does the president of the U.S. spend his/her own money?

vash · vash's Garage

not supposed to be a R vs. D debate. any president!

do you suppose he has a couple of hundred thousand in some petty cash account? would president need to pay for the basics, like clothing, fast food, kids college, etc.

i cant imagine Bush at nordstrom buying suits...........

singpilot · 11-29-2005, 08:34 AM

Actually, they take his money away from him during the term.

vash · vash's Garage

serious? no "walking around" money?

cantdrv55 · 11-29-2005, 08:44 AM

I don't think they sell $hitkicking, cowboy clothes at Nordstom.

techweenie · techweenie's Garage

Do you think the son of the former head of the CIA and president #41 has ever had to spend his own money?

Joeaksa · 11-29-2005, 08:53 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by techweenie
Do you think the son of the former head of the CIA and president #41 has ever had to spend his own money?

Comeon guys, can we get off of this same old song and dance eventually???

Do you think that numbers 30-40 paid for a thing while in office either? If the answer to this is yes, then pls explain when they have time to go to a bank or ATM?

Just aint gonna happen with a President of either party, period, so get off of the partisan crap.

JoeA

speeder · speeder's Garage

The serious answer is that they do not have a need for money while in office, but their money and property still belongs to them of course.

mtelliott · 11-29-2005, 10:03 AM

I would imagine that they have to spend their own money on clothing, personal gifts, bicycles, etc. The rest is paid for by us. I don't know this to be a fact, just making a guess. Any gift given them can either be the property of the U.S. government or they can pay the appropriate cost to own it.

island_dude · 11-29-2005, 10:05 AM

I doubt they have any need for cash, but presidents are suposed to pay some nominal amount for personal travel on air force one. I am sure that there are other sorts of personal expenses as well.

speeder · speeder's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by SoCal911SC
that's an interesting question!

I'd imagine that they do spend their own money. what about for family christmas gifts, etc.?? They can expense that to the Govt?

You are correct and I was wrong when I said that they have no need for money. They still buy their own personal items/gifts/etc...

It also seems to be normal for political supporters to donate and buy them a house when they leave office, is it not?

legion · 11-29-2005, 11:13 AM

Haven't all sitting Presidents, since George Washington, had to spend money from their salary on entertaining foreign heads of state?

11-29-2005, 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by cantdrv55
I don't think they sell $hitkicking, cowboy clothes at Nordstom.

They do in Dallas.

ckissick · 11-29-2005, 11:22 AM

Bush probably spends a lot of money on the ranch in Texas. Aside from communications and security, I'd imagine all the other ranch expenses are on him.

CamB · CamB's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by vash
serious? no "walking around" money?

Didn't Bush joke that he had no wallet with him when in Mexico recently. I'm under the impression that one of the presidential lackeys carries the walking around money.

I mean, you're the most powerful guy in the world. Do you really need dollars in your pocket when you have the secret service guarding you?

Racerbvd · Racerbvd's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by CamB
Didn't Bush joke that he had no wallet with him when in Mexico recently. I'm under the impression that one of the presidential lackeys carries the walking around money.

I mean, you're the most powerful guy in the world. Do you really need dollars in your pocket when you have the secret service guarding you?

He didn't want to get Pick Pocketed

stevepaa · 11-29-2005, 02:19 PM

Old data but interesting

Public funds:
Salary of the President $200,000
Expense allowance, non-taxable $50,000
"For necessary expenses for the White House" $40,193,000
"For the care, maintenance, repair... of the Executive Residence at the White House and official entertainment expenses of the President" $7,827,000
"For necessary expenses to enable the Vice President to provide assistance to the President in connection with specially assigned functions" $3,280,000
Official residence of the Vice President and official entertainment $324,000
(Expenses do not include the costs of travel aboard Air Force One, Air Force Two, and United States Marine Corps helicopters, as these figures apparently are not usually broken down within the respective military budgets.)

The total for this section, representing only those sums specified in the Executive Offices Appropriations Act, 1997, is $51874,000; but the expenses continue.

Total, Executive Office of the President and funds appropriated to the President,
Fiscal Year 1997 $310,441,000

I think it is only his personal stuff for his family and his private residences that he has someone take care of for him. I can't imagine him digging in his pockets for change for the coke machine.