Editor’s note: This piece reflects the views of the authors and not those of Emerald Media Group. It has been edited by the Emerald for grammar and style. Send your columns or submissions about our content or campus issues to [email protected].

At the beginning of his final week as president, Democrats (and some Republicans) impeached President Donald Trump for the second time, making him history’s only U.S. president to be impeached so close to the end of his term — and to be impeached twice. However, with the country so politically divided and many Americans still shaken from the Capitol storming on Jan. 6, many dispute whether impeaching Trump really makes that much of a difference. 
So, why bother?
Holding Trump accountable for inciting violence against the Capitol and encouraging a riot that put the Senate and House members’ lives in danger is one, potentially keeping him from running for the presidency in the future is another – but, I think another reason going unnoticed is what everything in this capital-driven nation always comes back to: the money. 
According to the Former Presidents Act of 1958, all former presidents are entitled to an annual pension equal to the pay of Cabinet Secretaries. As of 2020, that is around $220,000 a year, with the widows of former presidents receiving $20,000 annually after their death.
Former presidents are also allotted $150,000 for the first 30 months out of office to pay their own, private office staff and $96,000 annually afterwards. These employees do whatever the former president deems necessary, like coordinating events and speeches, creating their schedules and budgeting funds. It’s at the discrepancy of the president how many he employs and their rates of pay, and the office space for this office team is also comped by the government.
Additionally, all former presidents are allowed $1 million a year for security and travel expenses and $500,000 for former first ladies, with the minute stipulation being they must travel as government officials of the United States. 
They are also given their own library. Not just in their name for public use (although the public can request access to archives,) but for their own documents, notes, speeches and other archival records. And as of 2012, courtesy of Barack Obama, each former president is also given paid protection by the secret service — for life. 
The Former Presidents Act applies to any former president 1) who shall have held the office of President of the United States of America 2) whose service in such office shall have terminated other than by removal pursuant to section 4 of article 2 of the U.S. Constitution and 3) who does not then currently hold such office. 
In other words, if Trump isn’t convicted for the crimes stated in the newest articles of impeachment by Wednesday — even if he is convicted afterwards — he is entitled to the dough. That is, taxpayer dough. 
There are four other former presidents alive today, with the only one to take a pass on his pension opportunity being Jimmy Carter. Meaning Americans are already paying nearly $6 million per year in taxpayer money for the lavish lifestyles of Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton. Trump will bring the total to nearly $8 million per year. 

There are several questions one could ask when reading these figures: What could that $8 million  go toward instead? What problems could we be solving with that kind of cash? What does a former president need with all that money? Is Donald Trump seriously worth $2 million a year in taxpayer money?

And most importantly, is any president?

Jozie Donaghey is a senior at the University of Oregon’s School of Journalism and Communication where she studies multimedia journalism and communication. She is also the photo editor at Ethos magazine and podcast producer/photographer for Flux magazine.