Who Makes the Big Bucks at the White House?

obama's speech writer really earned his money. Without him, barrack is just an babbling idiot.

"Wanting to demonize and punish those among us who are the most successful is nonsensical."
Posted by: WhereWasThePress? | Jul 5, 2009 9:35:49

Not 'demonize and punish' my dear . .. I certainly didn't say that and have no idea why you'd try to force this into the discussion - it's phony.

I'm just not going to feel sorry for people earning over $250,000 per year should they have to pay a small percentage increase in taxes.

And you really did miss the whole point regarding what you call 'perks'. Flying around as part of your job is not a perk, nor is secret agency protection, or a driver. Nor is the White House residence . . . these are things that are REQUIRED as part of the job.

You think having to have Secret Service protect you (and your wife and children) 24-hours a day from nutcases, and political wingdings is a 'perk'?

"And no, please, I'm not going to feel sorry for people earning over $250,000 per year."

Who asked you to FEEL anything either way about certain earners. I am very happy with my life. It's awesome! In my first full time job after college I earned $11,000 a year. I learned a lot about thrift, hard work and survival with no government help.

Danita, your desire for class warfare is a very dangerous game. Wanting to demonize and punish those among us who are the most successful is nonsensical. "The problem with socialism is you eventually run out of other people's money."

Your desire to twist what I say says more about you than me. If you still do not understand how perks add to someone's salary and standard of living, I have tried. You are either purposefully misunderstanding or honestly, naively ignorant. Either way, I've got bigger fish to fry.

Get Chrissy Matthews in there...he'll write speeches for free-just the thrill of being near Dear Leader would be more than enough compensation for him.

Of COURSE Favreau makes the most.... it's darn taxing coming up with the **** Obama channels. I'm sure it's difficult (but not, apparently, impossible) for him to find time in his busy schedule for his keggers...I mean, after all, he only got to grope Hillary for the camera ONCE. Poor, poor overworked BOY.

WhereWasThePress . ..

You seemed to miss the whole thing . . . flying around as part of your job is not a perk, nor is secret agency protection, or a driver. Nor is the White House residence . . . these are things that are REQUIRED as part of the job.

You think having to have Secret Service protect you (and your wife and children) 24-hours a day from nutcases, and political wingdings is a 'perk'?

And no, please, I'm not going to feel sorry for people earning over $250,000 per year.

I've earned around $80,000 and I've seen people who earned $32,000 - I was filthy rich compared to them.

If you're earning over $250,000 you go right ahead and cry about it.

Danita, I am telling you the difference between salaries and salaries with governmental perk. These governmental perks allow high level government employees to live like rock stars on lower than rock star salaries.

If you cannot understand that, just say so. I will try to explain it to you again. If you are jealous of these governmental employees' perks that are not counted as income, so be it.

BTW ~ Those who earn more than $250,000 are not necessarily rich. Many are your neighbors and friends who own small businesses and who have family, charitable and financial obligations, including the very heavy responsibility of employing some of their fellow Americans.

"I am technically rich but pay for my own air travel, vacations, house, utilities, private health care and cars." Posted by: WhereWasThePress? | Jul 3, 2009 1:11:09 PM

Oh you poor thing!

Nobody gave you a room in the White House to live in? Are you running the country?

You make me feel sorry for the 'earning over $250,000 a year crowd'. You should try to get the health industry lobbyists to pay for your vacations trips.

"Looks like none of these people at the White House even come close. I guess $250,000 a year actually is a lot of money."

Add in the actual costs of government perks (like free air travel, health care, cars and drivers etc.) and the salaries would rise.

Just like Obama's $400,000/year salary doesn't come close to the total cost of presidential perks like Air Force One, Camp David, living in the White House with 100's of staff, health care, huge pension for life, etc...

I am technically rich but pay for my own air travel, vacations, house, utilities, private health care and cars. Comparing high level government salaries to the private sector is comparing apples to oranges.

Left a decimal out. Each of us pay .1316 hundredths of a cent, not 1.316 hundredths.

Darn, but there sure are a *lot* of folks who don't recognize notions such as "the subject of this story is the salaries of each White House employee." that's no fun, just a bunch of numbers. So, let's talk about MJ, cap-and-trade, Wall Street, Chicago cronies, spew hatred, blah blah blah. These sorts of things didn't go on with Bush II? Clinton? Bush I? Reagan? Carter? Ford? Nixon? LBJ? JFK? Need I go on? The President makes 400K -- peanuts; just did the math, and based on a population of 304,000,000, each dollar he receives is paid, collectively, by 760 Americans. That works out to just under 1316 hundredths of one cent, per person, per year. Real heavy burden. Besides, it's the same as every other President has received since Congress last gave the President a pay hike some quite-a-few years back. Let's look at it from another angle. At that salary, the President -- any President on the 400K program -- is on duty 24/7/365 (we can safely ignore leap years here). That means a 400K President makes just under $45.79/hour. True, that's 24/7/365, but it still is a bargain-basement deal, all things considered. Even when a President goes on "vacation," there are folks with him, especially intelligence and security folks. He still gets his breakfast intel report plus any hot news rolling in overnight that didn't require waking him up. The anonymous guy with the nuclear football is ever present. So is a red phone. So is a hotline to the Kremlin (and, I imagine, to certain other capitals). Plus, he has to learn to deal with the fact that there's every chance that some nutcase is trying to kill him, planning even while he, the President, is trying to eat his Wheaties between intelligence summaries, etc. I don't begrudge ANY PResident his laughable salary. If I drew that hourly wage for a 40-hour week, my annual gross would be about $95,243. A darned good salary in much of America -- but not everywhere (including Washington). Compare that to top executives; they'd laugh an offer of 400K right out the door. And they don't have, oh, the nuclear football, for instance. They don't have to keep filed at the backs of their minds the idea of "38 minutes" -- said to be the max time an ICBM can reach the continental U.S. from anywhere on the planet. (Not much time to decide whether or not to make substantial swaths of the planet glow in the dark, is it?) I say all this not in defense of Obama, per se, but in defense of *whoever* is sitting in that particular hot seat. Then there's "nepotism," which some apparently genuinely believe Obama invented. Didn't GW have some Texas buddies? How about Clinton's Arkansas mob? Etc. etc. etc.? (Carter especially infamously, with his Georgia peanut farmers, bless his heart.) What boss *doesn't* want people he/she knows and trusts around him or her? Then there are all the perks: free room and board in nice digs with a great kitchen, and a staff to do everything. Invented by Obama, to hear some people say it. I guess his predecesors had to send out for take-away. And maybe they didn't *really* get to sleep at the White House -- that was just for show-and-tell; they really stayed in the Motel 6 down the way. Please. Though I personally eventually became disenchanted with GW, I never begrudged him his salary and perks. Nor did I appreciate the exact same sort of attacks that his enemies launched against him, attacks based on prejudice and "my-mind's-already-made-up; don't-confuse-me-with-the-facts" stands. There are plenty of valid reasons to have a view different from the President -- any President. As for a lot of the allegations of "behind closed doors," I'm JEALOUS of all you people who have privileged inside information tracks, apparently right into the Oval Office, the West Wing, even the private quarters. Puh-leeeeze. *Besides,* the story's about WH salaries -- that's all. As a good British cop would say, "Move along, move along; nothing to see here."

Glenn Beck has never said he hopes America is attacked. And the administration has called reporters before a pres conference... huffpo iran question. But I guess the ends justify the means. The screening of questions is at the town hall meeting.

I can only hope that ABC pays attention to this, because I certainly do not trust the other networks, such as, CBS and NBC as they are certainly becoming a government run media center, and yes I do watch Fox News network. For some time I had refrained myself from watching their news, due to the fact I thought they were just way out there. But, I see that they are willing to ask the hard question that face Americans today from our politicians, and when you scrambling for words, lying right to our face, I wondering why doesn’t ABC do the same, go for their throats, and really hold them accountable, as to what they say and do. Stand Up ABC and do the right thing, rather than playing the political correct game. If you listen to people of America you will have to tool that can’t be stop, you’ll have our voice.

I've seen sympathy expressed on these boards for the poor people earning over $250,000 who might have to see their taxes raised.

Looks like none of these people at the White House even come close. I guess $250,000 a year actually is a lot of money.

That is quite a setback for Rahm...after all, he made nearly $20 million on Wall St. in less than 2 yrs, without an MBA or law degree.

However, he escaped the President's wrath about outrageous pay on Wall St and corp. America...

What hypocrites.

It is fitting that the President's speechwriter would command the top salary.
After all, where would the President be without him and his teleprompter?

Completely agree with this.
Posted by: Ryan C | Jul 2, 2009 2:21:20 PM

Whoa. Did I fall asleep and wake up in a different universe? (No comments, please!)

"Only in America could a week long look at Michael Jackson life get in the way of a bill that is going to last long after his death. I have been a long time viewer of ABC news, and have relied upon their journalist to give me a sense of what is going on with our America."

Completely agree with this.

Only in America could a week long look at Michael Jackson life get in the way of a bill that is going to last long after his death. I have been a long time viewer of ABC news, and have relied upon their journalist to give me a sense of what is going on with our America. This Cap and Trade bill needs to be FRONT news each night, so Americans see what it really is, and how much does it affects the average person living in America. I am asking you, ABC to look at this bill and explain to your viewers just who does it benefits. I can’t tell you how disappointing it is hear all the coverage of Michael Jackson, when in reality it does not matter to Americans what the hell happens to his estate. GIVE THIS BILL ALL THE AIRTIME THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN THE MICHAEL JACKSON STORY SO AMERICANS CAN REALLY DECIDE. I know that I’m only one voice, and for those of who read this pass it on, it really does matter. We need our voices heard.

"You were rambling a little bit. PS You forgot Glenn Beck"

You mean the guy who hopes America is attacked by terrorist with a major weapons strike so America will wake up and get it?

That Glen Beck?