Why does a president continue to get his salary after he leaves office?

Question

That's ridiculous to me. After a president is out of office he should get nothing else unless he runs and wins for something else. Ending the lifetime salary for Presidents and others who are no longer in office would probably do a great job of cutting our deficit. What do you think?

Answer 1

The president does not continue to draw his salary after leaving office.

The president does draw a 197,000 a year pension.

Why ?

Because it hurts the dignity of the office, for an ex president to be seen on TV advertising Depends, etc.

I don't really think, paying Clinton, Carter and the two Bush's a pension, is gonna make a dent in the deficit.

We spend 10 times as much each year, studying the s*x lives of three legged snails.

Answer 2

its like retirement.

Answer 3

So does the Congress. It's nothing short of a ripoff of the American people. Legalized thievery if you will. If all of them had to rely on a medial retirement income and Social Security, the SSA would not be in such a financial turmoil, and would have been fixed a long time ago. It's just another fine example of the way the government screws the working class people every day. I can only hope and pray that my grandchildren, will be smart enough to change this unjust practice.