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Why Do Famous People Get Paid $250k to Give a Speech?

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Re: Why Do Famous People Get Paid $250k to Give a Speech?

#91
post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They already received their positive return. By paying Hillary for her speeches, they blocked her from credibly moving to the left on financial reform to fend off Sanders.

Do we know who canceled Glass–Steagall? And after it was removed, how much tax payers paid to GS and such in '08, what was the rough figure?

The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act of 1999 repealed Glass-Steagall [1], in part to make a merger between Citicorp (a bank) and Travelers Group (an insurance company) legal.

Goldman Sachs did not win from it. They were on the "protected" side of Glass-Steagall's wall. Fees went down after JPMorgan and friends were allowed to throw their balance sheet around.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gramm–Leach–Bliley_Act

Re: Why Do Famous People Get Paid $250k to Give a Speech?

#92

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What is this slush fund? Who gave her money when she was Sec of State? Please substantiate these assertions.

The Clinton Foundation is supposed to be a charity but they spend almost nothing on charity - their expenses are 'conferences', trips, meetings - basically Bill and Hillary's personal expense account for things they cannot bill to the government or some other sponsor. Also, they can make ads that promote 'narrative' and the 'personal brand' of Hillary.

Can you provide evidence for these claims?

Re: Why Do Famous People Get Paid $250k to Give a Speech?

#93

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do we know who canceled Glass–Steagall? And after it was removed, how much tax payers paid to GS and such in '08, what was the rough figure?

The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act of 1999 repealed Glass-Steagall [1], in part to make a merger between Citicorp (a bank) and Travelers Group (an insurance company) legal. Goldman Sachs did not win from it. They were on the "protected" side of Glass-Steagall's wall. Fees went down after JPMorgan and friends were allowed to throw their balance sheet around. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gramm–Leach–Bliley_Act

The point is Clinton canceled it. ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glass%E2%80%93Steagall_Legisla... )

And the answer is: over $7 trillion. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergency_Economic_Stabilizati...

So yeah, $200k.

Re: Why Do Famous People Get Paid $250k to Give a Speech?

#95

While Hillary was Secretary of State, Bill's speaking fees from foreign interests dramatically skyrocketed. http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/bill-clinton-cashed-hillary-s... One example of these appears to be related to the uranium deal with Russia, where he bagged $500K. Hillary changed direction and signed off on the deal. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/24/us/cash-flowed-to-clinton-... This is not the only form of pa…

The $14M advance is still a rumor AFAIK. It's not much of a record either as Bill Clinton received a $15M advance in 2004 dollars.

Re: Why Do Famous People Get Paid $250k to Give a Speech?

#96

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wow that is world-class naiveté. Female politicians of every stripe are bullied daily. This is business as usual for half of our population. And its compounded by guys constantly replying "Hey it isn't happening to me; I don't see it so it must not exist".

"Wow that is world-class naiveté. Female politicians of every stripe are bullied daily." Total B.S. Politicians, and businesspeople are rarely 'bullied'. 'Bullied every day'? Enough this this rubbish.

I suggest talking to a women in business or politics.

Re: Why Do Famous People Get Paid $250k to Give a Speech?

#97

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act of 1999 repealed Glass-Steagall [1], in part to make a merger between Citicorp (a bank) and Travelers Group (an insurance company) legal. Goldman Sachs did not win from it. They were on the "protected" side of Glass-Steagall's wall. Fees went down after JPMorgan and friends were allowed to throw their balance sheet around. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gramm–Leach–Bliley_Act

The point is Clinton canceled it. ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glass%E2%80%93Steagall_Legisla... ) And the answer is: over $7 trillion. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergency_Economic_Stabilizati... So yeah, $200k.

> And the answer is: over $7 trillion.

Only if you include monetary policy, directed by a Federal Reserve chairman appointed by George W. Bush, the same man who signed into law the bailout programme.

Goldman Sachs was far from the chief recipient of those funds and had to pay back the bail-out funds (at a profit to the U.S. government).

Re: Why Do Famous People Get Paid $250k to Give a Speech?

#98

While Hillary was Secretary of State, Bill's speaking fees from foreign interests dramatically skyrocketed. http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/bill-clinton-cashed-hillary-s... One example of these appears to be related to the uranium deal with Russia, where he bagged $500K. Hillary changed direction and signed off on the deal. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/24/us/cash-flowed-to-clinton-... This is not the only form of pa…

The problem is that people have long since figured out that a deal over drinks and a handshake is tough to prosecute, and easy to deny.

Re: Why Do Famous People Get Paid $250k to Give a Speech?

#99
I like to look at these things from the other side. Say you're a high-level politician and/or civil servant and want to find a way for somebody to pay you off for granting them political favors. What would you do? Paid speeches sound great. Hire a speechwriter for a few thousand bucks, then you just go and give it to them and collect your fee. That fee can be whatever you want, because who can say what a speech is really worth? Beats the pants off of running a charity for your benefactors to donate to, where it has to at least look like a decent amount of the money is going to some worthy cause. You can do whatever you feel like with your speaking fees. Your benefactors don't get to write off their payoffs as charitable donations, but that's hardly your problem.

I can't prove that that's how it happened, of course. But isn't that part of the appeal of the scheme? Who could ever prove that it was or wasn't a payoff in disguise?

It's like the conflict of interest thing. It's best to just not do it, as least while you're active in government and have the ability to subtly grant favors. Even if it's completely fair, standard, and on the level, it still looks dirty, you can never satisfactorily prove that it isn't dirty, and you waste a ton of time arguing about it, which just serves to cement in peoples' minds the notion that you are dirty.

Re: Why Do Famous People Get Paid $250k to Give a Speech?

#100
post #45

This article is really about excusing Hillary Clinton isn't it? By making absurd comparisons to pop-stars who can fill stadiums of paying concert goers. America really needs to reign in its political class because it risks degenerating into a third-world country where corruption takes a big toll on the wealth of the whole society. Selling off ambassador's posts for large sum political donations seems to be very well-…

Do I think she bends the rules to make money/protect her ass? Yes. Do I think she bends the rules less than the other guy? I don't know. Probally not? On a side note, I will probally vote her. Why? Because I don't think Trump will raise tariffs, or can raise tariffs enough to "Make American great again." That said, I remember, in the 90's, Hillary made close to $100,000 on a under $1000 futures contract. It was suppo…

>Do I think she bends the rules less than the other guy? I don't know. Probally not?

Fool me once...

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