The Patriot Files Forums - Presidential and Vice Presidential Salaries

Exclusive of Perquisites

Data from Congressional Quarterly's Guide to the Presidency

1789 President - $ 25,000 Vice President $ 5,000

1873 President - $ 50,000 Vice President $10,000

1906 President - $ 50,000 Vice President $12,000

1909 President - $ 75,000 Vice President $12,000

1946 President - $ 75,000 Vice President $20,000

1949 Presdient - $ 100,000 Plus $50,000 non-taxable expense account
Vice Presidnet $30,000 Plus $10,000 non-taxable expense account

1951 President - $100,000 Plus $50,000 non-taxable expense account
Vice President $35,000 Plus $10,000 non-taxable expense account

1953 President - $100,000 Plus $50,000 taxable expense account
Vice President $35,000 Plus $10,000 taxable expense account

1964 President - $100,000 Plus $50,000 taxable expense account
Vice President $43,000 Plus $10,000 taxable expense account

1969 President - $200,000 Plus $50,000 taxable expense account
Vice President $62,500 Plus $10,000 taxable expense account

1979 President - $200,000 Plus $50,000 non-taxable expense account
Vice President $62,500 Plus $10,000 taxable expense account

1994 President - $200,000 Plus $50,000 non-taxable expense account
Vice President $171,000 Plus $10,000 taxable expense account

2001 President - $400,000 Vice President - $175,400 Cabinet - $161,200
2003 President - $400,000 Vice President - $198,600 Cabinet - $171,900

2003 data from CRS Report http://www.senate.gov/reference/resources/pdf/98-53.pdf
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PRESIDENTIAL PERKS.....

-http://www.beyondbooks.com:80/gop00/3c.asp
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It's good to be President of the United States. Oh sure, you're chief of police for the world, have to ensure the domestic tranquility of 260 million Americans, be responsible for the globe's largest nuclear arsenal, face the scrutiny of the press 24/7, and have most people think that they could do a better job than you. Then there's the issue of how posterity will judge your presidency.

But think of the perks!

How about your own private retreat, Camp David? Franklin Delano Roosevelt established this paradise in the Catoctin Mountains of Maryland in the 1930s. The 125-acre compound nestled in the woods features several cottages named after trees and is set in an intimate, private atmosphere. It was here that FDR fished with Winston Churchill, that Ike practiced putting, where George Bush and Soviet Premier Gorbachev pitched horseshoes.

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It is also a place where political theory is pitched and discussed among world leaders in a less formal atmosphere. Nixon and Brezhnev talked détente here and perhaps most famously President Carter held meetings with Menachem Begin and Anwar Sadat that led to the signing of the Camp David Accords and a major step toward peace in the Mideast.

What if a President doesn't find the woods relaxing? Then the chief of state can stay at home in the White House which features a variety of recreation facilities. There is a tennis court, putting green, jogging track, swimming pool, movie theater billiard room and a bowling alley.

July 12, 1957 marked the first time a President had ever flown in a helicopter. President Eisenhower first inquired about the use of helicopters for transportation, but the idea was rejected by the Secret Service. Later, the Secret Service reversed its decision and purchased two Bell UH-13-J helicopters. Since then, the helicopter is just one of the many vehicles in the President's garage.
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What does a President do if he wants a midnight snack? No need to head out to McDonald's and scarf down Big Mac's. The White House has five full-time chefs and can crank out food around the clock.

And if a President is thirsty? Well, Thomas Jefferson had a wine collection at the White House. Lyndon Johnson preferred the soft drink Fresca and had a soda tap installed at the White House.

Since the early '60s, the Lincoln-Mercury division of Ford has supplied each President with a customized limo properly titled the "President Continental."
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Ever since the early 20th century when William Taft converted the White House stables into car garages, American Presidents have had a fascination with transportation. And though Presidents from TR to Ronald Reagan have enjoyed getting around by horseback, the preferred mode of practical transport is the presidential limo.

The most recent limo features a rear seat that can be raised and lowered automatically, retractable foot stands for Secret Service men, two two-way radio telephones and a master control panel for power accessories. The car, which is more than 21 feet in overall length, is an elongated version of the 1961 Lincoln Continental convertible.

When flying, the President uses Air Force One, a Boeing 747-200B aircraft that was extensively modified to meet presidential requirements. The original paint scheme was designed at the request of JFK who wanted the jet to reflect the national character. He also directed that the words "United States of America" appear on the fuselage, and that the U.S. flag be painted on the stabilizer.

The flying "Oval Office" has 4,000 square feet of interior floor space, which features a conference room, dining room, quarters for the President and the First Lady, and an office area space for staff members. Another office can be converted into a medical facility when required. There is an area for members of the media and two galleys are each capable of providing food for 50 people.

Perhaps the biggest "perk" of the Presidency is the 24-hour personal security -- the Secret Service.
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Most folks have noticed that the President is often surrounded by a group of men wearing dark sunglasses who look like extras from "The Sopranos." These are Secret Service agents whose job is to protect the chief executive. The services of the Secret Service extend not only to the President, but also to the Vice President their immediate families, former Presidents and their spouses, widows and minor children of former Presidents.

Finally, the perks do not end when a President leaves the White House. It's estimated that the minimum amount President Clinton's pension and staff will cost U.S. taxpayers if his life span is average is $6,072,000.