'Why Obama makes less than me', PM Lee explains as he fart

[Papsmearer]

He said: 'Retired US presidents go on book tours, they write books, they are paid US$10 million (S$13 million) advance, they get somebody to help them write a tome and they make a lecture tour... Every lecture (by former US president) Bill Clinton: US$100,000 to US$200,000 for half an hour.

'That's the system. I think that's not a good system for us. We don't want ministers to retire and go on lecture tours.'

The students should have caught Gay Loong in a bullshit lie by also stating that his own father is writing books about his time as PM (a position that he has retired from), and making lots of money from it as it is required reading in some quarters of our education system. As well, his own father regularly flies all over the world to give lectures in Universities, events, and what not. I can guarantee u that hakka Jew is not doing it for free. He should state how much his father is earning from all these book deals as he so freely quotes what Presidents of the US earns for their. Someone is willing to pay Bill Clinton $100-$200K because he controlled the world's best army, largest economy, etc. at one time, and they think he has something worthy to say. No one will pay a sinkie politician that kind of money because a peesai country's value on the world's stage is a fraction of that of the US and hence their level of experience and impact on world affairs and economy is minuscule and not worth that money. In fact, I would not even pay a cup of coffee to hear a PAP politician pontificate, as inevitably, their logic is ludicrous as in this Gay Loong article.

 

[kingrant]

I would have told him that with his wooden look, I am prepared to go the US system. That will be able to test how able our Ministers in commanding speaking tours and writing books. I also want to see how many people will buy yaacob's books on his Minsiterial experience or wisdom, or lack of it. I want to see how Wong kan Sing is able to write a best seller.

These jiak liao bee Ministers are good for talk only. How many have returned to civvy street and earn their millions? They only hide in GLCs like Temasek companies or in GIC since only these places can be "guaranteed" to look after them.

In truth, only suckers will pay for their books and speeches. We dont need to care since taxpayers money is not involved to sustain them. Let them rot in some forlorn corner of the retirement village as they find out how useless and inflated their egos have brought them.

 

[Papsmearer]

The second point was the impact of such a low ceiling on the rest of the civil service.

Said Mr Lee: 'Because of the president's pay being set at a level which is not quite right, all the rest of the civil service and government pay in the US system has to take dressing from there and come down... and come down.

'As a result of this, their judges are underpaid, their civil servants are underpaid and one year, Chief Justice (William) Rehnquist wrote his annual judicial report to Congress and he said, 'You are going to have a very serious constitutional problem because the senior judge sitting on the bench hearing the case with junior lawyers arguing in front of him is paid less than the junior lawyer on Wall Street. Where do you think the talent will go and what do you think the consequences will be for our system?''

This comment from Gay Loong truly scares me, and it should have send a chill thru the spines of these so call tertiary students, but it does not. Porbably a case of ignorance is bliss, or sheer stupidity. Some brave student should have kindly and forcefully pointed out to Gay Loong that judges are part of the judiciary, and politicians are part of the executive branch. They are all supposed to be independent along with the legislative branch of the govt. Hence, why should their pay be pegged to any other branch. The legislative branch votes in pay increases for the politicians in the executive branch, they are under no requirement to do so for the judiciary branch. For Gay Loong to lump them all as the same, and that one will have an impact on another is a clear indication that there is no separation of power and no check and balances in Singapore. In this example that he quoted, he plainly says the judiciary is dependent and beholden to legislative and executive branches because if the legislative gives the executive branch a big pay raise, than the judges in the judiciary will get more money too. How can the judges than be impartial in cases pitting the politicians against others, if they rely on them directly for their salary increases?

Also, the second part of Rehnquist's quote was that it would be hard to get new judges not because of the low pay, but because of the confirmation hearing process whereby potential judges are really put through the grinder in minute details. Not many want to have their private and family lifes violated that way.

By the way, note that Rehnquist complain about the pay to Congress. That is because Congress determines the pay for supreme court justices. Therefore, if singapore judges are not happy about their pay, they should complain to parliament or Law Ministry. gay LOong cannot be called on to fight their battles for them over money.

 

[jw5]

As the other forummer said, it's a waste of time to argue with them over anything.
And if the majority of Singkies decide to keep most of these kind in power, then it shows that they are happy with the way things are including replies such as this, and it's also a waste of time trying to convince these Singkies of anything.
Time will be better spent watching football and drinking beer.

 

[Papsmearer]

Mr Lee stressed that Singapore's ministerial pay system was one that works.

Asked whether pay should still be pegged to the private sector given the many candidates taken from the civil service and unions, he replied: 'The reason I can get good people from the Government and the unions is that I have a pay system which is working properly. People do not enter politics to get rich but neither will they enter politics and as a result, they and their family will become poor.'

He added: 'It is something which is not easy to accept emotionally but is the right thing for Singapore. If you want the system to work for the long term, you must be honest about it. What do I pay for? I pay for the importance of the job, and how difficult it is to do...'

The pay system is working properly according to who? Only he and the PAP says it is working properly.I think most sinkies would saythat it is an obscene abuse, and the international community thinks its a joke for their salary to be 7 times more than that of the US president. If I can get paid paid $3 million a year as a politician, how can he say I am not going to get rich as a politics. What kind of contradictory statemtn is that? U mean that he considers someone earning $3 million a year NOT RICH? WTF. SOme student shoudl have mentioned that in the private sector, CEO and executives get fired for losing $billions of their company's money. In fact, they can get fired for 2 quarters of below expectation stock performance. How come there is no such consequence for PAP politicians? This iron rice bowl therefore necessitates a lower pay in exchange for job security.

 

[kingrant]

The real motive for the high salaries is simply to buy their allegiance so there will be no revolt. Everyone will be beholden to the PM. He who holds the gold makes the rule - the golden rule.

All these robber barons, and we expect them to defend us.

 

[Papsmearer]

BENEFITS OF HAVING A GOOD REPUTATION

'The International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC) is the policy-steering committee of the International Monetary Fund... And the new chairman of the IMFC, I'm not sure how many of you can name him, but he is Tharman Shanmugaratnam, our Finance Minister.

He was elected last month to chair the IMFC and it's not because we campaigned for the position. We didn't campaign for the position, but Tharman was elected because Singapore has a high reputation as a state which works, as a successful economy and Tharman himself personally is held in very high regard internationally.

They know the quality of the person, they know the contribution he can make. They didn't do this just out of a politeness to us. So our reputation and the reality of our good government is of great value to Singapore. It gives us influence in the world, it gives you standing in the world, it opens the door for our businesses and it creates many opportunities for Singaporeans.'

PM Lee, on how Singapore's reputation and that of its ministers opens doors

To me, this was the most hilarious comment. Gay Loong failed to mention the last chairman of the IMFC before Tharman was Youseef Boutros Ghali, the Eqyptian Finance Minister. Yes, he is from the same country that is so fucked up economically and financially (dispite have oil reserves), that people have to go and revolt in the streets because their lot in life is so bad!! That is so much for the criteria that the IMFC uses to select its chairman. I don't think its good for singapore's reputation to let it be known that our finance ministers are equally as talented as an egyptian one. If the IMFC was so selective in the quality of its chairman, than we can assume the IMFC considers this eqyptian chap to be at least as good as Tharm. Iwonder if we can pay Tharm his salary.

 

[Papsmearer]

The real motive for the high salaries is simply to buy their allegiance so there will be no revolt. Everyone will be beholden to the PM. He who holds the gold makes the rule - the golden rule.

All these robber barons, and we expect them to defend us.

In fact, it extends to more than that. Everyone knows that there is a lot of deadwood in all these govt. ministries. these jiak liao bees will continue to vote PAP because their jobs depend on it. Ditto for the GLCS and stat boards. That is why the govt. is in so many businesses and endeavours.

 

[Papsmearer]

As the other forummer said, it's a waste of time to argue with them over anything.
And if the majority of Singkies decide to keep most of these kind in power, then it shows that they are happy with the way things are including replies such as this, and it's also a waste of time trying to convince these Singkies of anything.
Time will be better spent watching football and drinking beer.

I agree with you, but I have actually viewed the blog of someone who has taken my postings and quoted them word for word. SO I know that at least 1 individual has read it, and it the light bulb went on in their minds. That alone is worth it for me. SOme people just need someone to open the door for them in order to see the whole picture. I don't care about others who are so closed minded they could not see the PAP raping them even if Gay Loong dropped his panties behind them and ask them to bend over..

 

[glockman]

I have come to a conclusion that its a waste of time to reason with these MIWs about anything. They are too dumb to understand or too blind to see whats happening to the people and the nation. Hence in this comming election instead of spoiling my vote will just vote this baboon out of office.

-waste of time to reason with these MIWs. I agree.

-They are too dumb to understand or too blind to see whats happening to the people and the nation. I disagree. They are fully aware.

-Hence in this comming election instead of spoiling my vote will just vote this baboon out of office. I agree 100%. Just fuckin' do it!

 

[spotter542]

I want to see how Wong kan Sing is able to write a best seller.

" Limping to Johor " ? :p

 

[Jah_rastafar_I]

"He said: 'Retired US presidents go on book tours, they write books, they are paid US$10 million (S$13 million) advance, they get somebody to help them write a tome and they make a lecture tour... Every lecture (by former US president) Bill Clinton: US$100,000 to US$200,000 for half an hour.... We don't want ministers to retire and go on lecture tours."

No worries sir. I can assure you nobody will pay you $10m advance for a book (except SPH which i can't be dead sure). Neither will anyone pay your ministers $100k for an hour speech.

To even use this instance as a justification of his high salary is ludicrous at the highest level. These type of tours and books are not deemed official they are decided by pte parties and individuals. Nobody is forcing anyone to buy a book written by bill clinton for eg and nobody is being forced to invite him for a talk too. The invite him to talks and buy his books out of their own free will. The pm's salary is decided by the cabinet and enforced by the law.

 

[Papsmearer]

To even use this instance as a justification of his high salary is ludicrous at the highest level. These type of tours and books are not deemed official they are decided by pte parties and individuals. Nobody is forcing anyone to buy a book written by bill clinton for eg and nobody is being forced to invite him for a talk too. The invite him to talks and buy his books out of their own free will. The pm's salary is decided by the cabinet and enforced by the law.

Yes, a poor performance by Gay Loong for his comments, and an equally poor performance by the supposedly bright students for not making him pay for these comments.

 

[GoldenDragon]

If Obama even attempt to pay his key personnel and himself the obscene salaries being paid to MIW, there will be anarchy in the USA. Public service is public service. It should not be a vehicle to make even more money. Americans are miles ahead when it comes to intelligence and assertion of their rights.

 

[GoldenDragon]

In fact, I would not even pay a cup of coffee to hear a PAP politician pontificate, as inevitably, their logic is ludicrous as in this Gay Loong article. /QUOTE]

Bro, you are a kind man. For me, even if they pay me $100 an hour to hear them, I will tell them to FO. Before that, I will buy them a cup of coffee and politely tell them not to disturb me.

 

[yuelao]

For once we agree on something

That does not mean I don't think they should get an immediate pay cut of at least 50%.

 

[Char_Azn]

That does not mean I don't think they should get an immediate pay cut of at least 50%.

I was thinking more along the line of 30% for ministers, MPs remain unchange but MPs must be a FULL TIME JOB. The part time nonsense have got to stop

 

[Windsor]

If Obama even attempt to pay his key personnel and himself the obscene salaries being paid to MIW, there will be anarchy in the USA. Public service is public service. It should not be a vehicle to make even more money. Americans are miles ahead when it comes to intelligence and assertion of their rights.

GD, a reminder to everyone that Obama's salary is really low in comparison to the Singapore Govenment's ridiculous pay. As PRESIDENT OF USA, Obama is taking on 2 jobs, whereas in Singapore there are 2 persons i.e. our Top Talents. One is Prata Man with $7.3 million and the other is Pinky himself. I am not mentioning the other leechers like LKY and GCT plus all the hangers-on like WKS.

 

[Spearhead]

"He said: 'Retired US presidents go on book tours, they write books, they are paid US$10 million (S$13 million) advance, they get somebody to help them write a tome and they make a lecture tour... Every lecture (by former US president) Bill Clinton: US$100,000 to US$200,000 for half an hour.... We don't want ministers to retire and go on lecture tours."

No worries sir. I can assure you nobody will pay you $10m advance for a book (except SPH which i can't be dead sure). Neither will anyone pay your ministers $100k for an hour speech.

" that why they wanted high salary......Y, no one will be even interested to hear them not to say read them....hahaha

 

[Hans168]

The root problem here is not their high salaries. It is that they are allowed to give themselves whatever salaries they want. Firstly, they set up the system to ensure only certain people get to participate in the electoral system, then these same people get to decide how much they should be paid.

LHL does not understand that pple in public service must be more power-motivated. Getting pple into such jobs due to allure of money is basically wrong! They do not make good public servant. Most of them got in becos of the money. Such LEEders are no good at all plainly becos of lack of true motivation to serve - they are serving their own needs instead of Singapore's. Goh KS was paid much less and yet delivered much more than the top 20 CEO's here. What did LHL deliver? In 2006 after the hasting, all MIW's pledged job creations. What did they created? Jamban jobs; jobs for FTrashs & super doper paid jobs for themselves and their cronies. The displaced PMET's can't even smell jobs a third of their last drawn pay! We got PS who earns so much money that he splurged on himself and family to learn french cooking.....(Chinese food not good enuf?)!!
& now we are told that getting more compensations & remunerations than the world's most powerful and difficult job is okay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WTF