From the sublime to the ridiculous to the truly obscene, the various perks and privileges bestowed on our Chief Executive, our self-proclaimed man of the people, include the extravagant foolishness of having twenty-six cabin crewmembers on Air Force One, along with FIVE (5) chefs! In the White House theatre, two projectionists sleep in in order to remain on duty at all times, should a First Family member or guest fancy a film. A dog walker is also always on hand. One was reported to be paid $102,000 a year to walk and pick up after the first-family s canine. On at least one airline trip in the presidential fleet, the only passengers aboard were the First Canine and his handler. In 2009, the military payroll at Camp David was $8,000,000. And these men and women were not there as replacement for the Secret Service to protect the President, but rather to serve the First Family and its guests.
On the political front, we learn that in the first months of his presidency President Obama appointed 43 high-priced czars a number far greater than any previous president, and not one of these professionals voted to office by taxpayers or subject to the approval of any other governmental body or official. During his current term he has also appointed 469 professionals who could be called, assistant presidents. 226 of them are paid over $100,000 a year and 77 of them paid as much as $172,000 a year.
The British spent $57.8 Million on its royal family last year. We Americans spent nearly $2 Billion housing, transporting, entertaining, staffing, our First Family and paying a hefty portion of the president s campaign expenses.
Every responsible citizen wants the President of the United States to be safe, comfortable and happy wherever he is. But the unchecked growth of out-of control perks, bestowed on this duly elected official without oversight by any individual or governing body, are what author Robert Keith Gray views as a dangerous surrender of the democratic process by giving the seated president a virtually insurmountable re-election advantage over his opponent.
Robert Keith Gray, a Washington DC pioneering public affairs activist and political insider who worked within the White House under three presidents and enjoyed close ties with two more, has studied this troubling issue by researching, investigating and drilling down to get to the truth about presidential perks. What he discovered led him to view the Obama lifestyle and administration as our presidency going royal.
Meticulously contrasting current presidential perks an d privileges with past presidencies, factoring in changes in inflation and other changes in the world outside the White House, Gray bravely raises this all-important question: With our current president s billion- dollar lifestyle, can we reasonably expect a president to identify with the real-world problems of his citizens tens of millions of them currently unemployed?
By time you finish reading this book, you may come to agree with Gray that the ultimate perk we the public have unwittingly given this president and all presidents to follow, unless we stop the madness is the certainly unfair, unequal and ultimately unconscionable taxpayer assisted re-election. When you arrive at that place where the invisible has become visible, the solutions he offers will hopefully spur you, and many others to take the appropriate action...before it s too late!
