snowbear37 Loc: MA.

Dear Mr. President,

I’ve heard you say that you would not guarantee Social Security checks if the debt ceiling wasn’t raised. Why does the threat always have to do with SS, our soldiers’ pay, and Medicare?? Why not stop your pay, your staff’s pay, or Congress’ pay? Let’s hold the paychecks from the House and Senate and see how long it would take to straighten out this mess!

Salary of retired U.S. Presidents - $450,000.00 FOR LIFE
Salary of House/Senate Members - $174,000.00 FOR LIFE
Salary of the Speaker of the House - $223,500.00 FOR LIFE
Salary of Majority/Minority Leaders -$194,400.00 FOR LIFE

Average salary of a soldier deployed in Afghanistan - $38,000.00

Average salary of seniors on SOCIAL SECURITY - $12,000.00

I think I know where the cuts should be made.

BoJester

Is it remotely possible for you to post anything that isn't a lie, or completely wrong? Do you think you are influencing anyone but other very uninformed posters?
Or maybe you are reaching out to the stupid government h**ers.
The amounts you list in your banal post are nowhere near accurate. Learn to freaking read before posting your trash



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congressional_pension



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Former_Presidents_Act

snowbear37 Loc: MA.

The "pension" of $199,700.00 is not the only monetary benefit a former president gets.

By law, former presidents are entitled to a pension, staff and office expenses, medical care or health insurance, and Secret Service protection.

Pension

The Secretary of the Treasury pays a taxable pension to the president. Former presidents receive a pension equal to the pay that the head of an executive department (Executive Level I) would be paid, as of 2012 $199,700.[4] The pension begins immediately after a president's departure from office.[5] A former president's widow may be paid a lifetime annual pension of $20,000 if she relinquishes any other statutory pension.[1]

T***sition

T***sition funding for the expenses of leaving office is available for seven months. It covers office space, staff compensation, communications services, and printing and postage associated with the t***sition.[1]

Staff and office

Private office staff and related funding is provided by the Administrator of the General Services Administration. Persons employed under this subsection are selected by and responsible only to the former president for the performance of their duties. Each former president fixes basic rates of compensation for persons employed for him (or her), not exceeding an annualized total of $150,000 for the first 30 months and $96,000 thereafter.[1]

Medical insurance

Former presidents are entitled to medical treatment in military hospitals; they pay for this at interagency rates set by the Office of Management and Budget. Two-term presidents may buy health insurance under the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program; a GSA legal opinion ruled Jimmy Carter and George H. W. Bush ineligible.[1][6]

Secret Service protection

Former presidents were entitled from 1965 to 1996 to lifetime Secret Service protection, for themselves and spouses and children under 16. A 1994 statute, (Pub.L. 103–329), limited post-p**********l protection to ten years for presidents inaugurated after January 1, 1997.[7] Under this statute, Bill Clinton would still be entitled to lifetime protection, and all subsequent presidents would have been entitled to ten years' protection.[8] On January 10, 2013, President Barack Obama signed legislation reinstating lifetime Secret Service protection for himself, George W. Bush, and all subsequent presidents.[9]

Richard Nixon relinquished his Secret Service protection in 1985, the only president to do so.[10]

GSA Allowances for Former Presidents, FY2008 Enacted
Allowance Carter Bush Clinton
Pension7 $191,000 $191,000 $201,000
Staff Salaries 96,000 96,000 96,000
Staff Benefits 2,000 64,000 65,000
Travel 2,000 56,000 50,000
Rental Payments 102,000 175,000 516,000
Telephone 10,000 17,000 79,000
Postage 15,000 13,000 15,000
Other Services 83,000 76,000 65,000
Printing 5,000 14,000 14,000
Supplies 5,000 15,000 26,000
Equipment 7,000 69,000 35,000
TOTAL $518,000 $786,000 $1,162,000
Source: Data provided by the Office of the Budget, General Services Administration, on January 2008

This is a little more than the $200,000.00 pension.

BoJester

Well it is nice to know that you can read when pushed to it. However your original post was misleading to say the least. And totally wrong regarding congressmen and senators

snowbear37 Loc: MA.

There is more money spent on former Presidents every year than the actual monetary pension these people get and you know it. Maybe you should learn to read. Read past the "salary" portion of your own ref. about t***sition expenses, travel expenses, office and staff expenses, "other" expenses, medical expenses, not to mention lifetime Secret Service protection.
If you don't like what I post, don't read it.

jonhatfield Loc: Green Bay, WI

Plain & simple: salaries were misstated. Worse: your post was a petty little political story line. That's OK--I'm still impressed with your and your corrector's ability to find sources and information.

wayne's news

Funny how you stack people in office yes they do have sweet deal. But lets try to do more for our military and through a bone for our seniors ss does not go far

BoJester

Take everything away from the past living presidents. There would be no reduction in the deficit or debt. But then stupid people like to make stupid assertions about the cost of pensions and perks for both public and private sectors

jonhatfield Loc: Green Bay, WI

Get over it, you unbelievable grumblers.

old white guy Loc: south Wisconsin

Doesn't matter what they get, they are corrupt and deserve nothing. Especially our President Barack Hussein Obama.