Bush gets paid 2 times more than his predecessors?

[kentuck]

Before Clinton left office, Congress voted to increase pay of the President from $200,000 per year to $400K per year. Is it because they knew Dubya was going to be two times better than any president ih history? In hindsight, this must seem like one of the all-time blunders of any Congress in history. Considering the vacation time this president has taken, who can argue that he is underpaid?

[Atman]

1. Minimum wage would be more than he's worth.

He should be paying US.

[valerief]

2. For the inevitable gas money increase. n/t

[wakeme2008]

3. Add to that Bush has used AF1 as a commuter car

IMHO, no stats, Bush has used AF1 for more trips in one year than Clinton has in 2-4 years.

[redwitch]

4. Come on now.

He's doin' the people's bidness. See, in other words, the people's bidness is somethin' he's doin'.

[Kagemusha]

5. Yeah, I've never forgotten the pay increase.

But what can you do. People were saying, oh look, our President is put to shame by major athletes! He needs something! Can't lose good people to the private sector.

And yes, then he goes on all those vacations like he's royalty. Because it's Hard Work.

But no question, he has the right to do that, and hey, Congress has the power to raise his pay. Not one iota illegal or improper, just well, ironic, I would say.

[gator_in_Ontario]

6. Oh what the hell?

Lets take up a collection and give it to him on the condition he steps down (and takes his flunkies with him) and let us have some real leadership. I'm sure we could make that $400,000 look pitiful!

[BlueEyedSon]

7. Because at 400k, the office would be immune to bribery and corruption

which was a big problem when the salary was a measly 200k.

:sarcasm:

[kurth]

8. Duh!! He's 2 times smarter. Harvard MBA.

A thousand times more destructive.

[Olney Blue]

9. Can we get our money back? He failed.

[spanone]

10. He's making so much from the War Machine 400K is chump change.

[MissWaverly]

11. He should pay us to put up whith him

[NYC Liberal]

12. Well..they voted the pay increase in 1999 so they didn't really know about

Dubya yet.

[Turbineguy]

13. It's not what he's paid,

it's what he costs.

[never_get_over_it]

14. OK pretend Gore was President

do you think that 200K is an appropriate salary for the President of the US. I'm pretty sure the pay raise was voted in before the freak in chief was selected to be put in place for Clinton's successor. Members of Congress in the 90's made about 125K and I think it is 165K now. You can't really think that a member of Congress should make only 35K less than the President. I don't have a problem with the Presidential salary - I have a problem with the freak who is collecting it.

[Marymarg]

15. President Kennedy

If I remember correctly, President Kennedy did not accept his salary, saying that he was wealthy and did not need it.

Someone as old as I am help me on this. Am I right??