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[Annuity for Former Presidents]
[37.7% of the voters in the August 27, 2002, referendum voted in
favor of this amendment. A 75% affirmative vote was required to pass the
amendment, so the amendment failed.]
6. Committee Proposal No. 01-9:
This proposed amendment would amend Article X by adding a new
Section 8. It requires the Congress to establish and fund a lifetime allowance
for former presidents and vice presidents. The Congress will also "provide
for reasonable conditions and length of service as eligibility therefor."
ANALYSIS:
In this time of budget austerity and funding uncertainty, this
proposal will expand the national government budget. The main issue here is
whether or not the former presidents and vice presidents should be provided a
lifetime income in recognition of their service to our country. These former
presidents and vice presidents will be eligible for social security retirement
pay, but only when they reach retirement age. If they are not able to find
employment after they leave their respective offices and they have not reached
retirement age, they will have no means of providing for themselves. This
proposal will take care of this problem for they will become eligible for this
allowance for the rest of their life as soon as they leave office. The main
issue that the voters must decide is whether or not now is the right time to
take care of these people who have served in the two highest offices of our
nation. Many nations provide lifetime income for their former presidents, but we
cannot compare these nations to ours.
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This proposal must necessarily be discussed along with the other
proposal, which requires direct election of the president and vice president.
This latter proposal limits the term of president to one four-year term. If the
voters approve it, then there will be a lot of former presidents and vice
presidents for our nation to take of. This lifetime income for former presidents
and vice presidents might become an expensive proposition for our nation.
Nevertheless, this proposal will be submitted to the voters along with the rest
of proposed amendments in the referendum so if you agree with it vote yes; if
not then vote no.
© John R. Haglelgam, March 4, 2002
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