The younger Biden will be fortunate if he does not spend time in the hoosegow. And Dad will be fortunate if he is not impeached next year.
Surely, she would not use her position to enhance her personal wealth since that’s devious, dishonest, and downright dumb. It’s called a conflict of interest. Do you think Nancy would support a bill prohibiting any elected official from dealing in the stock market while in office?
America has been portrayed as the land of milk and honey, but most politicians know it is the land of milk and money. And they care little for the milk but have an insatiable taste for money.
Thus, an honest politician appears on the scene as often as a chaste prostitute does. Proof of that statement is seen in former U.S. Presidents getting rich after they leave office. Sometimes it is blatant fraud, and other times, it is less obvious, like a politician who uses his influence and contacts to promote his books, business, or boondoggle. And ends up getting filthy rich when out of office.
Most politicians seem to have resolved to do as little work as possible while in office but carry away as much cash as they can. America has the best politicians that money can buy, reminiscent of H. L. Mencken’s quip, “Every election is a sort of advance auction sale of stolen goods.”
President Thomas Jefferson said, “I have the consolation, too, of having added nothing to my private fortune during my public service, and of retiring with hands as clean as they are empty.”
Obviously, Jefferson was in the minority.
Many politicians disprove the adage, “Crime does not pay,” since going into public service to do good, they end up doing very well.
As a Christian Conservative, I firmly believe in free enterprise, personal initiative, and capital accumulation—as long as everything is honest and high principles are practiced. It is one thing to write an informative book that is in demand and another to accept a directorship on a board of a company of which the former president or relative has no knowledge. He is selling his name and accrued prestige without providing any other value to the business. However, the norm seems to be for politicians to “do public service” for a few years and then trade on that service to make big bucks by taking seats on various Boards of Directors, becoming lobbyists, signing book contracts, etc. Especially etc.
Ben Franklin, while in Europe in 1777, wrote to a friend about public service in America declaring, “In America, salaries, where indispensable, are extremely low, but much of public business is done gratis. The honor of serving the public ably and faithfully is deemed sufficient. Public spirit really exists there, and has great effects. In England it is universally deemed a nonentity, and whoever pretends to it is laughed at as a fool, or suspected as a knave.”
At the Constitutional Convention, the men came at a sacrifice; Madison was there using borrowed funds. Such sacrificial acts are unknown today.
Even Richard Nixon managed to turn a fiasco into financial success. Without a wealthy family or business to support him, he left $15 million to his wife. While he refused to follow the lucrative speech-making circuit, he wrote seven successful books and invested in California real estate.
Jimmy Carter “was broke” when he left the White House. Still, with a few book deals, his million-dollar Nobel Peace Prize, and his professorship at Emory University, he parlayed his holdings to $7 million.
Ronald Reagan, a B movie star, was financially comfortable when elected President but increased his wealth when leaving office. He received $2 million for two weeks of speeches in Japan, causing much criticism from the media. Even some principled conservatives were discouraged, distressed, and disgusted by that caper. When he died, he and Nancy were worth $38 million.
Bill Clinton admitted, “I’ve never had any money until I got out of the White House, but I’ve done reasonably well since then.” Well, that’s an understatement. After driving away from the White House, he began making speeches for up to $500,000 a pop. Does anyone, including Democrat fanatics, think any Clinton speech is worth that? How about $50? He and Hillary have made more than $230 million since leaving the White House.
Come on now, friend. No one believes those lightweights could have done that if they were Smith and Jones.
Forbes reported that Trump was worth 4.5 billion before his election, and as of September of 2021, his worth was down to $3.5 billion. So, Trump is the only President whose worth has decreased. Yet, his enemies accuse him of using his office to advance himself financially—even though he gave his presidential salary to charities!
I agree with Harry.
It seems most of our members of Congress and presidents have sold their names—and their honor. But then, they wore a symbolic sign around their neck at their election party: “I’m for sale to the highest bidder—make me an offer.” They professed they went into “public service” to do good, but they ended up doing well—very well.
“You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who can never repay you.” – John Bunyan. Baptist preacher
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