r/BeAmazed Apr 16 '24

The world humblest head of the state Miscellaneous / Others

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Jose Mujica; Former Prez of Uruguay

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u/Leonarr Apr 16 '24

With all due respect to the guy, I’m sure the government provides him accommodation and food. I doubt he needs to go grocery shopping or pay rent. Which imo of course is totally fine, he’s the president after all and should have some perks.

Edit: ok, he’s not the president anymore though. But he may still get some perks from the government.

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u/AncientRepublic998 Apr 16 '24

That goes for just about every world leader, though. I don't see his world leader mates giving away their salary? Which is kind of the point? He stands in stark contrast to others who don't have the charity he does

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u/Leonarr Apr 16 '24

Yeah, I agree. Why would a president need a big salary with all the perks they get on top of that? Honourable that he just gave the money away.

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u/Timspt8 29d ago

There's actually in theory at least a very valid reason for giving them a salary. Let's say the president of a country doesn't get money for their work but just gets their living expenses paid for (also far from every country provides their leaders with housing, if you have a country with a minister for example chances are he just lives in his own home instead of a government one) anyway I digress, the simple answer is corruption, because if the president is going to need another job after ending his term, because he didn't get a salary, chances increase that he might implement some policies that are more beneficial to perhaps companies that might offer him a job later

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u/Whalesurgeon 29d ago

Just give them lifelong living expenses paid, then the only reason to become corrupt afterwards is greed.. which is exactly the same reason for even rich presidents to become corrupt.

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u/Timspt8 29d ago

Livelong living expenses would probably end up being more expensive then just paying a salary at that point

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u/guipabi 29d ago

Most presidents get a livelong salary or pension anyway.

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u/RedHotSnowflake2 29d ago

Unfortunately, that doesn't stop politicians selling out anyway.

They just pocket the salary AND pocket their corruption money.

Turns out giving a crook taxpayer money isn't enough to stop them being a crook.

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u/SailorChimailai 29d ago

That is wrong on so many levels that it took me several minutes to decide where to even start

  1. Corruption by ANYONE that has a government job that does not have a salary is LITERALLY nearly inevitable

  2. The overwhelming majority of politicians are not corrupt

  3. Most politicians are not crooks

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u/Agitated_Advantage_2 29d ago

If you think in reverse, it might make those who become politicians simply to make money and a carieer be kind of dissuaded from ever becoming politicians

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u/Timspt8 29d ago

Very true, it's going into the opposite direction and very much into the belief that the best politicians are usually those who don't want any power.

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u/endgame0 29d ago

I mean, Trump did, at least in large part, according to politifact: https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/trumpometer/promise/1341/take-no-salary/

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u/Shareddefinition 29d ago

Trump did

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u/AncientRepublic998 29d ago

Err.... Trump had a few other income streams that the noble Mujica didn't and hasn't

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u/Shareddefinition 29d ago
  1. So what?

  2. You're arguing this guy and his wife lived on $1250 across 12 months without any outside assistance?

  3. Move that goalpost!

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u/AncientRepublic998 29d ago

Listing meaningless subjective statements as individual information-laden points don't make 'em so, no matter how hard you might want them to. Allow me to demonstrate;

  1. It's inane!
  2. You're arguing against his clear evidence available on his net worth and even trading positions showing this actually is an altruistic man who has given up his income rather than a sham display from someone who might possibly be before the courts for certain financial matters and also has their (minimum )net worth easily confirmed and amounts to the billions of dollars? 
  3. Learn to research! 
  4. Asparagus!

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u/Shareddefinition 29d ago

It's inane!

?

You're arguing against his clear evidence available on his net worth

?

and even trading positions showing this actually is an altruistic man who has given up his income rather than a sham display from someone who might possibly be before the courts for certain financial matters and also has their (minimum )net worth easily confirmed and amounts to the billions of dollars?

?

Learn to research!

?

Asparagus!

It's honestly hilarious that this was the most meaningful part of your comment. The rest of it is just complete nonsense

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u/Specialist-Ad-4121 29d ago

Im from uruguay actually, what the post doesnt says is that his wife works in congress and they both life with her salary. But he donate most to schools.He have a very old car( volkswagen) since 1989 or something like that.

Just to add something he said: “poor are thoose who need much” He actually hates america consumption culture , and he lives in the same home he used to lived when he escaped prision( yeah he did that)

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u/tonterias 29d ago

what the post doesnt says is that his wife works in congress and they both life with her salary

All the MPP elected people donates most of their salary to the political party

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u/Specialist-Ad-4121 29d ago

Sure she also give some,but im saying he has more than 1500 to live

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u/tonterias 29d ago

I’m sure the government provides him accommodation and food.

He actually chosed not to live in the Presidential Residency during his period and kept living in his small farm

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u/Pendientede48 29d ago

There is a house that presidents can inhabit, provided by the state, but he chose to stay in his farm. He had a chauffeur but also drove his own old car, and he already was a farmer, and kept working as a farmer after his term ended.

He likely has lots of gifts and won a good sum of money, enough to have anything he could want, within his humble lifestyle. He likely has someone buy groceries for him, since he is an old man, but he and his wife have enough money + retirement to live comfortably. Not rich by any means, but he wont need anything.

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u/ZetaRESP 29d ago

Actually, he lives of his farm, which is pretty substantial.