Posted on 03/18/2016 7:53:46 AM PDT by Kaslin
resident Obama sought to increase the amount of money available for the federal government to spend on former presidents in advance of his White House exit.
In his budget requests for fiscal years 2016 and 2017, Obama proposed hikes in the appropriations for expenditures of former presidents, according to a report from the Congressional Research Service published Wednesday.
The report, which discusses the pensions and other federal benefits offered to former commanders-in-chief by way of the Former Presidents Act, specifies that Obama’s 2017 budget proposes a nearly 18 percent hike in appropriations for expenditures of former presidents. He successfully requested an increase in such appropriations for fiscal year 2016.
“The President’s FY2017 budget request seeks $3,865,000 in appropriations for expenditures for former Presidents, an increase of $588,000 (17.9%) from the FY2016 appropriation level. The increase in requested appropriations for FY2017 anticipates President Barack Obama’s transition from incumbent to former President,” the report reads.
“For FY2016, President Obama requested and received appropriations of $3,277,000 for expenditures for former Presidents–an increase of $25,000 from FY2015 appropriated levels.”
The Former Presidents Act, enacted in 1958, provides living former presidents with a pension, office staff and support, funds for travel, Secret Service protection, and mailing privileges. It also provides benefits for presidential spouses. Currently, former presidents are awarded a pension equal to the salary of cabinet secretaries, which totaled $203,700 for the 2015 calendar year and was boosted by $2,000 for the current calendar year.
Critics of the act argue that it financially supports former presidents who are not struggling. Many of them, alternatively, have gone on to profit from writing books about their time in the White House or delivering paid speaking engagements.
Former President Bill Clinton, for example, earned $132 million for delivering paid speeches between February 2001 and March 2015, according to an analysis from CNN. Clinton received $924,000 in taxpayer dollars last year by way of the Former Presidents Act.
Republicans in the House and Senate have introduced legislation that would cap annual pensions for former presidents at $200,000. Additionally, the bills would cut each pension by a dollar for every dollar the former president earns over $400,000 in the private sector in a given year. The measure was approved by the House in January with bipartisan support.
“It’s pretty simple. You want a retirement and pension, it’s there. But if you’re going to go out and make enormous sums of money, then you don’t need taxpayer subsidies,” Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R., Utah), who introduced the bill in the House, told ABC News in an interview.
“The former presidents are making gobs of money speaking and writing books, more power to them, but that doesn’t mean they need more taxpayer dollars on top of that,” Chaffetz added. “It’s embarrassing that they take that money.”
I’m not
America's most successful businessman is running right now, and getting nothing but crap from people in his own party.
The "political class" does NOT want non-politicians running for office.
Wow, you get the award for the most racist statement ever uttered in the history of this universe and the five closest parallel ones
When did millionaire become a race?
“When did millionaire become a race?”
When the target of this “program” is the first pResident with a larger than average density of melanin molecules per cubic centimeter of epidermis. Even the mere thought of denying this welfare payment is the height of racism.
No it’s the height of greed, chutzpah and a total lack of respect of the American people.
Ahhhh the President Club. They’re all multi-millionaires. Plus free health care, pension, secret service,
book deals, speaking engagements, libraries.
In other words Obama needs to buy three or four new cars after the family gets off the t*tty.
“I get it that these two are imbeciles but what I don’t get is why are there so many in the voting world who are willing to support these two imbeciles???? “
“Burn the whole ####ing system down to the ground and start over. Figuratively speaking, of course.”
“You’ve no idea how perilously close I came to responding to that with “speak for yourself”.”
Oh, and I concur. Fortunately, Donald Trump can afford the world’s largest flamethrower.
“Former President Bill Clinton, for example, earned $132 million for delivering paid speeches between February 2001 and March 2015, according to an analysis from CNN. Clinton received $924,000 in taxpayer dollars last year by way of the Former Presidents Act.”
As Mel Brooks said, “It’s good to be the King!” - or a corrupt one who can get away with it, anyway.
“with a pension, office staff and support, funds for travel, Secret Service protection, and mailing privileges. It also provides benefits for presidential spouses”
They shouldn’t get anything beyond Secret Service. Not even a pension for 4 to 8 years of employment. Their bedwarmer should get nothing.
“Long SHOT” not “long short.” Derrrrrr.
Can he do that?
Does the bastard want to keep Air Force One, too?
Of course he needs more money. He is going to have to house his secret service team at his new hacienda in Cuba, his Kailua house, his Chicago house, his Aspen house, his France house, his Spanish house, his Indonesian house, and his DC house. He’ll be the first billionaire ex-president and needs to keep that horrid wife of his happy. They can’t be expected to mingle with the little people.
>>When did millionaire become a race?
Geez, didn’t you READ: “this universe and the *five closest parallel ones*” /s
NO p-resident should be allowed to do that.
Can it be undone?
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