NGalitzine
Heir Apparent
- Joined
- Jun 12, 2007
- Messages
- 5,276
- City
- Toronto (ON) & London (UK)
- Country
- Canada
Republican governments do cost plenty, but at least only the President and Vice President are paid salaries. The rest of their families don't get a salary, although I believe that the First Lady and Second Lady (the spouses of the President and Vice President) have staffs.
(I have no idea why the spouse of the Vice President needs a staff.)
In short, if only the person holding the office can get a salary in the US, I don't think that it's unreasonable for only the King to get a salary, but not the rest of the family.
In a republic the children and siblings of the President and Vice President are not expected to undertake official engagements and represent the nation in any way. In a monarchy the children and siblings of the monarch are expected to undertake official engagements and represent the nation, and it is a lifetime committment, which is why state allowances are applicable,
In a republic such as the US you give salaries to the President and Vice President while in office, as well as allowances for their wives offices. After they retire you continue to pay pensions to the former Presidents and Vice Presidents, as well as payng for their staff, office expenses and security, Right now you are paying for 4 living ex Presidents and I don't know how many former VPs but the costs are considerable. I remember CNN mentioning that the costs for Clinton runs into the millions. I am not begrudging them their expenses after serving the nation, just pointing out that there are costs in republic that people do not consider when comparing to the costs of maintaining a working royal family.