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How Ex-Presidents and Prime Ministers Make their Money
mentalfloss.com — While many leaders are either independently rich enough or old enough that they just retire after leaving office, others are desperate to make a buck or a pound. So how do ex-presidents and other former world leaders support themselves as they while away the autumn of their years?
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- middy, on 07/22/2008, -1/+18Neat, but could be more... I don't know... complete?
- cdahlkvist, on 07/23/2008, -0/+11Really incomplete.
U.S. Presidents also receive a pension which matches the salary of Cabinet members (Executive Level I).
That amount, as of March, 2008 is $191.300 per year, free medical for spouses, widows and minor children.
They are also given a stipend for office space rental and travel expenses for themselves and no more than two members of their staff.
Furthermore, they (and their spouse(s)) are provided lifetime Secret Service protection.
These guys are hardly "broke" when they leave office.
One more note: They can still claim their Social Security benefits on top of the above pensions.
Sources:
http://www.senate.gov/reference/resources/pdf/98-2 ...
http://www.ipl.org/div/farq/pensionFARQ.html
- cdahlkvist, on 07/23/2008, -0/+11Really incomplete.
- nneader007, on 07/22/2008, -5/+9Maybe now they can pay for their own Secret Service. I won't hold my breath, though
- cdigioia, on 07/23/2008, -0/+3...Do you see a problem in them getting free secret service? If so, why?
- Mahoney07, on 07/23/2008, -0/+4That's a terrible idea.
- sbaysem, on 07/23/2008, -1/+7in order to be filthy rich, you gotta be a little dirty too... eeerrr...
- GetSmartGal, on 07/23/2008, -1/+8Bill's a smart cookie there, looks like he is pulling in the most loot.
- BoonTobias, on 07/23/2008, -1/+10he pulls out the most too
- u8muhrice, on 07/23/2008, -2/+6good to know that some of our tax money is going to some ex presidents like Truman...
- Xette, on 07/23/2008, -2/+3I find it fascinating that politicians find the time to 'pen' their experiences and ideas. How do they do it? I would have thought they would be too busy for it. But I suppose if I had a company come to me and say 'I will give you 20 million to pen your thoughts and experiences down' I would write a 500 page book within the day!
- GreatSunJester, on 07/23/2008, -1/+3Mainly "I will give you 20 million to sign your name to what our writers will put on paper for you" I think.
- chrissku, on 07/23/2008, -1/+4Well let's do the math. To become President of the United States you have to spend in excess of 250 million + to even get elected. Then over the next 4 years you make 400k a year. Hmmmmm....I wonder where they plan on recouping all that money, plus cashing in on all those favors they handed out when they were in office? Since Bill Clinton left office he has earned well over a 100 million dollars?? Unfreakin real. Looks like 'Bubba' is just like the rest of us huh?
- GreatSunJester, on 07/23/2008, -2/+5At that level of politics, you are not in it for the money (directly... it is a side effect however!). You are in it for the POWER, real or imaginary.
- FearlessFreep, on 07/23/2008, -1/+1The 250 million to get elected is not out of their pocket but the 400K does go into it
- Alphi1, on 07/23/2008, -1/+5Except for the fact that usually the majority of the $250 million (if not all of it) is from political donations and fund-raisers.
- GreatSunJester, on 07/23/2008, -2/+5At that level of politics, you are not in it for the money (directly... it is a side effect however!). You are in it for the POWER, real or imaginary.
- Kmap, on 07/23/2008, -2/+2You don't have to be an Ex-President. Bush + Oil = $$$
- RizzoFrank, on 07/24/2008, -0/+0Don't forget Bush + Enron.
- mickin014, on 07/23/2008, -4/+2What a bunch of scam artists. This just confirms on how corrupt politicians are.
- vikramkr, on 07/23/2008, -1/+1very interesting article!
- DeFex, on 07/23/2008, -1/+5let me guess,
They live off the interest from all the bribes, kickbacks, and "donations" they got for selling out the public to corporate interests ? - Wujian01, on 07/23/2008, -1/+0Is this the main reason that every politicians want to be a president / prime minister?
- getjustin, on 07/23/2008, -1/+3Clinton banks on speaking gigs. When he spoke at UF, he made $80,000. Granted, he donated it to some foundation, but there is some serious bank to be made on that stuff. Hell, when Albertard Gonzales came, UF forked over something like $40K for that incompetent jackass.
- bcos, on 07/23/2008, -2/+1I realize that the ad rotates but, I'm totally digging the John McCain campaign ad at the bottom of the article
:| - bcos, on 07/23/2008, -4/+1I realize that the ad rotates but I'm totally digging the John McCain campaign ad at the bottom of the article
... :| - Zippo, on 07/23/2008, -0/+2In today's world, most politicians are either businessmen or lawyers... therefore they're pretty wealthy before they get into office and get hired onto random boards when they finish.
- HariSeldon10, on 07/23/2008, -0/+5So, only the US and Britain have ex-leaders?
Mexico ex-leaders:
- Carlos Salinas de Gortari, fled the country, had a hunger strike after the 1995 Tequila Crisis he provoked so that people stopped blaming him, and so that the Mexican government would free his brother (Salinas's brother was in jail on charges of drug dealing, money laundering, and murder). After a while, he became an author and now teaches at Harvard.
- Ernesto Zedillo, fled the country, afraid of lynchings from his own party after he allowed the first democratically valid Presidential Elections in 70 years. Serves in the UN, and in the board of P&G.
- Vicent Fox, wrote memoirs, is starting an "Institution for Democracy" in central Mexico, and manages his ranch.
One notable peruvian ex-leader:
- Alberto Fujimori, after accusations of human rights abuses, rigging elections, and corruption, he lost a bid for re-election and fled the country. When safely in Japan he revealed he was actually a Japanese citizen, and thus, was not eligible to lead Peru in the first place, causing an uproar. In Japan, he tried (but failed) to run for a lawmakers office. He was eventually arrested in Chile and is pending trial.
There are so many other interesting ex-leaders around the world. Why only focus on the US and Britain?- r00fus, on 07/24/2008, -0/+2That's pretty informative
- akeosh, on 07/23/2008, -1/+1Well i dont know if anyone knew but they are drug dealers selling to the high class secretly. They didnt want me to tell anyone but Clinton ripped me off and missed 1 OZ from the pound i bought from him so this is revenge.
- Technopundit, on 07/24/2008, -0/+2Who's gonna actually PAY to hear Dubya speak?
- RizzoFrank, on 07/24/2008, -0/+0He planned ahead knowing that he couldn't make money off of books or speeches. So he just signed deals netting him huge amounts of money and leaving the rest of us broke. They seem to be paying off well for him right now...
- gkiltz, on 07/24/2008, -0/+0Ex US presidents get an excellent pension!!!
There is a pension of some sort for former governors in EVERY state. It's bigger in some states than others!
Also, Ex-presidents get free health care for life and secret service protection(Including electronic security systems in their houses) for as long as they want it. Most ex-presidents can also get their travel paid for either by the Federal Government, or their party! In most, but not all states former governors get some sort of free transportation, at least within the state as well!
This is why Hillary will never divorce Silly Billy!
Put all of that together, it's no insignificant sum!
There is NO pension for one or two-term Senators! She has this HUGE campaign debt to pay! OBAMA'S SUPPORTERS AREN'T GOING TO HELP!!
If she did divorce bill, even with alimony payments, she'd be bumming lunch money off Chelsea! - tastynuggets, on 08/17/2008, -0/+1The fact is, they get enough to live comfortably in the upper class. Even w/o the books and speeches, their social connections will see to that.
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