OBAMA NET WORTH & POLICIES

As near as I can tell from a variety of sources I would consider reasonably fair and reliable the net worth of Barack Obama in 2007 was $1.3 million. By 2012 this amount increased to $11.4 million. In addition to his $400,000 salary, Obama had income from the two books he ostensibly wrote as well as a more than generous expense account as president and of course free travel on Airforce One. Michelle Obama had an estimated net worth of $11.8 million by early 2017. Then there is the reported $60/$65 million book deal the Obama’s have for one book from each of them with Random House. I would not gainsay what Harry Truman said about politicians. However Truman, who I consider one of the great presidents of the twentieth century (read my book), was effectively broke when he left the White House in 1953. Ex-presidents did not receive a pension at that time, it was only years later that congress voted to give them a pension of $25,000 per year. As Speaker of the House, Sam Rayburn inexplicably held up granting presidential pensions. Even as poor financially as he was Truman refused to give paid speeches as a former president because, as he said, it would be demeaning and selling out the office of president of the USA. Truman did write a book about his life including his years as president which was a best seller and gave him some financial relief. The current pension that Barack Obama receives as an ex-president is $207,800 per year. In 2012 the USA government shelled out a total of $3.7 million for four ex-presidents and one widow. Then there is Secret Service protection for life. I think that is ridiculous. Rationally that should be restricted to a maximum of two years. During that time ex-presidents have the opportunity to earn millions of dollars so they should be able to pay for their own protection if they feel they need it. I would not consider Barack Husain Obama a crook in the sense that many politicians are. He certainly is a deceiver and a liar. In an interview with the since disgraced Bill O’Reilly, Obama said there was not a “scintilla" of a scandal with the IRS. He had to know that Lois Lerner, working in a key job with the IRS, had discriminated against conservative organizations in withholding or long delaying granting tax exempt status. Lerner got away with her illegal deception by first reading a statement before a congressional committee then pleading the 5th amendment in not answering any on their questions. Too many Republicans in congress are weak and lack the killer instinct Democrats have. Further there are the invidious and deceptive machinations that Obama and his minions went through to get the terribly unfair to the USA Iran nuclear deal which only now are fully coming to light. In 2009 when the Iranian people went out into the streets, as they are now, protesting against their theocratic government the Obama administration gave only vague and nominal overt support and no covert support at all. Why? Apparently because President Obama harbored hopes to make a future deal with the Iranian government concerning nuclear weapons. Today (12/31/2017) on Fox TV the now Fox contributor and former Obama spokeswoman the egregious and disingenuous Marie Harf, had the chutzpah and dishonesty to say that Obama did not enthusiastically support the people of Iran in 2009 because the USA administration was informed by these people that it would be counter productive to do so. Anyone who wants to can remember the signs the protesting Iranian people held up in the streets for the TV cameras asking if the USA supports them and asking President Obama to openly support them and condemn the Iranian Ayatollahs. The other clueless Fox TV year end substitute panelists and lightweight host Dana Perino did not challenge her on this obvious lie or gross misrepresentation. Arnell Engstrom