“If Obama were serious, he would set an example by insisting that every member of his Cabinet with a net worth above X give the “excess” away. Needless to say, to have any meaning, this same rule would have to apply to spouses.”
And when is the last time Obama and Michelle set an example?
With his book deals?
And her salary?
Shouldn’t they make the first move?
Maybe he needs to give back some “unfair” profit from the sale of his books. Send it to his brother - or his aunt.
“And when is the last time Obama and Michelle set an example?”
I fear that trying to unpack/reverse the hypocrisy in Obama’s own life would be a “Neverending Story.” The way things have worked out:
1) The occupant of the “Office of President-elect” never has to explain why/how Senator-elect Obama was wrong in his judgment 2 years ago that while OTHERS might contemplate running for president on such a thin record of experience, he was not one of them, since he believes in “knowing what you are doing” before running for such animportant office.
2) Obama gets to publicly acknowledge that the self-dealing implicit in his benefiting from Tony Rezko’s real estate deals “was a mistake” even while continuing to benefit from the increase in his house’s value stemming from that “mistake.”
3) Obama never has been confronted on—much less had to publicly acknowledge—the rather obvious conflict-of-interest/self-dealing implicit in the curious trajectory of his wife’s compensation during his years as a “public servant” even as he repeatedly bashes others for “greed and corruption.”
4) In numerous pontifications (that have by now felled many trees as they are repeated and lauded in the MSM), Obama has reiterated a “we are our brothers’ keeper story” ad nauseam, even while to all appearances completely ignoring the financial plight of blood relatives both here and abroad.
My advice: holding your breath waiting for the Obamas to make the first move may pose serious risks to your health!
The difference is that his book was/is profitable and the CEOs companies are not. Obama's suggestion is not new or radical. Back in the old days, HP did exactly what Obama suggested, when times were hard, executives shared personally in the belt tightening and the company functioned without laying off employees. The result was an extremely loyal workforce. Of course, company loyalty is no longer seen as desirable.