Discussion: Reports: Obama Takes $400K Fee To Speak At Investment Bank's Conference

I can answer that. My extensive, uh, field research suggests that they are. You do, however, owe it to yourself to verify this.

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I once got free chocolate chip cookies and coffee for speaking to a group of amateur botanists. Some easy pickings on that gig. Although I always thought that I was worth oatmeal-raisin.

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I do think Is should visit every single island just to check and see. I’ll report back. :slight_smile:

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Careful on the optics. Maybe the cookies were okay, but coffee too? I mean, seriously, what were you thinking?

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Thanks! I look forward to it.

I am embarking on another ā€œfield research adventureā€ in November. 40th wedding anniversary celebration with the kids, et.al. :joy_cat:

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They lose all vestiges of civilization at luaus when they do the hukilau to honor the pig in the pit. :laughing:

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I’m 68-years-old. I voted for Obama twice because he was the lesser evil. This is the definition of selling out. This is taking personal advantage of an elitist system based on financial rather than ethical and moral values. This is why celebrity worship is harmful. This is why Sanders is the most popular politician in America today.

If Obama donates rather than keeps this money, good for him! That’s the right example of how power and influence should be used…to benefit others less fortunate.

Well, be careful. You just never know what kind of glorious landscape you may encounter over there.

Congratulations on your anniversary! :balloon:

Well, that’s completely understandable. :smile:

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Funny–I too " lose all vestiges of civilization" when I am there (or in sunny Mexico, for that matter).

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Thanks!!! :joy_cat:

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I guess the Obama’s $65,000,000 book advance just wasn’t enough.

I have no problem with the book advance. He earned all of that. But isn’t that enough? Considering a $1,000,000 invested with a 10% return gives one a $100,000 annually w/o even getting out of bed in the morning.

Put it all under wealth concentration. Are we ever to see wealth distribution again?

No, it’s just that very, very stupid people have decided all democrats must be paupers, except Sanders and his three houses, who hate the rich and have no desire to be rich. Because that right there so totally connects with the average voter.

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Obama had eight years to convince Trump voters he was on their side. Couldn’t do it. And many of them had voted for Obama. If he had been a tenant, he wouldn’t get his security deposit back. He left the Democrats in terrible shape.

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If Sanders is the ā€œmost popular politician in America todayā€, a dubious claim at best, it’s only because he’s promising three-quarters of the country a laundry list of free stuff and further promising that the Koch Brothers will pay for it.

Which has absolutely zero chance of ever happening in this country, barring a mental change to half the population.

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Today I want to reject the tribalistic Obama/Clinton v Sanders, heroes v villains polarities. I appreciate that this board is a place to vent (and have done so myself, many times), but I want to be open to the possibility that my guy Obama is not flawless and that this may be a substantive misstep. (Always assuming that the Fox report is accurate, which @NCSteve rightly points out is far from certain.)

It cannot be forgotten that the animosity towards banks and bankers isn’t just a symbolic one. These enterprises have shown themselves to be, to a very significant degree, quasi-criminal organizations that engage in systematic fraud and predation and corruption and racketeering, with catastrophic consequences. (Here’s one of my favorite links on this subject: https://www.lrb.co.uk/v35/n13/john-lanchester/are-we-having-fun-yet.) So it isn’t just a question of optics.

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Quite likely he’ll do all kinds of good with the money he receives. I think it’s great that he can take money from soulless profit-takers and do some good with it (like Hillary did/does). That said, even if he hoarded the money for himself and his family, so fucking what? He’s a private citizen… it’s his prerogative. Any so-called liberals who rage-masturbate to this are dumber than a doorknob for being so easily distracted from actual issues that impact people’s lives.

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It’s because Progressives are busy trying to foment a class war.

Just what the Democrats need.

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Hard to make presentations at conferences from a prison cell…

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I stand ready to receive some of your wealth distributed my way, and I promise I’ll put it to good use. I’m sure I earn less than you do, being a retiree and all, and Bernie will no doubt approve.

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She did donate the fees to charity.

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