McCain: Rich aides may work for $1 a year

[GaryC 7]

McCain: Rich aides may work for $1 a year

Mike Allen Sun Sep 7, 9:50 AM ET

John McCain says he’d impose a little fiscal discipline on his Cabinet — by asking the best-off to work for one dollar per year.

The vow, made in an interview taped with Bob Schieffer for CBS’s “Face the Nation,” fits with McCain’s new push to run as a reformer who would shake up Washington, where he has worked for the past 26 years.

Schieffer asked McCain whether he would put Democrats in his Cabinet.

“Sure,” McCain replied. “I don't know how many. But I can tell you, with all due respect to previous administrations, it is not going to be a single, ‘Well, we have a Democrat now.’”

That’s an apparent reference to the sole Democrat in President Bush’s Cabinet, former Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta.

“It's going to be the best people in America, the smartest people in America,” McCain continued. “So many of these problems we face — for example, energy independence, what’s partisan about that? In other words, we've got to have people who are the best and the brightest. And I'll tell you, some of them I'll ask to work for a dollar a year.”

Schieffer also asked McCain about the administration’s plan for a takeover of the mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, to be announced Sunday afternoon.

“I think it has to be done, Bob,” McCain replied. “I think that we’ve got to keep people in their homes. There’s got to be restructuring, there’s got to be reorganization, and there’s got to be some confidence that we’ve stopped this downward spiral. It’s hard, it’s tough, but it’s also the classic example of why we need change in Washington. It’s an example of cronyism, special interest, lobbyists, a quasi-governmental organization where the executives were making hundreds of — some, [a] billion dollars a year while things were going downhill, going to hell in a handbasket.

“This is the kind of cronyism, corruption, that‘s made people so justifiably angry. I did have a long conversation with [Treasury] Secretary [Henry] Paulson — a man I admire and respect — and he did say that when the housing market starts back up, and it will, it will in America — then the taxpayers are going to be the first to be paid off. They’re the ones that are going to be reimbursed when the values of their homes start, hit bottom and start back up, and they start getting more money back in. And that has to be in it, a vital part of it. And again, this is a system that cries out for reform.”

http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20080907/pl_politico/13216

[Abby-Ron 8]

Too long to read and Dont know what the point of this post was..

Edited September 7, 2008 by Abby-Ron

[GaryC 7]

Too long to read and Dont know what the point of this post was..

Ok.....

[IAMX 3,055]

That doesn't say much. What are their salaries and how much do they already make taking money from interest groups, or any financial gain from their position other than what they're getting paid? That's the information I'd want to know, and for the most part, this is more symbolic than meaningful.

[Donna A 4]

yeah thats what miller of delphi said when he bankrupted the company...he would work for $1 a year (after taking a 3 million sign on bonus) until we were out of bankruptsy. soon after he was ordered some huge amount in bonuses and stock options...ok sign me up for the $1 a year too if thats what u get in the end.

[Peikko 1,575]

Wouldn't be enough to make me vote for him but it is what it is, and what is not bad ideas. Good for him.

Edited September 7, 2008 by Madame Cleo

[IAMX 3,055]

Wouldn't be enough to make me vote for him but it is what it is, and what is not bad ideas. Good for him.

It certainly is good in theory.

However, my question is, just in general, if there is no corruption or high end lobbying, why can't they get paid their regular salaries?

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

However, my question is, just in general, if there is no corruption or high end lobbying, why can't they get paid their regular salaries?

Or why can't people that know what it means to depend on a salary be in responsible government positions? Yeah, yeah, I know why. Because we'd run the risk of having a government that is actually in touch with America. The super rich rule this land. And McSame just promised to keep it that way. Some change that is...

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

Too long to read and Dont know what the point of this post was..

words... I'll summarize

McCain: Rich aides may work for $1 a year

[HAL 9000 96]

However, my question is, just in general, if there is no corruption or high end lobbying, why can't they get paid their regular salaries?

Or why can't people that know what it means to depend on a salary be in responsible government positions? Yeah, yeah, I know why. Because we'd run the risk of having a government that is actually in touch with America. The super rich rule this land. And McSame just promised to keep it that way. Some change that is...

I wonder if he'll also start campaigning on extending this 'change' promise to effectively tax the top earners (lets say 0.5% to keep the other 1.5% happy in Obama's top 2% proposal) into being fiscally responsible with the rest of the nation.

[IAMX 3,055]

However, my question is, just in general, if there is no corruption or high end lobbying, why can't they get paid their regular salaries?

Or why can't people that know what it means to depend on a salary be in responsible government positions? Yeah, yeah, I know why. Because we'd run the risk of having a government that is actually in touch with America. The super rich rule this land. And McSame just promised to keep it that way. Some change that is...

I wonder if he'll also start campaigning on extending this 'change' promise to effectively tax the top earners (lets say 0.5% to keep the other 1.5% happy in Obama's top 2% proposal) into being fiscally responsible with the rest of the nation.

Yep, raise taxes on the rich, lower taxes on business. Then, if upon significantly lowering business taxes, tax the #### out of products made from overseas and imports, and aggressively enforce tax laws. That would be a start.

[panamania79 2]

McCain: Rich aides may work for $1 a year

Mike Allen Sun Sep 7, 9:50 AM ET

John McCain says he’d impose a little fiscal discipline on his Cabinet — by asking the best-off to work for one dollar per year.

The vow, made in an interview taped with Bob Schieffer for CBS’s “Face the Nation,” fits with McCain’s new push to run as a reformer who would shake up Washington, where he has worked for the past 26 years.

Schieffer asked McCain whether he would put Democrats in his Cabinet.

“Sure,” McCain replied. “I don't know how many. But I can tell you, with all due respect to previous administrations, it is not going to be a single, ‘Well, we have a Democrat now.’”

That’s an apparent reference to the sole Democrat in President Bush’s Cabinet, former Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta.

“It's going to be the best people in America, the smartest people in America,” McCain continued. “So many of these problems we face — for example, energy independence, what’s partisan about that? In other words, we've got to have people who are the best and the brightest. And I'll tell you, some of them I'll ask to work for a dollar a year.”

Schieffer also asked McCain about the administration’s plan for a takeover of the mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, to be announced Sunday afternoon.

“I think it has to be done, Bob,” McCain replied. “I think that we’ve got to keep people in their homes. There’s got to be restructuring, there’s got to be reorganization, and there’s got to be some confidence that we’ve stopped this downward spiral. It’s hard, it’s tough, but it’s also the classic example of why we need change in Washington. It’s an example of cronyism, special interest, lobbyists, a quasi-governmental organization where the executives were making hundreds of — some, [a] billion dollars a year while things were going downhill, going to hell in a handbasket.

“This is the kind of cronyism, corruption, that‘s made people so justifiably angry. I did have a long conversation with [Treasury] Secretary [Henry] Paulson — a man I admire and respect — and he did say that when the housing market starts back up, and it will, it will in America — then the taxpayers are going to be the first to be paid off. They’re the ones that are going to be reimbursed when the values of their homes start, hit bottom and start back up, and they start getting more money back in. And that has to be in it, a vital part of it. And again, this is a system that cries out for reform.”

http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20080907/pl_politico/13216

They can work for a dollar because it's not like they need money.