Political Radar: The Price of Protection

"The United States Secret Service estimates they spend upwards of $76,000 per day protecting Sens. Barack Obama, D-Ill., and Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., as they wage an extended battle for the Democratic nomination."

I don't see your point.

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"Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God? " ~Epicurus

Just amazed that it cost so much.
Amazed what our children will be paying for. Because this is money that our government has to "borrow" and our children/grandchildren will be paying back with interest.

Oh, please. As if we don't pay the same or more to protect the Bushes, including G. W. H. Bush. You make it sound like this is the fault of the Democrats.

I didn't say it was anybody's fault. Yes, we do protect ALL the past Presidents and the first ladies.
I was just stating that I was amazed at how much it cost.

Maybe you should be more "amazed" at the $720 MILLION per day the war is costing.

Maybe you should more "amazed" at the daily cost of gas to ferry around Bush and other members of his cabinet.

Maybe you should more "amazed" at $5+ BILLION per year that the U.S. gives to Israel - a country w/ a $2 billion surplus.

Instead you're worried about $76,000 that it's costing to protect someone from death threats??! Seriously? sad.

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"Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God? " ~Epicurus

I am concerned with all the above. Also extremely concerned for the 1.2 +billion the US has to " borrow" EVERYDAY to stay afloat.
That why I am still for Ron Paul.

John McCain has no secret service detail...I guess they think he isnt important enough or would be no great loss Sherri

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"It isn't that liberals are ignorant, it's just that they know so much that isn't so."
- Ronald Reagan

McCain CHOOSES not to have secret service protection. I guess HE feels like he isn't important enough or would be no great loss.

Hillary gets protection just like any other ex First Lady.
In 1962, Congress authorized the Secret Service (Public Law 89-186) to protect a former president and his or her spouse during their lifetime, unless they decline protection. In 1997, Congress enacted legislation that limits Secret Service protection for former presidents to ten years after leaving office. Under this new law, individuals who were in office before January 1, 1997 will continue to receive Secret Service protection for their lifetime. Individuals entering office after that time will receive protection for ten years after leaving office. Therefore, former President Bill Clinton will be the last president to receive lifetime protection, and President George W. Bush will be the first to receive protection for only ten years.

Barbara Bush, Rosalynn Carter, Hillary Clinton, Betty Ford, and Nancy Reagan continue to receive full-time protection as former First Ladies.

Obama needs protection because of all the bigots that would love to be rid of him.

Providing protection for the major candidates is not just protecting them. It is protecting the office of the President.

A candidate has to ask for protection. I read that since this story broke that McCain was going to meet with the Serect service and start receiving protection.

The Republican candidate running for office without the sense to request Secret Service protection? Yet another reason to question the soundness of McCain's judgment.

Once McCain wins the nomination in Sept. of this year, he automatically receives protection. I guess he has not felt threaten yet.

Which is why I question his judgment. If he thinks there aren't people out there that would like him dead, he's a fool.

There are people out there that want alot of top "figure" people dead. Especially CEO's of major companies.I think when you reach a top level postion the threats go with the type of job.
Some people it bothers others it doesn't (or they learn to live with it).
My point was that it costs so much..lots of people in this world do not make in 1 year what it takes to provide protection to just 1 person for a day.

And that cost pales in comparison to the money squandered in Iraq daily. At least the SEcret Service is keeping people safe.

It's a necessary expense. Case closed.

When your taxes go up to 70% plus to cover "necessary expense"..we will see what people still think is necessary. The 70% is from the latest study done to keep our services/entitlements at the same level as today.
The US will have some very hard decisions to make in the next couple of years. Of course, Congress will probably not cut this service, more than likely they will cut food stamps, college aid,

You can be quite sure that we will not cut spending on fantastic, far fetched weapons systems, pricey cost plus 3% contracts awarded to GOP donors nor starting another war if McCain is elected. Every dollar spent on the war machine takes food out of the mouth of a hungry child..

Neither earmarks nor money spent protecting candidates are where the obscene excesses in spending occur,

It is my most sincere wish that Bush will be impeached and convicted for war crimes along with his offenses to the constitution. That way, he'll lose his pension and his secret service protection if he isn't hung.

washingtonpost.com

Some highlights in the article:

"The Secret Service is preparing to provide Vice President Cheney with agents, transportation, advance work and other security-related trappings of executive power for six months after the Bush administration packs up and moves out in January, the agency's director, Mark Sullivan, told Congress last week. The expected cost: $4 million."

"Over the last 40 years, the departing vice president has been afforded protection by our agency," Sullivan told lawmakers. "Going back, the last two vice presidents," -- Al Gore and Dan Quayle -- "we have provided protection going into July of that year that they have departed, for 180 days."

"Until recently, presidents have been entitled to Secret Service protection for the rest of their lives. But 1994 legislation imposed new restrictions on presidents elected after Jan. 1, 1997, limiting President Bush and his successors to 10 years of protection after leaving office.

The protective services go well beyond the detail of agents that shadow the president (or vice president) wherever he goes. They include providing armored limousines, assessing threats, dispatching advance workers and coordinating with local law enforcement officials to establish security checkpoints and ensure secure, unfettered access for official motorcades.

Security for top political officials and candidates is not inexpensive. The agency is slated to spend $854 million on protection this year, well over half its $1.5 billion budget."

It is my most sincere wish that Bush will be impeached and convicted for war crimes along with his offenses to the constitution. That way, he'll lose his pension and his secret service protection if he isn't hung.[/quote]


OH PLUUUEEZZZZZ.....Dont get your hopes up!!!Sherri

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"It isn't that liberals are ignorant, it's just that they know so much that isn't so."
- Ronald Reagan

OH PLUUUEEZZZZZ.....Dont get your hopes up!!!Sherri[/quote]

Sorry, I believe in justice.

Justice would be a lightning bolt striking Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Ashcroft and Rice, leaving nothing but some nasty smelling ashes, but your plan is a good fallback!

unfortunately, the only "justice" that any of those will ever see will be if there is a God in Heaven to pass judgment on them upon their death!

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Mental that one, I'm telling you. ---Ron Weasley, "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets"

Really you all need to deal with your anger...its down right frightening!!llolololol

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"It isn't that liberals are ignorant, it's just that they know so much that isn't so."
- Ronald Reagan

Yeah. Good luck with that.

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bite me and get a brain!

I know he will not will ..because the system will not let him.

But the grassroots campaign that he has will stay around. Already there are at least 40 people running for Congress that Ron Paul and his group are backing. Some of these are running unopposed. This is when you will start seeing "change".

A thoughtful article:
Ron Paul, His Campaign, His Appeal, and His People

"Paul's campaign could've been better, but it could've been worse. Ever heard of Thompson? Giulluiani? Romney? Remember, he beat every candidate at least once... including McCain. He lasted longer than other candidates, and let's not forget, as of this writing, he is still in the race. Who knows? If anything is certain, it is that things will change. We have a few more months of fun left, and I'm keenly interested in what his supporters' planned march on DC turns out like."