Stavros
05-05-2018, 04:11 PM
I am not a great fan of musicals but have heard the song from 42nd Street many times, it may even be the favourite song or the theme tune to the conduct of the President of the USA and his Ministers. He charges Americans to use his own business locations thus in practice not separating his business interests from the operations of the Presidency, while it is not clear if the Republicans use his properties to earn themselves brownie points from their leader but who knows? It can't hurt them when they plead with their leader for support and favours. Thus-
The RNC and other Republican committees and candidates have spent nearly $2 million of their donors’ money so far at hotels and resorts that enrich Trump personally.
https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/trump-gop-tribute_us_5aeb3e81e4b041fd2d242c97
By contrast, the available evidence for Theresa May suggests she needs to get out more. Where one racks up millions of $$ in profits, Mrs May has her salary as Prime Minister but she and her husband must pay Council Tax on the No 10 Downing Street apartment upstairs and all of the bills out of their salaries. She is not known to frequent the Royal Opera House or any other cultural venue.
Income and Costs
President of the USA: Income: Annual Salary: $400,000
--Other sources of income: Playing Golf in properties he owns: approx $67,141,480 in revenue so far.
http://trumpgolfcount.com/#services
Cabinet Members spending, as accounted for here:
• Secretary of Health and Human Services Tom Price resigned (http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2017/09/29/tom_price_resigns_wasted_too_much_money_on_airplan es.html) after having spent $900,000 on airfare in a mere seven months.
• Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson spent $31,000 to order a new “dining room set”—I don’t know why there’s a dining room in the HUD office and I don’t have the energy to find out—and then lied about it (https://www.cnn.com/2018/03/14/politics/emails-ben-candy-carson-dining-set/index.html).
• Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke spent $139,000 (https://splinternews.com/ryan-zinke-is-this-your-massively-expensive-door-1823627360) on three sets of doors.
• EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt spent $43,000 (https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2018/03/14/scott-pruitts-25000-soundproof-phone-booth-it-actually-cost-more-like-43000/?utm_term=.62b4a744d3a4) on a phone booth.
Also in this elite club is Secretary of the Treasury Steve Mnuchin, who—per official documents newly obtained by the (partisan Democratic) watchdog group CREW—has spent a robust $995,443.81 (https://www.citizensforethics.org/travels-treasury-secretary-steven-mnuchin/) on eight military jet trips since taking office last February. (CREW observes that Mnuchin has “apparently has never used commercial aircraft” during his tenure; he has previously defended his use of military jets by arguing that “there are times when I need secure communications to be in touch with the president and the National Security Council” during flights. LOL. The National Security Council. He’s the secretary of the treasury! LOL. “Sir, the North Korean missiles are inbound.” “My God—where’s Mnuchin?”)
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/03/steve-mnuchin-air-travel-costs-staggering.html
Comparison with UK
Prime Minister Theresa May: Income: Annual Salary £142,500 ($192,880)
*The salary of the Prime Minister was reduced by £50,000 a year when Gordon Brown was Prime Minister.
Expenses: most of the Prime Minister's expenses are paid for by the Exchequer, including the use of 10 Downing Street for official Government business as well as country estates such as Chequers, I assume a similar arrangement exists in the USA.
Mrs May and her husband live in an apartment above the Government offices in 10 Downing Street for which they must pay Council Tax and all other expenses from their own salaries.
Mrs May Register of Interests: the link shows donations to her constituency party funds, and the costs of running her constituency office, which includes staff salaries of £116,959 for 2016-17. In addition Mrs May claims to own Discount cards for retailers Amanda Wakeley, Russell & Bromley and LK Bennett, and is an Honorary member of the Carlton Club. She and her husband continue to own the apartment they lived in before she became Prime Minister.
https://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/10426/theresa_may/maidenhead#register
Mrs May's constituency party expenses can be found in this link (enter name of MP)
http://www.theipsa.org.uk/mp-costs/interactive-map/
Many MPs are also landlords, as shown here-but note comment from the article:
https://www.channel4.com/news/factcheck/almost-one-in-five-mps-are-landlords
Parliament’s system of registering financial interests relies entirely on MPs’ honesty. Although errors can be reported and changed, there is no independent audit. Plus, although it can get them in trouble in Parliament, it is not illegal for an MP to not declare a financial interest.
Also, MPs are only asked to declare properties which they earn more than £10,000 a year from. And, of course, their financial interests are likely to change over time, so these figures are only a snapshot.
and
Most famously, 72 landlord MPs were among those who voted down requirements on landlords to ensure that homes are “fit for human habitation”.
The RNC and other Republican committees and candidates have spent nearly $2 million of their donors’ money so far at hotels and resorts that enrich Trump personally.
https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/trump-gop-tribute_us_5aeb3e81e4b041fd2d242c97
By contrast, the available evidence for Theresa May suggests she needs to get out more. Where one racks up millions of $$ in profits, Mrs May has her salary as Prime Minister but she and her husband must pay Council Tax on the No 10 Downing Street apartment upstairs and all of the bills out of their salaries. She is not known to frequent the Royal Opera House or any other cultural venue.
Income and Costs
President of the USA: Income: Annual Salary: $400,000
--Other sources of income: Playing Golf in properties he owns: approx $67,141,480 in revenue so far.
http://trumpgolfcount.com/#services
Cabinet Members spending, as accounted for here:
• Secretary of Health and Human Services Tom Price resigned (http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2017/09/29/tom_price_resigns_wasted_too_much_money_on_airplan es.html) after having spent $900,000 on airfare in a mere seven months.
• Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson spent $31,000 to order a new “dining room set”—I don’t know why there’s a dining room in the HUD office and I don’t have the energy to find out—and then lied about it (https://www.cnn.com/2018/03/14/politics/emails-ben-candy-carson-dining-set/index.html).
• Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke spent $139,000 (https://splinternews.com/ryan-zinke-is-this-your-massively-expensive-door-1823627360) on three sets of doors.
• EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt spent $43,000 (https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2018/03/14/scott-pruitts-25000-soundproof-phone-booth-it-actually-cost-more-like-43000/?utm_term=.62b4a744d3a4) on a phone booth.
Also in this elite club is Secretary of the Treasury Steve Mnuchin, who—per official documents newly obtained by the (partisan Democratic) watchdog group CREW—has spent a robust $995,443.81 (https://www.citizensforethics.org/travels-treasury-secretary-steven-mnuchin/) on eight military jet trips since taking office last February. (CREW observes that Mnuchin has “apparently has never used commercial aircraft” during his tenure; he has previously defended his use of military jets by arguing that “there are times when I need secure communications to be in touch with the president and the National Security Council” during flights. LOL. The National Security Council. He’s the secretary of the treasury! LOL. “Sir, the North Korean missiles are inbound.” “My God—where’s Mnuchin?”)
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/03/steve-mnuchin-air-travel-costs-staggering.html
Comparison with UK
Prime Minister Theresa May: Income: Annual Salary £142,500 ($192,880)
*The salary of the Prime Minister was reduced by £50,000 a year when Gordon Brown was Prime Minister.
Expenses: most of the Prime Minister's expenses are paid for by the Exchequer, including the use of 10 Downing Street for official Government business as well as country estates such as Chequers, I assume a similar arrangement exists in the USA.
Mrs May and her husband live in an apartment above the Government offices in 10 Downing Street for which they must pay Council Tax and all other expenses from their own salaries.
Mrs May Register of Interests: the link shows donations to her constituency party funds, and the costs of running her constituency office, which includes staff salaries of £116,959 for 2016-17. In addition Mrs May claims to own Discount cards for retailers Amanda Wakeley, Russell & Bromley and LK Bennett, and is an Honorary member of the Carlton Club. She and her husband continue to own the apartment they lived in before she became Prime Minister.
https://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/10426/theresa_may/maidenhead#register
Mrs May's constituency party expenses can be found in this link (enter name of MP)
http://www.theipsa.org.uk/mp-costs/interactive-map/
Many MPs are also landlords, as shown here-but note comment from the article:
https://www.channel4.com/news/factcheck/almost-one-in-five-mps-are-landlords
Parliament’s system of registering financial interests relies entirely on MPs’ honesty. Although errors can be reported and changed, there is no independent audit. Plus, although it can get them in trouble in Parliament, it is not illegal for an MP to not declare a financial interest.
Also, MPs are only asked to declare properties which they earn more than £10,000 a year from. And, of course, their financial interests are likely to change over time, so these figures are only a snapshot.
and
Most famously, 72 landlord MPs were among those who voted down requirements on landlords to ensure that homes are “fit for human habitation”.