It's nice to be recession proof at the top of the political pile and looking down

On the basis that a cat can look at a king and form its own opinion - here is a little financial data.

US President Barack Obama receives $400,000 in annual salary and non-taxable expense accounts totalling $169,000.
On retirement he will receive at least $191,300 annually as a presidential pension.
He lodged his 2008 Public Financial Disclosure on 15 May 2009.
The president declared between:
$100,001- $250,000 in a Morgan Chase Client Asset Management Checking Account with interest, plus another minor account with Morgan Chase
$1,001 - $15,000 in a Northern Trust checking account with interest
Three retirement savings plans worth up to $800,000 plus interest
$50,001 - $100,000 in U.S. Treasury bills with interest
$1 million and $5 million in a second U.S. Treasury Bills plus interest
$100,002 -$200,000 in two college funds for his children
$100,001 - $1 million in book royalties from Crown Publishing (includes a $500,000 advance for a children's version of one of his books)
$1 million - $5 million in book royalties from Random House
Less than $1,001 in Treasury Notes
Less than $1,001 in each of six separate investment/retirement accounts

While according to a 2008 media report the Australian Leader of the Opposition Malcolm Bligh Turnbull is reputed to be personally worth at least $125 million and possibly as high as $140 million with his wife Lucy reported to hold $5 million in shares and, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's wife is reputed to be worth up to$60 million.



Now President Obama is trying to get a universal health insurance policy going in a country where the dollars you have currently decide health outcomes.

And Prime Minister Rudd has just raised the base pension so that the aged, disabled, widows, carers and returned service men and women have a bit more in their pockets.

In his turn, Leader of the Opposition Malcolm Turnbull has proposed a tax, which will disproportionately hit the poor in order to buttress a health insurance rebate which goes to reasonably well-off members of the community.




So who's the completely out-of-touch rich b*stard here?

*For the record, I am not a smoker and therefore would not be affected by Turnbull's proposed tax hike.