Isn't $109 million obscene?

[Onlooker]

When Reagan left office and went to Japan to give a speech for $2 million, liberals were up in arms at how he had exploited the presidency for his own economic interests. There's no way the Clintons could have made the kind of money they did without setting out to exploit their years in the White House for personal gain. It's truly disgusting. I have been a lukewarm supporter of Obama from the start and had strong positive feelings for the Clintons, but after reading of their greed and the way they exploited their service to the nation, I'm pretty disgusted with them.

[msongs]

1. praise donnie mcclurkin that obama never accepts $$ for books and speaking nt

[thewiseguy]

2. If a democrat does it then its OK

When Cheney makes money from Halliburton because he can then he is evil and a crook.

[movonne]

10. By God I think you got it....but Cheney is evil...not just because he

makes millions from Haliburton...How about this war and the one he wants to start in Iran for starters..you may add to it...

[thewiseguy]

12. I was referring to his shady business deals

How much heat did he get for that from the democrats? I hate for this to be a one way street you know.

[redqueen]

13. On that note...

I was honestly surprised to see nothing linking him to Giustra in those documents.

[Taxmyth]

3. He earned it

'nuff said.

[kiranon]

5. Amen.

[gateley]

4. I don't think it's limited to former Presidents -

Many big name politicians trade on their rep and who they are to command huge speaking fees.

And yes, it IS obscene. As is the amount of money being spent on these presidential campaigns. Leaves a really bad tasted in my mouth. Disgusts me.

[redqueen]

15. That's how I see it too.

If they're big-name politicians and still influential in the party... then I can't help but detect a whiff of corruption.

All that money spent on speeches... while workers have trouble making ends meet. Bleh.

[Lucinda]

6. Some actors make 20 million for a few weeks of work on a move and some press junkets.

[redqueen]

16. But they bring a return on the investment (ROI).

The studios pay that much not because the artist has clout with powerful people... but because that performer will bring in moviegoers. They pay that actor's salary, really.

What are these people being paid for? What's the ROI?

[tokenlib]

7. Only to those of us struggling at 50,000 or less...

..and it's nothing personal! :) We just have our world--and they have theirs...

[Raven]

8. I can't understand how anyone could charge $250k for one speech

and get it. It seems so twisted to me.

[thewiseguy]

9. Try 450k for one speech

I am sure he earned it! And he got that money because he can!
:sarcasm:

[bhikkhu]

14. How anyone could charge a charity 250k for one speech...

and how does a charity justify paying 250k for one speech. I don't get it all all.

[redqueen]

17. Exactly!

I figured they must be trying to bring in more donations... but I have to wonder if the ROI justifies it...

[thewiseguy]

18. Because he was a great president!

Plus movie actors and celebrities make millions for making movies! And Gore is making 100k for a speech too!

:sarcasm:

[GodlessBiker]

26. Yes, how the charity justifies it is beyond me. The state's AG should look into how tax

deductible contributions are being used. Unless it was at a fundraiser and they made more than Clinton cost.

[rasputin1952]

32. It worked for Reagan, and there wan't any problem w/it...

in the public eye.

Reagan took in more for speeches than anyone else, right up to the point where Alzheimers made public appearances impossible.

[DJ13]

11. I agree

The current practice of making hundreds of thousands of dollars for giving a single 1 hour speech is tantamount to graft after the fact for politicians.

They screw the average person over for a few years by giving tax incentives, tax cuts, and government contracts with no accountability to these corporations, then when they are out of office its time to payback their politician by over paying for a simple speech that few really care about.

Its little better than corporations funneling money directly into a politician's bank account that cant be touched until they leave office.

[redqueen]

19. You mean like with Halliburton & Cheney?

[niceypoo]

20. For Months the Obamites went bezerk over the Clintons tax records...

Now they go bezerk over this. Jesus freaking christ. I have come to the conclusion that supporting Obama = hate.

Basically we have three republicans to choose from in this campaign, Hillary and her idiotic statements, Obama and his hateful, smear spewing, desperate 'supporters,' and McCain, the Bush clone.

The smear machine rolls on

Unity my ass

[MNDemNY]

23. On another note, where are Obamas records of his time

in the Illinois Senate? And don't say he doesn't have any 'cause that is a pure LIE.Time to come clean ,Obama.

[Life Long Dem]

28. $109 million.

[emilyg]

29. You got it.

[XtraProudDem]

33. Again...

This Obama supporter has yet to "spew" any "smear," and with a lead in the delegate count I am hardly "desperate."

[bowens43]

21. Depends entirely on how they made it.

There is nothing wrong with charging what you can get for speaking engagements.

[donheld]

22. Yes, unless

It's in my bank account :D

[Booster]

24. If I read it correctly, they made 109 million from 2000, which puts

it in a little more prospective. If I read it wrong, I'm sure someone will flame me to death for it.

[onenote]

34. nope, you got it right

$109 over 8 years (with 2007 estimated,not actual). Of that amount, $50 million (approx) came from Bill's speaking fees ($6.4 million/year) and $40 million (approx) came from book sales. The rest is Hillary's salary and various investment returns (approx 2.4 million/year over 8 years).

Of course, the money didn't come in evenly over that period. In 2000, income was under $360,000 (and the Clintons were still paying off their legal fees, which some have estimated to have been in the neighborhood of $12 million)

[GodlessBiker]

25. It's only obscene because I didn't make that much.

[McCamy Taylor]

27. All ex-presidents make money on the lecture circuit, esp if they are articulate.

It is like being ex-Miss America.

[Zavulon]

30. The amount itself is not obscene, it depends on how it was accumulated and how it's spent.

Actually, for all Bill Clinton did for the country, what he earns when compared to what a ballplayer does strikes me as if Clinton almost underpaid. However, seeing that every cent of charitable donation in '06 went to the Clinton Foundation bothers me a lot, if it's true.

Nevertheless, their salary has no effect on my opinion of Hillary as president, too many other things have influenced it. IWR, the drivers' licenses for illegals, the fake tears, the constant lies, etc. - I'm counting the days until Obama gets the nomination and hope Hillary cries when it happens.

[defendandprotect]

31. Hey . . . that's only $13 million and something a year . . . isn't that what everyone makes?

Note that the Congressional salary now brings is $1 MILLION a year ---
Think we made a big mistake there --- except citizens have no voice in Congressional salaries --
they just increase them now when they feel like it ---!!

[onenote]

35. you might want to correct your post -- senator s do not make $1 million/year

Another in a long line of posts here on DU where posters shoot first and then ask questions. One might want to take a bit more care to actually understand what they are posting about before they embarass themselves by making a silly misstatement.

A congressional salary does NOT bring in $1 million/yr. The approx $1 million listed as Hillary's salary covers the entire period from 2000. The current Senate salary is $165,000. When HRC was first elected, a Senate salary was around $145,000.

[defendandprotect]

36. Sorry -- you're correct, of course ---

Yes -- they mentioned it was $1 million from her Congressional salary ---

and I should have rethought that --

The Congressional salaries + benefits while not $1 million per year are still a good deal.

And thanks for keeping things straight here --- !!