Why has Romney has already spent at least 9 million of his own money on his run for the Presidency?

Question

He's also said that he will give his 400,000.00 a year presidential salary to charity, if he wins the Oval Office.

Why? Why would anyone spend millions and millions of dollars, and give up their salary... to be President?

And please... don't say, "love of country". Try to be realistic.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/08/13/romney.wealth.ap/index.html

Chance- Put a big check-mark next to B. It's not the whole enchilada, but it'll take you in the right general direction.

Answer 1

A: Because former presidents can draw in a salary of 800,000+ for one speaking engagement. Chump change, you might say, he's half a billionaire. Fine. Then:
B: Presidents can influence policy that is friendly to their business interests.
C: Prestige. The only man in the world more powerful than Bill Gates is the guy that could declare Bill Gates an enemy combatant and make him disappear.

Answer 2

Angel of Death, please atleast think about this reasoning. Mitt Romney is actually a very good man. Though I do not agree with his religious beliefs, this country was founded on freedom of religion, so who am I to judge. The single most important thing that I see here with Mitt Romney, is that he has what it takes to lead this country in a much better direction than it is heading!! I do not trust ANYONE who is running for President who currently already holds an office in Washington. We need fresh new ideas brought to the table for this country to pull out of it's socialist downward spiral and become an independent economic and military super power again. Mitt has the financial intelligence and know how to do just that!! Plus he is not currently part of ANY of the corruption in Washington as is Barack, Hillary, and John McCain. We so desperately need someone new there to get this country moving again!! Look what Ronald Reagan did!!? I agree with your question about spending so much to get a job that pays only $400,000 a year. I would have to ask the same of any of the other candidates running! Atleast, Mitt Romney is not going to have to pay back promises after he is elected. Can you imagine what the others have promised?? Seriously, think about this. Mitt Romney is spending the money that this great country allowed him to earn and keep, why wouldn't he pay it back to fix what is broken? That would once again give others to achieve what he has. At the current movement, that dream is almost dead in this country. Just because of those reasons alone, my vote and my confidence lies solely in Mitt Romney!!

Answer 3

Are you serious? That's only chicken feed compared to what he will gain if he has a chance of winning. It's not about the salary, it's $12 million dollars he'll get for his kids soccer team after he gets in; if he gets in. Everybody in congress is rich. We the people are the "pawns." Greed I tell you, the love of money.

Think of it as a game of Monopoly.

Answer 4

There have only been 43 of them in the past 231 years, so it seems fame and legacy would be 2 very motivating factors for anyone with the means and drive to become President.

Answer 5

Carving out a place in history, being the most powerful person in the world, all the money you can make after your Presidency is over by speaking and writing books, Those are a few.

Answer 6

Nice defeatist attitude there, sport. I suppose we should all "try to be realistic" when we read that Pat Tillman said he gave up $3.6 million to go to some 17th century type place to fight a war for "love of country"?

For the sake of argument, assuming your cynicism is 100% correct, I suggest you look to the speaking fees Bubba Clinton collects and the contacts he harvests for his buddy Ron Burkle and others.

P.S. - Doesn't Lamplighter look exactly like a bitter, defeatist, lefty? Looks like a guy who featherbedded in a union job for a couple decades before someone finally wised up and sent his *** packing.

Answer 7

Don't know. And none of my business.

(JFK & RFK both pulled the same stunt: gave up their salary. I didn't care. I don't care if Romney does.)

BUT..... Hillary has promised: "If Elected as President, I will Return all the Silverware that I stole from the Whitehouse"!!!!!!

And I DO care about us Taxpayers getting our stolen property back from the Clintons!!!!

Answer 8

ok, how bout this..he doesnt want to be as hillary clinton in a lobbyists payroll and remember she PUBLICLY stated she will continue to accept this money. he also sees the personal and societial danger of continuing to have out of control liberals in power in this country. it really dosent take a rocket scientist to see where cut and run and tax and spend schemes will take us...this doesnt have anything to do with love of country...its preserving what youve worked your tail off to obtain.

Answer 9

Power!

I truly believe that anyone who is gutsy and courageous enough to run for any political office in this country and places themselves in a glass house for everyone to look at and scrutinize, has got to be power hungry.

Answer 10

He's sees more on the back end.