Bill Clinton - This ticks me off...

[Infinite Hope]

The Clintons have made a $100-million fortune since leaving the White House, but a Politico analysis found that hasn’t kept Bill Clinton from taking full advantage of the publicly funded perks offered to ex-presidents.

In fact, his presidential retirement benefits cost taxpayers almost as much as those of the other two living ex-presidents combined.

The price tag for Clinton’s federal retirement allowance from 2001 through the end of this year will run $8 million, compared to $5.5 million for George H. W. Bush’s and $4 million for Jimmy Carter’s during the same period.

More: http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20080410/pl_politico/9531_1

[baldguy]

1. And the problem is ...?

He was in office twice as long, he gets twice as much.

[Infinite Hope]

2. It's not the comparison. It's that ex-presidents receive too much pay in retirement.

It's not supposed to be a rich man's retirement club.

[polmaven]

7. The OP did seem to be making

the point to be the comparison.

In fact, his presidential retirement benefits cost taxpayers almost as much as those of the other two living ex-presidents combined.

The price tag for Clinton’s federal retirement allowance from 2001 through the end of this year will run $8 million, compared to $5.5 million for George H. W. Bush’s and $4 million for Jimmy Carter’s during the same period.

Two out of the three paragraphs were focused on the comparison. It is a correct observation that, since he was in office twice as long as either of the other two, he should make more.

I do agree that the pensions may be too high, though.

[movonne]

8. If hillary were to get the presidency .... just look what they would have...2

of everything....

[Infinite Hope]

11. Fair point. But my opinion was general. I should have clarified. n/t

[Juche]

3. There are only three retirees alive

I think we can manage it.

[Infinite Hope]

5. Waste is waste despite the quantities. n/t

[Juche]

9. I'm not bothered by it though

If you wanted to take the money away and put it into SCHIP or healthcare funds for the rescue workers on 9/11, I'd be ok with it. It depends on where the money would go if it weren't going to them.

[pinto]

4. Well, he held the office for 8 years, the other for 4 each. Maybe that's the diff.

Oh, and there have been retirement benefit increases for all federal employees from then to now, iirc.

Politico is barking up a strawman tree, as usual.

[pinto]

6. Apparently Poltico is misinformed - from the Office of the Budget, GSA, of 1/2008:

Carter - $518,000
Bush I - $786,000
Clinton - $1,162,000

Includes pension and ancillary benefits for former presidents.

http://www.senate.gov/reference/resources/pdf/98-249.pdf

Geez, leave it to politico...

[Infinite Hope]

12. Politico was including their staffs which are provided at taxpayer expense among other things. n/t

[pinto]

17. The breakdown above includes staff salaries and benefits.

http://www.senate.gov/reference/resources/pdf/98-249.pdf

[DaveJ]

10. Money doubles every 7 years. Heard of inflation?

Based on your numbers, both GHB's and Carter's allowances are higher inflation adjusted.

I mainly blame the originating article if they didn't take that into account.

[Infinite Hope]

13. *I* don't have any numbers. Further, inflation isn't a factor...see below.

"The price tag for Clinton’s federal retirement allowance from 2001 through the end of this year will run $8 million, compared to $5.5 million for George H. W. Bush’s and $4 million for Jimmy Carter’s during the same period"

The reason the other two have less is because they took advantage of less as the article indicates upon reading in full.

[DaveJ]

14. I obviously meant the numbers in the OP.

Edit:

Allowances are going to be based on what seemed reasonable at the time of 'retirement' from office. I'm sure all future Presidents will also have more money paid to them based on what money is worth when they leave office.

What's the difference, a Dollar is going to be worth a Peso in a few years anyway.

[Infinite Hope]

15. Do you have something to back that up? n/t

[DaveJ]

16. Just common sense...

Okay, here are salaries of U.S. Presidents, inflation adjusted over time to 2007 dollars. They are across the board.

1789 $566,000
1873 $865,000
1909 $1,714,000
1949 $875,000
1969 $1,135,000
2001 $471,000

I guess GWB would be our top tier executive, but then again, you get what you pay for IMO.

Iraq cost $200 million per day. So excuse me if I'm not concerned what Presidents get paid (before or after their terms). I just want them to do a good job.

[TreasonousBastard]

18. Funny how the rest of the article justifies Clinton's...

expenses, and goes to great pains to say that none of this goes to Hillary's campaign.

Yeah, Truman's spinning in his grave as Clinton is following Reagan's lead making a bundle off of being an ex-President, but that shouldn't affect what we pay them. They are still representing the country in their own way, and if we can spend our way into the gutter with a sitting President, we should at least pay a few bucks for a past one doing far less damage.

[spanone]

19. bu$h* has tortured people in our name, direct you outrage there, please