Really, Alabama? Bill requiring Prayer in public school passed.

[D_Yeti_Esquire]

Well I suppose this is worthwhile legislation when you can't even get your kids to finish school because your system is so crappy.

[Aethian]

Sometimes I think too many people forget that we are the HR department. We are the ones who give them the job and we are the ones who can take away the job. I just wish that when they loose their job they loose some of the perks to.

Now note when a President finishes out their term(s), they should be able to keep their perks. The reason being is I believe I read somewhere that one year of presidency costs them over two years of their life span from stress alone.

[Gravekeeper]

Now note when a President finishes out their term(s), they should be able to keep their perks. The reason being is I believe I read somewhere that one year of presidency costs them over two years of their life span from stress alone.

Definitely. They get Secret Service for life do they not?

Being President of the US is utterly horrific on your health. Unless you're a corrupt asshole, then it doesn't seem to be much of a problem. But all of the president's who cared, for better or worse, have aged in double time. Even Lincoln was completely destroyed by the presidency. He started out something like 6'4, 180lbs and 4 years later was 150lbs, had stopped eating and sleeping, and basically looked 20 years older.

Ah, yes, here we go. Before and after.

That's like Bill Nye to Bitter Old Prospector In A Spaghetti Western in the span of 7 years.

[HYHYBT]

Definitely. They get Secret Service for life do they not?

Currently ten years after they leave office, though I think Bush II is the first that change applies to.

[Sleepwalker]

Before and after photos of presidents are pretty shocking, yeah.

[s_stabeler]

Currently ten years after they leave office, though I think Bush II is the first that change applies to.

yup- IIRC, the justification is that it is a) expensive and b) once 10 years have gone by after they leave office, the chances of assassination are quite low- and I very much doubt that a former president would be left unprotected if there was a known plot to assassinate them. But since they tend to fade into more-or-less obscurity ( how many former presidents can you say what they are doing now?) and, to be frank, the fact that the American People tend to forget most of the stuff that Presidents do...

[wolfie]

But since they tend to fade into more-or-less obscurity ( how many former presidents can you say what they are doing now?)

Jimmy Carter is building houses for Habitat For Humanity. Of course, that's not the sort of thing that attracts crazies trying to put a stop to it.

[s_stabeler]

my point is no past president has really been a high-profile figure, or at least, not on the same scale as when they were currently President. For example, you don't get past presidents commenting on what the current President is doing. Not to mention, even the most controversial past Presidents have never received assassination attempts. only ever the current President at the time of the attempt.

[TheHuckster]

Former presidents do often make speeches afterwards. I think Bill Clinton still does, as did Gerald Ford when he was alive. During those times, I'm sure they have tons of security to keep them safe. They just won't be secret service, but just another security entity.

I'm sure the CIA and FBI still keep tabs on any possible chatter that might be talking about taking down a former president, too. This, combined with former presidents trying to stay out of the limelight and become "ghosts" when they're not publicly speaking also attributes to the fact that no former president had ever been assassinated, not to mention, they probably can afford their own private security anyway.

[Kheldarson]

Former presidents do often make speeches afterwards. I think Bill Clinton still does, as did Gerald Ford when he was alive. During those times, I'm sure they have tons of security to keep them safe. They just won't be secret service, but just another security entity.

Yes, lots of security. Clinton came to my college on his wife's behalf when she ran against Obama. It was rather interesting (both the security and his speech).

[Jetfire]

Clinton is still very active on the Public Speaker circuits, so his security is probably still heightened, but probably not at his Presidency levels.

Bush Sr. seems to have retired from the public life, so his security is probably fairly minimal (but still being watched). Carter, as mentioned, is building houses and still fairly active, so he's likely watched closely, but not really under intense protection.

Of course, Bush Sr and Clinton are both special cases when it comes to protections.

Bush Sr likely has more protection because of his relation to Bush Jr. (and other political Bush's), so he'll probably keep a lot of protection up until his death regardless.

Clinton may not have presidential level protection any more, but because Hillary is still active, he will probably stay covered (at least until Hillary confirms/denies she will run and/or until she retires from politics completely)

[TheHuckster]

Bush Sr. seems to have retired from the public life, so his security is probably fairly minimal (but still being watched). Carter, as mentioned, is building houses and still fairly active, so he's likely watched closely, but not really under intense protection.

My wife can attest that Bush Sr. definitely has secret service, as he paid a visit to her place of work a couple years ago, and his guards' badges had secret service on them. If you drive past his Kennebunkport house when he's there, there's a ton of security, although I'm not sure how many of them are actually G-men.

[wolfie]

My understanding is that it was Clinton, not Bush Sr., who was the first to leave office after the rules were changed. As a result, Bush Sr. is still in the "protection for life" category, but Clinton is in the "10 years" category. As someone pointed out, Clinton would still have some protection even though his 10 years are up due to his being Hillary's husband. Similarly, Bush Jr. will have some protection due to being Bush Sr.'s son.

[bex1218]

Wait. 15 minutes? 15 minutes of precious class time. They really want these kids brainwashed. Would have never worked on me anyways. I went to school to learn. If I wanted to pray, I would go to church.

[Panacea]

Wait. 15 minutes? 15 minutes of precious class time. They really want these kids brainwashed. Would have never worked on me anyways. I went to school to learn. If I wanted to pray, I would go to church.

The ACLU will get an injunction so fast, it'll make the Legislature's heads spin.