All can agree that the President of the United States has great responsibilities. In addition to serving as chief executive of the United States he has the additional position of commander-in-chief of the armed forces and serves in multiple other roles, ranging from national cheerleader to comforter in chief of the people when various disasters may occur. Truly, it seems to be a 24-hour job, seven days a week, with no prescribed vacation time.
Despite having the full-time position alluded to above, and that is by no means anywhere near a complete list of the president’s functions, we must remember that there is a tension existing in the role of president. Is he the master of the people or the servant of the people? In recent years, with the development of the so-called “imperial presidency”, he seems to have become some sort of interim potentate with all the privileges and benefits associated with a monarchy. Yet, we are a republic and ultimately the president is no more than any other citizen, perhaps a first among equals, but still only an equal, subject to all the laws of the United States.
Serving as president is a high honor. To this day, only forty-six men (certainly a woman will serve one day as the ultimate glass ceiling will be broken) have served. The value of this honor and the privilege of serving cannot possibly be calculated. People do not seek this office for the salary and fringe benefits associated with it. The call to serve is priceless; the glory associated with the office and one’s place in history should be a reward in itself as is the opportunity to do good for the nation and its people. That alone should be sufficient reward. One should not enter public service to become rich. Until relatively recently that was not a motivation. And it should not be. Material wealth is not the reason to be a public servant, and that is all the president is, despite the media and public adulation that is unfortunately associated with this position. Micah 6:8 aptly describes the president’s role: “Do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with God”. Truly, that is a superb description of what a successful president must be.
Since being president is such a high honor, the current salary of $400,000 per year and the associated fringe benefits need to be revisited. Living in the White House, the staff, the expenses paid by the government to maintain the incumbent and his/her family while in office, the lifetime medical insurance, the lifetime pension, the transitional expenses, secret service protection all add up to a significant expense that is probably impossibly complicated to place a value on. So, let us try to calculate what the president should earn during incumbency in office.
The president, not more or less than any ordinary citizen which is what he/she is, works many more hours than the average citizen. For purposes of calculation, our fellow citizen serving as president is on call 24/7, 365. Calculating the current national minimum wage of $7.25 an hour, the President should earn exactly $63,336 per annum. It is understandable that those who object to this figure as being too modest will say that it will attract only the extremely wealthy as others cannot afford to take such a position. Harry Truman wasn’t rich. When he left office, he feared that he hadn’t enough assets to survive, but he did just fine. Lyndon Johnson, on the other hand, came to Washington with one suit and left with $14 million. Other presidents on leaving office have found ways to become rich by obtaining fantastic advances for books that may or may not sell, charging outlandish sums for speeches and public appearances and by establishing foundations and other ventures that trade on their names. This is demeaning of the presidency and its role. It is sufficient for a former president to be designated simply as an American citizen. One should not enter public service or seek elective office for pecuniary gain. Service itself should be the imperative. The minimum wage salary is appropriate. Personal modesty would only enhance the legacy of former incumbents who return to private life after serving their fellow citizens.
Hopefully, the presidency and public service can be restored to their previous positions of integrity, respect and prestige.
Garry S. Sklar
Las Vegas, Nevada
March 15, 2023
Comments