President Barack Obama holds up a book he authored, 'Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters', before reading to students at Long Branch Elementary in Arlington, Va.

President Barack Obama holds up a book he authored, 'Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters', before reading to students at Long Branch Elementary in Arlington, Va. Pablo Martinez Monsivais

Obama's Other Job Doesn't Pay Like It Used To

This is the first year since he was elected that Obama has made more as a public servant than as an author.

President Obama may want to think twice about that sequester pay cut. His tax returns, released Friday, show that his main source of income -- which used to be royalties from the sale of his books -- is now his presidential salary. A salary that is now just 95 percent of what it once was.

According to the U.S. and foreign source income summary included with Obama's 2012 returns, his business (a.k.a. book-writing) earned $273,739. That certainly looks great, but not so much when you consider that he makes just under $400,000 at his day job.

This is the first year since he was elected that Obama has made more as a public servant than as an author. In 2008, tax returns show, his business earned $2.6 million. In 2009, that more than doubled to $5.7 million. The numbers came back down after that: $1.57 million in 2010, then $487.928 in 2011. Now it's just $273,739. 

Take note, Hillary Clinton: writing is a rough, rough business.

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