[twinkiedooter]

Whatever happened to Michelle Obama's wanting to receive a salary for being First Lady? It seems that particular subject got dropped out of the media like a hot potato. So how much is she supposed to be paid for her "duties" as First Lady, or did I miss something here? Did someone clue her in that it is an unpaid position?

[N0help4u]

She probably found out that her pay had to come out of Obama's pocket
OR maybe it is one of the things they snuck in the stimulus deal most likely with the money that is to go to George Sorro's ACCORN.

[twinkiedooter]

NH4U - Oh, maybe that's why she's giving all those speeches lately. I think she's given more speeches than he has since Jan 20th. Maybe she feels if she gives X number of speeches that she's entitled to some extra moolah.

[tomder55]

I think a strong case can be made for First Wife pay. But it won't happen until the time when a first Hubby is expected to put his career on hold and work for the government for free.

As I understand it Michelle Obama's schedule now and into the foreseeable future is over 11,000 pages long. Most of it is related to her role as First Lady performing a wide range of ceremonial functions and being things like a good-will ambassador ;stand in for the President at times ,and generally managing the White House etc.

Let's see how active she becomes . First Ladies often become active in policy and agenda also .Many of them became in essence co-Presidents ,and in the case of Edith Wilson was the defacto President after Woodrow Wilson's stroke. This was true also of Eleanor Roosevelt ;and even going as far back as Abigail Adams. Almost every First Lady becomes a major spokesperson for a policy initiative and in the case of Evita ;headed a task force (badly ) on Health Care.

The role of First Lady has never been solely raising the kids and watching Soap Operas on television . The country should consider a fair measure of compensation .

[twinkiedooter]

There have been First Ladies that have flatly refused to do much of anything and were practically invisible while they lived in the White House. They just did not see the opportunity or want the attention. It has only been within the last 70 years that the women who were First Ladies decided to do something with the office of the First Lady.

Basically, I feel that it is an honorary title as we didn't "elect" her or any other First Lady and should not be paid any sort of salary. There are enough perks in the White House to satisfy anyone. It is one of the best 5 Star Hotels in this country that you could ever want. Instant anything at the first families whim.

Lady Bird Johnson did a wonderful job of her wild flower program beautifying America's highways. Jacqueline Kennedy brought culture to the White House and redid an old decaying White House and made it into the museum for the people. I don't know what Barbara Bush did that made her so outstanding a First Lady other than the grandparents program. Don't know what Betty Ford did either for that matter. Rosalind Carter wasn't a whirlwind either unless you could count her attending cabinet meetings with Jimmy. Hilary Clinton tried to do the universal health care plan and failed. Don't know what she actually contributed but she did travel a lot around the world. Laura Bush wasn't a mover and shaker either for that matter but did something on reading. Nancy Regan did the thing with drugs (which I personally feel has ultimately failed). Bess Truman kept to herself and flatly refused to give any press conferences, yet she and Harry would talk about the nation's problems in private. She shunned any kind of spotlight and wanted Harry to have all the attention.

So what if Michelle Obama had to give up a "wonderful career" as a hospital administrator? She can't be an attorney anymore as she was disbarred a few years ago in Illinois.

So, if she has all these 1,000 pages of commitments, just what IS her contribution to America going to be? Has anyone gotten wind of this yet?

[tomder55]

I'd bet anything they'dve found a way to compensate Bill Clintoon had Evita won.