July 17, 2013

This week, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano announced her imminent resignation in favor of her new job, President of the University of California system. An attractive position, the new gig comes with a hefty increase in pay, benefits, and stature—her new salary will jump to a reported $600,000 next year, as opposed to about $175,000 at DHS. What is interesting to note, however, is that Secretary Napolitano's move is far from unique. In fact, her mere tripling of salary is chump change compared to how several other former elected and appointed federal officials and candidates cashed in after leaving office.

 

When South Carolina Senator Jim DeMint announced his retirement in December to run the non-profit group Heritage Foundation, he increased his salary from the standard Senate rate of $174,000 to over $1,000,000. He himself called it a "big promotion". Even DeMint's giant pay increase pales in comparison to several other big name lawmakers who went through the proverbial "revolving door" to become high-powered lobbyists. Former Congressman Billy Tauzin, having left Congress just after the passage of President Bush's prescription drug coverage expansion, went on to make nearly $20,000,000 in the next 5 years as a lobbyist for Big Pharma. Former Presidential candidate and Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, now CEO of the powerful Financial Services Roundtable, now makes as much as $1.8 million, according to The Hill newspaper.

 

These lucrative moves don't hold a candle to what the Atlantic, in 2011, called "Washington's Shadow Economy of Speaking Fees." Following even a short stint in Congress or a presidential administration, officials can immediately expect to command anywhere from $50,000 to $300,000 per speech. The most famous speaking agency, the Washington Speakers' Bureau, counts former President Bush, David Axelrod, and Tony Blair as some of its most highly-requested talent. The greatest example of the windfall one can achieve from eager businesses looking for the prestige that accompanies a former official is the Clinton family. In the 12 years since he left office in 2001, President Clinton has brought in a whopping $89 million in speaking fees, including as much as $750,000 for a single speech in Hong Kong. With Secretary Clinton set to begin her speaking tour at $200,000 a pop, the former first family shows no signs of slowing their revenue stream.

 

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When Governor Pawlenty took his job at the Financial Services Roundtable in the middle of the 2012 Presidential campaign, he formally agreed to forego any Cabinet opportunity presented to him by a potential Romney Administration. Public officials, however, are under no such condition. As Napolitano's and DeMint's cases show, the negotiations that lead to lucrative post-office jobs rarely take place once the first job is complete. As Congressman Heath Shuler prepared for the end of his final term last year, he took meetings with several lobbying firms to discuss his post-Congressional options. In the end, he chose to run the utility giant Duke Energy's D.C. lobbying operation, despite prior claims that he was not going to take a lobbying position after leaving Congress.

 

Nowadays, a career in public office means far more than a few years serving the public. For most, a few years in office can turn into decades of money and influence in Washington.

 

And while none of this is illegal or morally wrong, per se, this new culture means that voters have an additional opportunity to ensure the person they send to Washington, DC to represent them doesn't have a strategic reason for stopping by public office.

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The Project to Restore America

 

Every email is important to us. We can't always respond individually, but we read and consider everything. Please email your question, comment or complaint to john@theprojecttorestoreamerica.com or wendy@theprojecttorestoreamerica.com.

 

The politicians in Washington D.C. need to start earning their pay. Our economy is a bucket which has a whole in the bottom of it and neither Democrats nor Republicans want to fix it so this country can start repairing our financial problems. I worked as a manager for 40 years and it was imperative that you submitted a budget which you had to abide by. If our company's today go by Obamacare, there will be a deep hole that will affect the employees and employers. In the coming months our congress and Senators had better weigh what will affect our economy and how to stop the leak in our economy… – Bill

 

Bidwell comment: Here is a great Washington Post article explaining how Obamacare will hurt low income folks the most. Also, our lawmakers are set to deal with the debt ceiling and other important fiscal issues this fall. We will orchestrate a campaign to reduce the size, scope, and funding of government to coincide with these discussions.   

 

This Nation has been considered under "ONE GOD or CREATOR" since our forefathers designed what they felt was the right road to follow. We need to return to those beliefs and go back to living freely by them without worrying about harms way. It is a sad situation when a handful can carve a new face and direction for this nation to live by. Our forefathers would probably turn over in their graves along with those that fought to keep the country's shores free from tyranny. I along with others whom fought to keep this country free have lived to see a sad shadow that is cast upon our land. – (More from) Bill   

 

Bidwell comment: I understand what you're saying, Bill. Most of us here at The Project are all on the same page. We want our country to model and demonstrate the beliefs upon which our country was founded.

 

You will all receive an important email tomorrow inviting you to something near and dear to my heart. It is very important. Make sure you open your emails tomorrow, and I look forward to seeing many of you in a few months.