Ok Aldeth, what did you think of last night's debate?

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Only if you don't count any of the perks. While in office, the President has the highest total compensation in the world -- he beats out Warren Buffett and Bill Gates.

Personally, I would like to see Obama lose. He needs to be held accountable for the ridiculous level of spending. We should have held Bush accountable for his spending as well -- and would have if the democrats would have put a real candidate against him (come on ... Gore then Kerry ... they just gave those elections away). I like Buffett's solution to the debt crisis (I'm paraphrasing): "Make an amendment where a sitting congress and president cannot hold public office again if they allow the deficit to rise above a fixed level of GNP. That would end the debt crisis overnight."

I believe Obama will win, not because anyone believes he's doing an awesome job but mainly because people are (unreasonably) afraid of what 'the other guy' will do. An evil you know is better than an evil you don't know.

Last election I was excited, I (wrongly) believed it was an election between two good choices. This time I'm back to voting against the politician I like least. Sucks.

To answer Harbs question:

No one. It's really sad.

 

I was wondering about that as it just didn't seem accurate.

 

The video I saw was faked? If so that is good news. Got picked up by a reputable online station, One supposedly reporting the convention news. however I couldn't find any more info on it.

Re the President and his perks. His salary is not that high. Sure he gets perks.

T2, if I have to choose between a speak-out-of-both-sides-of-the-mouth guy and Obama I will take Obama. He at least seems to be a consistent idiot. Better the devil you know than one you don't. Hmm.. that depends on the devil but in this case I think I will follow this advice.

Granted that the lesser of two evils is still evil but sometimes we have to make that choice.

 

So that's somehow better than someone who at least occasionally isn't an idiot?

 

Hey Splunge,

Are you implying that Romney is not an idiot? Maybe not but he changes what he says constantly. Maybe that is being smart but in my book it is means he has no morals, no validity, no real opinions or thoughts of his own. If he is a corporate psychopath he isn't a very smart or capable one. Benedict Arnold had better values he only turned his coat once.

The Republican Party as a party not as individuals has a poor record in regard to gay rights which I support very strongly, some of the major party leaders have made statements in regard to women that I find offensive. The dignity and respect for women is also very important to me.

I have issues with the current Republican Party and its leaders. There have been a couple of times I have voted for Republicans. Here in New Jersey we voted in a Republican Governor because of the wide spread corruption of the Democratic Party. Neither party is perfect but that is because they are made of human beings who are not perfect.

My choice is based on the issues that are important to me. This choice was made after much thought and discussion and was not lightly made.

 

Nah, dmc, since I haven't been around for a hwil he wants to see if he can get a rise out of me then he'll laugh.

Actually Splunge probably could make a few good points. He certainly has the background to intelligently discuss fiscal responsibility. Since I also have an accounting background I might even understand him. However I have considered that as it is important not only to the USA but to the world. Canada I believe is doing better than we are so what they have to say is valuable. When it comes to ObamaCare I don't think anyone really understands it or can explain it.

However human rights are important to me. A strong economy that does allow people freedom to be who and what they are is just not worth it in my opinion. He (or she) who is willing to give up freedom in order to be comfortable is in effect a salve with a soft master but nonetheless a slave.

 

I'm a slave, not a salve!

 

Good one!

 

I wonder how much healthcare could be paid for the amount that has been spent on this circus of a presidential campaign.

 

Quite scary, isn't it? There's a lot to be said for state-funded campaigns - with fixed TV/radio time allocation. But that would be a communist/socialist/liberal/current catch word way of doing things. We all know the good democratic way would be to sell off the votes to the highest bidder.

 

Tsk, Rotku, such bad language. Why state funded campaigns would mean big business and big unions couldn't influence the candidates. Why the candidates might even need to address the issues. Now you know we can't have that.

 

Actually, you are partly wrong. While Romney is clearly an idiot, and I'm seriously considering becoming a US citizen just so I can vote against him, I was also somewhat curious about the notion that Nakia would vote for someone who is always (and predictaby) an idiot, rather than vote for someone who at least gets it right once in awhile.

And to clarify, that is not to say that I think Obama is generally an idiot, nor that I think Romney is any less of an idiot.

 

Splunge, I haven't the slightest intention of voting for Romney. He speaks as the wind blows and nothing he says can be believed. I am not fond of Obama but he seems to be more consistent. Personally I don't care for either candidate so it boils down to the lesser of the two idiots.

 

I would have to say then that history is repeating itself. It seems like Romney's largest asset (politically not financially) is he is NOT Obama. He's not inspiring in the least - in fact he's about a milquetoast as you can get. After four years of an economy that has ranged from terrible to below average, all while heaping on a huge amount of debt, Obama is certianly not operating from a position of strength. And yet, even with the bounce that Romney received in the polls following last week's debate, he's STILL behind.

Talk about needing a real candidate.

I think you two are talking about different things. The President's base salary is part of the public record. Obama makes $400,000 each year as president. That said, I wouldn't even want to guess what is actual salary is in regards to the perks. Most jobs don't give you a personal security detail, or use of Air Force One. Or an armored car with a personal driver. Even once you overlook the really high end stuff, there's a lot of other things. Michelle doesn't go out shopping for groceries for example. And the people who do purchase the groceries for the White House don't bill the president. Everyone in the Obama family is wearing designer labels, and that's not being docket from Mr. Obama's paycheck. (In reality everyone who pays taxes pays for it.)

And all of this is just scratching the surface of the perks. While I have never heard of the Warren Buffet comparison that T2B makes, I can easily see how the amount of perks the president receives greatly exceed his base salary.

 

These aren't perks, though. These are necessities of the job and shouldn't be counted toward calculating the President's income. Without these things, the President quite easily dies.

Construction workers don't consider hard hats a perk, for example.

 

I have made a study of it but I think the Presidential perks come after he leaves office. He get a pension, will be in demand for talks for which he will be well paid, books, and I am sure a few things I don't know about or have not thought of.

 

No, it's not. Just because something comes with the job doesn't mean it isn't a necessity for the job. A crane operator doesn't climb aboard his crane every day and say "what a nice perk." He didn't pay for the crane, but without it, he is no crane operator.

A "perk" is defined as a nice benefit, not a necessity. Company car? Perk. Free coffee in the breakroom? Perk. Personal chef? Perk. Five-star accommodations? Perk. Any job can be done without these things, but they certainly make the job more enjoyable, and therefore ensure better performance and retention of key personnel.

Secret service protection is not a perk. Air Force One and it's F18 escorts are not perks. An armored car is not a perk. Without any one of these things, the President of the United States is a dead man.