Grift. Really? You view this as criminal?
So again, this is just a double standard.
PoliGAF 2017 |OT2| Well, maybe McMaster isn't a traitor.
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Bonen no Max'd
Banned
Not illegal, but unethical and symptomatic of a deeply immoral system.
Sure, if Obama uses this money to entirely do the equivalent of eradicating ringworm and then rarely engages with these types of events I'll be okay with it.
shinra-bansho
Member
Pretending Obama hasn't already been thrown under the bus and reversed over. Lol.
By your own standard, should you not be waiting to see what he does with the money though?
People making money for doing a job isn't immoral.
shinra-bansho
Member
Oh please, if the head of Goldman or Apple or Ford want the ear of the President or future President or past President, they don't need to pay them anything. They just have their people call their people.
What are you all, 12?
What are you all, 12?
adamsappel
Member
So, what's the complaint, that he's speaking to bankers, or he's making a lot of money doing so? Because if you hate bankers, shouldn't you want them to give up a lot of their money?
Poodlestrike
Banned
Not enough imo. 1 billion dollar speaking fees and we can start talking.
But seriously though, the moral handwringing over the potential implication of taking money from rich people to act as a status symbol after leaving office is silly. It's a Bernie campaign talking point and that's all it is.
whyamihere
Banned
I think Obama's speaking fees sort of undercut the moral points he wants to make later and underscore his views of where the Democratic party should go, but whatever.
I don't have an issue with him endorsing Macron.
I don't have an issue with him endorsing Macron.
BoogieWoogie
Banned
I'm sure Republicans in swing states, already nervous from Georgia and Kentucky, will just be chomping at the bit to vote yes on this.
Yup. I fully expect berniecrats to perfomatively fall out of love with Obama now. Otherwise they'd have to admit sexism played a part in their holding Clinton to a different rubric.
smokeymicpot
Beat EviLore at pool.
The alt-right next thing seems to be attacking Bill Nye sadly.
NYCmetsfan
Banned
not to millionares
Since when did Bernie people love Obama?
NYCmetsfan
Banned
its absolutely not and the inability of people to see that is a huge problem with democrats. majority of americans make 50k or so as a family. and this dude makes 8 times that for 30 minutes. That's abhorrent on a moral level. Nothing obama will do in that speech deserves that kind of outsized compensation compared to people who work in a factory, in a mcdonalds or in an office job.
why do they need to do these things. they only hurt and this doesn't do anything but make obama even more obscenely wealthy. He's worth 12 million.
Puts some money in investments, get a teaching gig but don't fucking take wall street speaking money. It undermines our legit believes about redistribution of wealth
ArkhamFantasy
Member
Took a peak at R/donald today. Nothing about Government shut down, border compromise, or judge blocking EO, but about 3 or 4 threads about Bill Nye.
ShadowSwordmaster
Banned
What are the chances now that they put this to a vote now?
Emerson
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whyamihere
Banned
Don't you dare talk shit about Rachel Bloom you monster
The dissonance with some of them loving him yet whining about "THE ESTABLISHMENT" was definitely there.
And how do you feel about Pro Athletes and Movie Stars, exactly?
Celebrities make money because they're unique.
NYCmetsfan
Banned
He supported people whose sexual orientation/gender doesn't conform to norms? I don't see where he went wrong there?
Emerson
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Look I don't know anything about her and I have no objection to the message she's got, but that is one of the most abominable pieces of content I've ever seen.
whyamihere
Banned
This is false.
All this is based on the assumption that Obama is going to take that fee and buy a boat with it. Speaking m engagement are going nowhere and politicians, especially ex presidents not named bush and Trump are high value. Really all the concern is about "how it looks" instead of what it is. Obama has earned the right to do whatever the hell he wants to do without the assumption that he's being short sighted or at worst nefarious in intention.
Carpe Libertatem
Member
Pro athletes and movie stars aren't the face of our political party
Damn near every friend of a friend on FB I tangled with during the primary. One of them literally had himself in photo ops with each as separate profile pics.
anecdotes, data, I know
smokeymicpot
Beat EviLore at pool.
Saw someone on my facebook posted something about him and googled him a bunch of shit popped up. What the fuck did Bill do?
whyamihere
Banned
NYCmetsfan
Banned
Pro athletes and Movie stars don't make money because they are unique, they make money because they have a union. Movie stars and athletes were getting screwed before they organized (Hey NCAA players!)
But he's not anymore. Such is the life of an ex-president.
Yes, clearly Tom Cruise is only making the money he does because of a Union. Please.
NYCmetsfan
Banned
I disagree.
Its bullshit he's free from criticism.
Why can't he just not take the money.
shinra-bansho
Member
Ahem I think you mean President Drone Strike Neoliberal Obama.
People like money.
Because then he wouldn't have the money! He shows up at a party, gets a check, which he can then likely use to fund whatever personal or political cause he wants!
He's not running for office, he's not the face of the party, and the Dems need cash.
ShadowSwordmaster
Banned
People turning on Obama is going to be a new thing for Bernie Bros. I notice the same thing on GAF in the livestream that Obama did.
ArkhamFantasy
Member
He's been in the news lately, usually see him trying to educate conservatives on climate change. Judging by that much attention its very possible that the russian trolls have turned their attention to him.
It's bullshit that your concern stems entirely on the optics because he is the most recent ex-democratic president. You would prefer him not to so it doesn't come up in the future when it's not politically expedient. Obama has earned the right to be an indidivual and make choices as one without the assumption that he's being selfish which seems to be your assumption. You don't know his plans for the future for himself or anything he plans on supporting. You don't know what he plans to do with the money.
Carpe Libertatem
Member
I don't think this is true at all. Obama will be a major player in the party for decades to come.
Prof. Bathtub
Member
This Obama stuff is so inane.
Not in the front though. That's just not how things work.
AntraxSuicide
Banned
So I don't know how this got started by a comment on Senators (which of course is 2 no matter what), but we should absolutely repeal the 1929 House Reapportionment Act if we get the chance, and just make House districts commensurate to Wyoming (how many Reps does a state get? How many Wyomings is the state?) It would only lead to like 500-600 Reps which is manageable.
Apparently everyone should become a hermit after public office lest they give off the appearance of being a celebrity.
Carpe Libertatem
Member
It's bad """"optics"""" either way
I don't necessarily fault Obama for doing it, especially since he won't run for anything ever again, but meh. Not a good look (tho because he isn't running for anything I don't think this will ever be more than a blip of an issue)
Literally every other politician does it and none of them get flack for it. Because none of them run again for office except for Hillary, who was the exception that proved the rule.
AntraxSuicide
Banned
Hell, if Obama, the insanely popular first black President of the US, turned down cash like this for a quick generic speech, I'd say he needed to be asked to step out of the party for being a complete and total moron.
whyamihere
Banned
maybe it's not a good thing that politicians get paid a huge amount for speeches and just because it's common doesn't mean it's right
shinra-bansho
Member
I mean they're paid largely for celebrity.
I mean $50k for Laura Bush gets what exactly. Lol.
If the issue is access by the powerful to the powerful as noted already, no one needs to organise these speeches to talk to Obama.
At that stage your issue is with the institutions that seek out paid guest speakers and in fact pay them. It's only an option because these companies provide the budget to do so. It's not in Obama on that's what they value his time at.
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