Quote Originally Posted by Jingles in Boofland View Post
It's commonplace in the US for former presidents, senators, congressmen/women, etc., to get paid exorbitant salaries or speaking fees, after they have left office - They just try to keep all of that hidden from the public as much as they can because they go all out to preserve the false impression their adoring public has of them.

Ten years or so ago, Bill Clinton had a hard time getting a mortgage for their home in fashionable Chappaqua, NY; today he's worth more than $80 million and charges something like $150,000 per appearance for speaking engagements - Hillary Clinton is worth somewhere around $35 million - Obama is worth almost $11 million right now, which is nothing compared to the hundreds of millions the Obama's will rake in when he leaves office with books deals, speaking engagements, board memberships, and other lucrative opportunities they'll be offered.

Considering that Bill Clinton was practically broke when he took office in 1993 as well as when he left, life after politics seems to have been immensely lucrative for ex-heads of state in recent years, Tony Blair included - Ronald Reagan was once paid $2 million for one speech he gave in Japan, but I believe too that they all have the right to make as much money as they can legally of course, in a free, capitalist society.

Senators and congressmen/women usually end up working for lobbying firms, where they can put to use the dubious skills they acquired in manipulating The Body Politic to suit them personally and politically as "lawmakers"; which is really what their terms in office are all about, to build a résumé born of huff, puff, and falsehoods, so they can land that six or seven-figure income loaded with perks and pleasures, plus a house in the Hamptons, and a getaway in Malibu - When the job calls for pushing the nefariously selfish interests of big business, and the agendas of dangerous third world countries, among other unsavory job descriptions, they more than fill the bill - To call them disingenuous would be a compliment; to call them a disgrace would be the truth.
Yes, disingenuous was the wrong word but being British of course the right word is totally unprintable. I also take your point about the money these people make in 'free' capitalist societies like the US and the UK. Yes, let them do it, there's nothing we can do or say to change it anyway. They're never going to show any sort of restraint themselves and so we're stuck with it. They should have more honour and all that but I imagine I'm just singing into the wind there.

No what I really object to with Blair is that his Middle East Envoy 'job' is funded by tax payers. We pay for that million pound a year apartment in Jerusalem that he has uses once a month and we also pay for him to flap around the middle east doing nothing beyond spouting platitudes at people. I have no doubt that this current Prime Minister, Cameron, will also find some 'job' to do when he leaves another great mess for some other over ambitious rich kid to clear up in 4 years time. Where are the politicians who give a damn about their country over their own career? What has happened to them?