President and First Lady Obama revealed their income — normal procedure come April 15 for the first couple. This year was the least remunerative of the past four for the Obamas, who claimed an Adjusted Gross Income of $436,065, a significant drop from the $608,611 the couple earned in 2012. Obama will gladly take the decline, as it coincides with his soaring approval ratings. Any good politician will trade a few hundred thousand bucks for massive popularity. Political capital counts more than actual capital in some jobs — especially the presidential gig.
Besides, Obama’s income is set to soar just like his approval ratings have. Being a former U.S. president is one of the most lucrative jobs in the world. George W. Bush and Bill Clinton added significantly to their wealth after leaving office. For one thing, the money commanded by presidents at speaking engagements is enormous. That goes for First Ladies too, especially if they happen also to have been Secretary of State and maybe a Senator. Current presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has famously earned more than $200,000 per speech on Wall Street. Clinton essentially equaled what the Obamas earned this year in about two hours of talk. BTW: this is very likely the last year the Obamas will make their tax returns public.
