We now have four living ex-presidents. They are Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, George Bush and Bill Clinton.

Being an ex-president of the United States is a good life and I'll bet President George W. Bush wishes he was one of them right now. Everywhere you go you are honored. People don't remember the mistakes you made in office. Your opinions are taken seriously. You get a yearly salary of $182,000 and that's just a small part of your income -- and lack of outgo.

An ex-president has Secret Service bodyguards, if he wants them. In 1997, Congress voted to limit that protection for presidents to 10 years after leaving office. I guess they figured that if anyone hated a president enough to try to harm him, they'd get over it in 10 years.

A former president gets $96,000 to pay an office staff. He gets government-paid travel, house rental, telephone, postage, supplies and equipment. And then, in addition to all that, they build a library with his name on it so that he has a place to put all the junk he saved over the years. That's what I'd like most -- a library with my name on it and librarians to go through all the boxes of papers I've saved. Maybe they could find the treasures I thought I was keeping.

Of our four living ex-presidents, Bill Clinton is the youngest. He's only 59 and he can expect another 25 years of life so he doesn't have to worry about doctors' bills because all his medical expenses are paid for. Last year, Bill made $850,000 in speaking fees. That was less than he made speaking in previous years but he made up for it by writing the book "My Life," which made him a couple of million. Hillary wasn't a burden because she has her senator's salary of $162,100 and her own book that made millions.

Gerald Ford is 92 and he has never taken being a former president seriously. He was the best athlete we ever had for president, an All-American football player, and he still plays golf almost every day.

Jimmy Carter and George W. Bush's father, George, are both 81. Former presidents don't always get along but George Bush and Bill Clinton formed an unusual alliance when they got together this year to help in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. It was nice. They seemed to like each other.

Even though former President Bush got along well with Bill Clinton, he often seems remote and even a little amused by his son's presidency. We know less about the activities of George H.W. Bush than we know about most former presidents. I don't know what he's doing. If you know what he's doing, write me. His son, in response to a question about how much help he got from his father, said he takes more advice from a higher power than from his father. We'll never know about that advice because it's just between the two of them — God and George.

Jimmy Carter seems to work hardest at being an ex-president and some historians say he's the best one we ever had. He's always bustling around doing good works but that's his idea of a good time. He won a Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 and he certainly appears happier and more comfortable with himself than the incumbent. He has an easy way of seeming to be a good guy and he has never cashed in on his status as a former president by taking $100,000 fees for speeches. No one hates Jimmy Carter. You could call him "beloved."

Bill Clinton had a $460,000 house rental bill paid for him and a $54,000 telephone bill that he got free as an ex-president. He must spend a lot of time gassing on the phone. Bill is by far our most expansive and expensive ex-president. The Congressional Research Service lists his other expenses. One item is listed simply as "Other services: $146,000."

Jimmy Carter spent $15,000 in government money on stamps. George Bush had the most travel expenses. The government paid $54,000 for his airfare. I suppose he doesn't fly coach.

I'll bet George W. Bush can't wait until the day he gets to be an ex-president with all the perquisites that go with the non-job and none of the headaches he's been having lately.