Job Description: President of the United States of America
Mandatory Prerequisites
Recommended, but not required:
Responsibilities
- Must oversee the execution of all federal legislation.
- Must be available at all times to take command of the armed forces.
- Must be willing to lead the nation, and pretend to lead the free world, during times of crisis.
- Must be willing to abandon private life in favor of public life.
Compensation package includes:
- Annual salary of $400,000 (subject to income tax)
- Annual expense account of $100,000 for travel, $19,000 for official entertainment, and $50,000 for other costs arising from official duties (all not taxable), through the Executive Office of the President.
- Free house and office space in Washington, D.C., complete with a small army of administrative assistants and a sizable kitchen staff.
- Free getaway outside the Beltway.
- Free private jet.
- Free helicopter.
- Free motorcades when needed.
- Free bodyguards.
- Pension of approximately $300,000 a year after leaving the White House. This can be supplemented by book deals if necessary.
It's good to be the king.
Job security: This position is guaranteed for four years, barring
assassination or
impeachment. It may be extended to eight years with
good behavior, but no further extensions of contract are possible.
Theoretically, a president can serve for up to ten years: they are limited to two four-year terms, and if they happen to come into the presidency in the middle of the last president's term, that term only counts if they serve for more than half of it. But that's a bit pedantic, and I wouldn't have considered mentioning it if mkb hadn't brought it up. Thanks, mkb!
Also, just for the record, you don't have to be Vice President to become President if the President dies. The Speaker of the House and President pro tempore of the Senate, as well as the Cabinet secretaries, are also in line, and get to become president if everyone above them in the pecking order dies at the same time.