Payments for parasites

Few people would argue that the President of the United States of America is the most prestigious job in the world. Former presidents in modern times have no difficulty whatsoever earning fabulous sums of money in addition to their generous annual pensions by writing books and memoirs about their time as president; appearing for private speaking engagements all over the world; and accepting lucrative positions in the private sector.

So there is simply no reason why any former president should become a government parasite sucking even more sustenance from the public trough, especially if he is already wealthy by American standards. They absolutely shouldn’t be begging for more public taxpayer money even before they leave office.

But that is exactly what President Barack Obama is doing now ten months before his term expires. He’s begging Congress to substantially increase the amount of financial benefits in the year 2017 available from the federal government for the support of former presidents.  

This after he already successfully persuaded Congress to hike the former presidential payments in 2016. “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,” reads a report from the Congressional Research Service.

Now he’s asking for nearly 18% more for 2017 -- $3,865,000; an annual increase of $588,000 -- of which he will personally benefit upon his own transition from incumbent to former president. 

In addition to the generous pension he’ll receive, among other things, office expenses, staff and support, a travel allowance, Secret Service protection, and spousal benefits. His pension alone will be equal to the current salary of cabinet secretaries – well over $200,000 per year.

George W. Bush, for example, a wealthy man on his own right, received for the year 2015 alone, well over $1 million in former presidential governmental perks. That, in my opinion makes him a former presidential parasite. 

Now President Obama seeks to join him on the former presidents gravy train of ever more taxpayer payments to parasites.