Yikes. Just what we need, higher salaries in Washington. :-) Pumpi, in most cases, the salary for our President is just a formality. Most of them donate their entire salary to charity. The power they have as leader of over 300 million people is certainly worth more than $400,000. I've known people who make a lot less but have so many connections, they can get anything they want. Money is nice to have, but knowing the right people and having the power to control others is the ultimate weapon. Bill Gates is much richer than George W. Bush but he didn't have the authority to send troops to Iraq. $400,000 to Bush is peanuts (actually for Pres Carter it probably was. lol) But seriously, Bush made $15 million when he sold the Rangers. He ain't poor. He also gets free room and board and doesn't pay for transportation, etc. You actually aren't wrong about that $400,000 since 30 years ago it was about 1/2, so it hasn't kept up with inflation. I have no idea what the President's expense account is, but I'm sure it's pretty high. Maybe someone else can answer that. Regarding your question about the actors, I agree. The movie stars play a role, politicians play a role so why not? I guess one reason is that if people had a choice of watching Dick Cheney & Condi Rice or Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie running around playing assassins, well we all know who'd they'd pick!!

Pumpi, I shouldn't have said most presidents donate their income. I don't know that for a fact. Some have. I just looked up the year that the $200,000 salary was doubled to $400,000 and it was in 1999 during the Clinton administration. Maybe Hillary told Bill she was planning to run in 2008. LOL

He is the commander in chief because he is ultimately the person in charge of all the armed forces. As well as the main person responsible for pushing the button on any nuclear weapon.

As far a salary is concerned the president of the USA shouldn't receive any salary.

15 million dollars is not enough for president Bush...

You can have him for much less than that. I'll even pay the shipping :-)

"As well as the main person responsible for pushing the button on any nuclear weapon."

Thanks a lot, four4me. My insomnia is bad enough!   

time*treat, I don't know if our president would want to go to Panama. He'd have to learn "Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job" in Spanish. How do you pronounce nuclear in Spanish? :-)

Yes. After all, it is Paraguay where the U.S. officially "has no plans" to build a military base.
http://usinfo.state.gov/media/Archive/2006/Jan/12-623470.html
I won't clutter pumpi76's blog with other things we had "no plans" to do.

There was a presidential couple that made it to the white house with a modest net worth, now they are worth more than 50 million and one of them charges $250K to several million to BS for an hour or so. They don't need a raise it actually should be lowered for all elected officials and their pensions for life.

A president shouldn't have to write books to amass 7 million dollars (talking about ex-president Bill Clinton) and 7 million dollars is very little...
Nuclear you say it the same way in Spanish...
I am not looking at a president having 35 million dollars now, i am looking at his kids and future grandkids having that money...How will you feel if you told someone ohhh Mr. Linconl or ex-president Ford/Nixon were my great, great grandparents....Remember in the future things are going to get only more expensive...How will you feel knowing that your great, great, great grandkids was president Richard Nixon and you didn't go to Harvard but instead to a modest college...

a president shouldn't have to work after he leaves office...He shouldn't have to move a finger...

Is wil be sad to see Chelsea Clinton having to marry someone with money to amass a fortune...

If you was a president and you have a daugther it will be sorry to see her seeking someone with money to amass a fortune...Also if you have a son, very few are the women who have substantial money....

Politicians spend millions to get these low paying jobs! A lot of times out of their own pockets... What does that tell ya??? "IT'S NOT ABOUT THE MONEY" it's about the power and corruption that comes with the job... Pumpi if you think any president in your lifetime has to work after leaving office your wrong. I'm sure palms are gettin greased over and over again. Oil men enter office, gas 1.50 a gallon, oil men leave office, gas 3-4 bucks a gallon. HMMM i wonder who's profiting off of this??? We all know who's paying for it.
How many x-presidents do you see wondering around skid row? ZERO

we can talk and talk, but if we could "read people's heart"...

people can talk and talk, i know better...

And a lot of people do stuff when they are young, but don't plan ahead for their kids or for the future...

and the president has to turn one day 85 years old, who is going to take care of him?