, Clinton and Bush that means free rent, postage, phone and office staff — all courtesy of the U.S. taxpayer.

In 2010, taxpayer-financed expenses included $15,000 for Jimmy Carter's postage, $579,000 for Bill Clinton's rent and a whopping $80,000 for George W. Bush's phone bills. It adds up: All told, U.S. taxpayers were on the hook for more than $3 million of expenses for the four surviving former U.S. presidents.

They certainly don't seem to need the money. These days being a former U.S. President is a lucrative business. After all, Bill Clinton raked in more than $10 million just in speaking fees last year. George W. Bush made even more: $15 million just for giving speeches.

This entitlement for the very rich was put in place when at least one former president wasn't rich. Congress created this presidential entitlement in 1958 because Harry Truman couldn't afford to pay his bills.


more: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/power-players-abc-news/presidential-perks-paying-carter-postage-bush-bills-clinton-100551264.html

The rich just want more and more..................

[NYC Liberal]

1. Sounds reasonable: if they are making over a certain amount then they don't get those perks.

[Webster Green]

2. The chimp racked up $80,000 in phone bills? WTF?

Isn't the going rate for unlimited domestic calls like $20 per month. Wonder how he managed that.

I know he has some real close friends in Saudi Arabia and shit, but still......can't you get some kind of international rate that is more reasonable? Are there teams of people working on many different chimp phone lines, and making calls related to some nefarious chimp schemes, or what?