No Take-Home Swag: Stripping Bush and Cheney of Retirement Perks

[tannybogus]

<snip>
Still, there's a hell of a mess left behind, so here's a workable solution: no swag bag on their way out the door.

No post-presidential emolument of any kind. No lifetime salary (currently $200K annually), no multi-million dollar office budget to ante up every year, nothing to help build the Bush presidential library. Not a dime of taxpayer money, period, other than the necessary security detail.

This crowd is super wealthy; they won't end up on desolation row. But such a response will shout for the record -- officially and forever -- that in this country you can't walk away unscathed after such high office malfeasance.

After all, Nixon suffered greatly for his deeds in office. Bill Clinton endured impeachment over a non-criminal dalliance with an intern. Are Bush and Cheney destined to suffer zero indignity? Whistling arm-in-arm into the night as the camera fades, like the final scene from Casablanca? It sure seems that way, unless we insist on some sort of justice.

Congress sets salaries and retirement benefits. There were no presidential pensions until 1958, so they're hardly sacred. Nothing precludes withholding them as punishment, either, so any piece of legislation aimed at the current occupant would doubtless be constitutional. There's no precedent for it, but there's certainly precedent for considering it. There was chatter when Nixon left office in shame, and congressional Republicans floated the idea in the late 90's against Clinton.

Let's strip Bush and Cheney of our hard-earned tax dollars, without gloat or bloodlust, then quickly move on.

It's the least we can do. They've more than earned it.
<snip>

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jackson-williams/no-take-home-swag-strippi_b_118314.html

I vote for this! They deserve a lot more punishment, but this would be a start!
:applause:

[Demeter]

1. NO SECRET SERVICE PROTECTION, EITHER!

Let the bastards hire Blackwater. Or they can take their chances like everyone else.

[Lasher]

2. How about means testing for entitlements of Presidents and VPs?

Republicans think it's a great idea for Medicare and VA benefits.

[geckosfeet]

3. I say yes.

[unblock]

4. whatever. shrub will get $5mm for his first "speech" out of office.

probably in saudi arabia.


i'd much prefer prosecuting him for SOMEthing. e.g., accepting a $5mm bribe....

[liberal N proud]

5. At the very least this should be their just reward

They have already more than looted us for more than their lifetime share.

[bvar22]

6. The Democratic Party leadership.....

....will close ranks with the Republican Party leadership to protect the system....just like they did in 1992. None of the Republican (or Democratic) criminals will EVER be held accountable.

We will NEVER be able to hold the Republicans accountable until we find a way to hold our own Democrats accountable.

"Impeachment is off the table"...Democratic Party Speaker of the House, 2006

[intheflow]

7. I'd back this 100%

What would be even better is if they we both to have a full, public IRS audit and be forced t give back every tax cheat I'm sure they've both committed. But this idea would do for a start.

[SoCalDem]

8. Wouldn't matter in the least.. They are both very wealthy

I think that rich "public servants" should, not receive a "salary" or pension anyway..

Does anyone think that they actually "live" on that pittance we pay them?? or that they even "need" it?

Somehow I don't see *² ot the Dickster sitting in lawnchairs out front, every 3rd of the month, waiting for their SS money and or pension checks to arrive.