Do presidents/secretaries deserve as much $$$ security as they have?

[Deleted member 4644]

Right now the cost of protecting Pres. Bush is extraordinary. I have read several reports indicating that just the changes since 9.11 have cost us millions of dollars a year. (I can't find the articles now).

Also, more cabinet secretaries are getting security, as well as various mid-level officials in Iraq and other hot zones are in involved in.

Also, according to thisarticle, ... "cost of Secret Service protection for former presidents, estimated in 2000 at $24 million a year, according to the 2001 federal report.

Do you guys think is all reasonable and necessary? Isnt the President just a man? Or do we owe him this?

 

[Hacp]

Well, as the president, he is going to be a big target for enemies of the US, so we do owe the president and former presidents some kind of security.

 

[Rainsford]

Given the potential impact to our country of having the President killed or incapacitated by an assassination attempt, no, I don't think the money we spend on protection is too much. It might sound like a lot of money, but relatively speaking it's not all that much...certainly not when compared to the authority and power of the men and women being protected.