Ten Truths About What Life Is Like for Former U.S. Presidents

Ten Truths About What Life Is Like for Former U.S. Presidents

The presidency of a country is one of the most difficult occupations there is. It might be more appropriate to argue that the presidency is the most demanding job there is. For the duration of his or her four-year mandate, the commander in chief is always on call. If he is successful, voters will reward him with another four-year term as president. Everything of vital importance crosses the desk of the American president every day: issues with military preparation, financial difficulties, social problems, public policy issues, and more. There is no minor choice. The workplace's constant demands have resulted in its employees aging to the point where it has become a meme. According to certain historians, American presidents age two years for every year they hold the office. In January 2009, Barack Obama famously took office. He was young and energetic. After eight years, the demands of his employment had significantly made his hair grey. When everything is said and done, what happens? Do former leaders now finally unwind and let their hair down? (Sorry, Barack. Or does the quick pace go on? This list is all about what former American presidents' daily lives are like after leaving office.

By Paul Smith

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10 Wind Down And Chill Out (If You Can)

The president almost never spends an hour doing nothing. The day is dominated by conference calls, meetings with international leaders, strategy sessions with advisors, and demands of the national media. There isn't much downtime on the job besides sleep. The comedown is therefore severe when it finishes and the new guy is sworn in. After leaving office in January 2017, Barack Obama awoke on his first free day and immediately struggled. In a later interview with David Letterman, he said, "I slept in, which I was very delighted about. I kind of liked puttingtering around the house, asking Michelle if the coffee maker worked, and battling her for closet space. Bill Clinton encountered a similar circumstance following his service. Clinton was surprised to discover breakfast wasn't ready when he woke up after serving a lengthy term as governor of Arkansas and eight years in the White House. Clinton found himself suddenly on his own, with no White House personnel nearby, and forced to once more fend for himself. He also had trouble using the coffee maker in his new apartment.

George W. Bush adjusted to life after the White House a little better than most. Like the others, he was shocked by the abrupt transition from the frenetic job. Bush soon discovered, though, that he liked being alone on his ranch in Texas. He has picked up painting as a new pastime. The former president now spends his time creating art. He's brilliant at it, too, and in 2017 he published Portraits of Courage, a collection of his artwork.

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9 Collect That Check… Forever!

After holding the position of commander-in-chief, one cannot advance further in their career. The position of leader of the free world is the best promotion. Of course, former presidents engage in activities like campaigning for nonprofits and foundation work. The presidency, however, is the apex of a career. Former leaders are also paid for it. Presidents have rich and safe pensions. Amazingly, though, it wasn't always that way. Harry S. Truman returned to Missouri after serving his full term in 1953. His monthly military pension of $112.56 was his sole source of income. Politicians were alarmed when they learned the absence of a safety net may leave previous leaders vulnerable to bribes or blackmail. Thus, the Former Presidents Act was passed by Congress in 1958. Ex-presidents are entitled by law to a lifetime pension, security personnel, medical attention, and other perks. That pension now amounts to a little bit over $200,000 each year. Additionally, in order to "keep the dignity" of the position following their time, presidents are permitted to ask for additional funding for expenses. No ex-president will ever again beg for money! However, the pension is not without controversy. Former presidents now frequently find their years after leaving the White House to be exceptionally lucrative. Leaders can make millions of dollars by telling stories about their time in government through speaking engagements and book sales. In fact, political analysts are speculating as to whether the pension's usefulness hasn't expired. But the money keeps coming in, at least for the time being. Given the demanding schedules many leaders maintain while in office, it might be reasonable.

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8 Secret Service Staffers Stick Around

Being the president of the United States implies you will never be anonymous. For the remainder of their life, former White House inhabitants are recognised everywhere they go. Additionally, they could become targets due to their knowledge of national secrets. An ex-president shouldn't be left alone without any form of security. This is known to the Secret Service. The men and women in black suits guard former presidents for the rest of their lives. Additionally, their families are always protected. And until they reach adulthood, their kids are likewise watched over meticulously. It was interesting to note that lifetime Secret Service assistance wasn't always accessible. A law limiting former president protection to the first ten years after leaving office was passed by Congress in 1994. Senators at the time argued that after ten years, former commanders should be able to cover their own security. The terrorist acts of September 11, 2011, however, changed that perspective. By 2013, complete family protection and lifetime security have been reauthorized. However, some presidents favor making their own decisions. Richard Nixon actually made the decision to forego any Secret Service oversight. Nixon initially kept the Secret Service after notorily leaving the position in 1974. But he made the decision to entirely renounce protection in 1985. Without their constant supervision, he spent the final ten years of his life.

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7 All the Health Care You Can Handle

For former leaders, healthcare benefits are available in addition to those delicious pension benefits. Former leaders of state receive lifetime coverage for presidential medical care, just as members of Congress. However, it's fascinating to see that coverage differs. George H.W. Bush only received federal health benefits from the General Services Administration in his later years. Jimmy Carter continues to receive medical care through GSA funding, thus the same is true for him. But here's why: each of those individuals served as president for only one term. Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama are three two-term candidates who are each eligible for much more in yearly funds. They received far more in allowable insurance benefits due to their lengthier tenure in office. But it doesn't mean Carter has been left hanging. As he continues to live a long, meaningful life, care is always taken care of. Additionally, some of these guys don't even use the services that are provided! In the instance of the elder Bush, his earlier experience as Vice President made him eligible for higher health care reimbursements. But in his later years, he really stopped accepting the benefits altogether. Of course, given some of these men's vast worths, it makes sense that they aren't vying for every last federal dollar available. The choice is still open. After leaving office, former presidents will never lack access to medical care.

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6 Hope You Don’t Like Driving!

More often than not, people don't know how constrained living as a former President may be. These former leaders have numerous options, but many more are not on the table. In actuality, some of life's most basic pleasures are forbidden! Consider driving as an example. A person will never again drive an automobile after being elected president. Certainly not on a public street. George W. Bush once said that he hadn't driven on a freeway in decades. But other than that, he only uses his pickup to get around his Texas ranch. This is done for two reasons: security and safety. Driving while a former president is simply too dangerous. Those staff members could easily handle it for them if they had lifetime Secret Service protection. In fact, since Lyndon Baines Johnson did it in the 1960s, no president has driven themselves on a public road. The Secret Service does not strictly require the driving ban, but it does strongly advise it. All presidents and vice presidents have complied with the request since LBJ's joyride. But that does not obligate them to approve of it. One of the most problematic aspects of working for the federal government, according to Bill Clinton, is the requirement to not drive. Joe Biden, the current president, also disapproves of it. When he served as Obama's deputy, Joe Biden declared that his inability to drive was "the one thing I dislike about this position." Fortunately, these guys are still permitted to go around in golf carts on private property. They don't have much, but that's all they have.

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5 Private Life? What Private Life?

It should not be surprising that former presidents are in high demand after leaving office. Being noticed by the public is part of the job. Additionally, it has a global focus. Former presidents are followed by the international media for the rest of their lives. These leaders will never again be able to remain unknown. Billions of individuals throughout the world have access to the news and current events. Under that magnifying glass, everyday existence is challenging and relentless. In this sense, living the life of a former president is like living the life of a movie star. However, those celebrities are exempt from having to cope with the fallout from challenging political choices. Consider Ronald Reagan as an example. In January 1989, he departed his position in good standing. But as the years passed, the consequences of his policy decisions turned out to be terrible. Reagan was criticized for his economic actions and their results decades after he retired. Bill Clinton experienced the same problem. In the 1990s, his tough-on-crime approach was well-liked. He served in the White House for two terms in a largely calm and wealthy environment. However, by the 2010s, opinions on his crime policies had shifted. Twenty years after leaving office with a flourish, Clinton came under fire for the atrocities of mass imprisonment. He even went as far as to apologize for his position on crime as a result of pressure from the public. The fact that it occurred 20 years later was basically a given for the job. Of course, these leaders agree to this when they join up. We have to live with the policies they enact. They are held accountable when bad things happen, even if just in the eyes of the general public. Still, it can be really upsetting to retire and have people still criticized your work 25 years later!

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4 Don’t Call out the Next Guy

Even previous presidents are not exempt from the rule of law. But pressure on former leaders isn't just applied through the legal system. In actuality, retired commanders adhere to a number of unwritten guidelines and strong recommendations, such as the aforementioned driving prohibition. The most important of these concerns a president's successors. It's against the rules for former leaders to disparage their successors in the White House. It makes sense theoretically because former presidents have lived in the White House before. When their terms were up, the electorate cast new ballots, and life went on. So permit the new head of state to conduct business unhindered! Of course, this is just a social tradition rather than a written law. However, former presidents have often been sincere about adhering to it for life. After Donald Trump was elected in 2016, some of that altered. Furthermore, it wasn't just that Democrats wanted to skewer a Republican. In fact, Donald Trump's administration's policies drew harsh criticism from both Barack Obama and George W. Bush. Even further, Bush referred to the former reality TV star as a "blowhard." However, none of the former leaders specifically mentioned Trump in their criticisms. That demonstrates the effectiveness of the office's "no criticism" policy. Former leaders make an effort to maintain the tradition, despite the fact that criticizing a sitting president in this way may still be improper.

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3 It’s An Extremely Exclusi

As we've seen, being president is a difficult job. Every day, people face life-or-death choices. Discussions about significant policies are ongoing. Important decisions must be taken. And the consequences of those decisions will affect people's lives, perhaps for decades. Not everyone can handle the attention that comes with the position. These leaders also don't have many people to relate to because there are only a handful live former presidents at any given moment. As a result, many past presidents develop friendships. Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, who have opposing political philosophies, are examples of this. The two become close following their separate tenure in the White House. At Bush's father's house in Maine, they frequently take family vacations. Former presidents steal the stage when they gather together at public events; Bush has even jokingly referred to Clinton as his "brother from another mother." Rare opportunities to take pictures with these surviving ex-leaders. They are memorable when they do. Obama, Bush, and Clinton attended the President's Cup golf tournament in New Jersey in 2017. The three of them later made an appearance alongside Jimmy Carter and George H.W. Bush to solicit donations for hurricane assistance. It's impressive to see five former presidents together in one place. After serving their tenure, these individuals are finally free from the political conflicts associated with holding office. Thus, regardless of their political affiliation, they get along well in retirement. Their special work experience provides them with the ideal opportunity to connect. Additionally, their tiny club is unquestionably among the most exclusive in the world.

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2 There’s Nothing But Time, So Why Not Write

As we've seen, being president is a difficult job. Every day, leaders must make decisions that could mean life or death. One post-presidency potential is the memoir. Over 150 years have passed since that custom began. When it comes to memoirs as we know them today, James Buchanan was the first former president to publish one after leaving office. He released his book in 1861, but reviewers hated it. Five years later, frustrated, Buchanan made another attempt with a second edition. It had a similar reaction. However, things quickly began to shift once Mark Twain published Ulysses S. Grant's presidential biography in 1885. It became a hit right away. Many historians believe Twain wrote the book's ghost since Grant's writing was so well-written. Whether it's true or not, Grant's popularity led to a boom in the memoir market. The industry of ghostwriting has as well. Ronald Reagan's memoir was soon put up for sale once he resigned from office in 1989. When questioned about it, Reagan jokingly remarked that his editorial assistant had written everything. He jokingly remarked, "I hear it's a good book. "These days, the publishing industry salivates for presidential memoirs. Publishers engaged in a bidding war for the rights to write Barack Obama's biography after he left office. The bid was ultimately won by Penguin Random House, who offered an unprecedented $65 million for both his and Michelle's memoirs. Of course, Obama's historic administration contributed to getting that enormous sum. But for many former presidents, memoir moves have taken on a life of their own. In addition to revealing information about daily life in the White House, it's almost a surefire method to make a fortune after serving in government.

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1 And Put the Book in Your Own Personal LIbrary!

A memoir isn't the only decision to be made as a president's term in office comes to an end. In actuality, every president takes one more significant step: building a library. These "presidential centres" serve as historical memorials for the last president. They give the general public the chance to pay respect to that past head of state and discover their legacy. They are frequently held at the president's hometown. They include sentimental souvenirs as well as office treasures. Presidential libraries occasionally serve as venues for local events. Consider the Richard Nixon Library in the beautiful Yorba Linda, California. The facility is now open to hosting private events, such as weddings. Don't we all want Tricky Dick's ghost to be there to protect us when we get married? Despite the wedding puns, there is a political purpose for presidential libraries. Franklin D. Roosevelt declared in 1939 that after leaving office, the federal government would receive all of his records. After a not-so-great run of former presidents misplacing key letters and notes, FDR became concerned about document storage. In reality, that problem dates all the way back to the first president. George Washington's presidential papers were kept in a cellar at his Mount Vernon residence after he left office. They eventually grew soggy in the gloomy hole over time. A rat infestation gradually ruined many of them. This loss of primary source information wasn't terrific for policymakers. Nevertheless, it took time for FDR's federal push to be codified. A president's need to give up his or her records after leaving the White House was ultimately codified in law in 1978. These presidential libraries receive the documents so that it can be maintained there permanently. Of course, a lot of it is hidden from view. Nevertheless, retaining these data forever protects the nation's cultural history. Additionally, it stays with a president for their entire lives after they leave office.

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