There seems to be complete agreement among citizens, politicians and media muppets that our nation's finances are on life support. Liberals want to raise taxes. Conservatives want to reduce spending. Neither will fix the problem, not even in combination. But while we're riding this fantasy train through a wonderland that believes this problem can be fixed with a few temporary policy changes, lets add one more means of bolstering the country's bottom line: presidential paybacks.
By now everyone realizes (or should) that 'serving' as President of the United States is, upon leaving office, an express, one way ticket on the mother of all gravy trains. Between 2001 and 2010, Bill Clinton earned a cool $75 million in speaking fees. George W. Bush has hit the $15 million dollar mark since leaving office in 2009. Clearly this money should go back to the country's coffers, since had it not been for the citizens of the country electing them, neither would by any stretch of the imagination be earning such outrageous incomes today. Considering how much treasure was spent on Clinton and Bush for protection and travel during their combined 16 years in office, maybe a little Presidential Payback is in order. I propose that all such speeches be taxed at 95%, with the money going straight back to the White House budget to fund the protection and travel expenses of whomever the current president is. The same will hold true for Obama when he leaves office. Obama will of course opt for an even higher rate of taxation on himself, given his views on redistribution of wealth, and the responsibility of those to whom the opportunities afforded by this nation have been especially generous.
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