Whither the Sacred Campaign Promise?
by David Sirota
Though not (yet) having children of my own, I often consider what my future offspring won't know about and will find humorous. I fantasize that they will have no idea what gasoline-powered cars or private health insurance policies are. But I also worry they will guffaw in disbelief when I tell them politicians once knew that breaking campaign promises without explanation had consequences.
Historically, Americans generally held campaign promises sacred. We understood that republican dem ...
( Back to Article )
Join the Discussion
|
6 Comments | Post Comment
|
Posted by: racetoinfinity
Comment: #1
Mon Jun 8, 2009 10:19 PM
You are right-on, David! I just read some of the letters at Salon.com where this was also published from Obama apologists. There is no other word than "betrayal" when you look at the evidence from Wall St.cozininess to his continuing the human rights abuses of the last administration, and more for Obama's actions (most of them so far) - I think we have a cult of personality at work here getting dust in the eyes of some progressives. It doesn't matter that he's better than Bush II. Anyone would have been.
|
Posted by: Scot Penslar
Comment: #2
Sat Jun 6, 2009 1:09 AM
If Mr. Sirota truly fantasizes that his children will have "no idea what gasoline-powered cars or private health insurance policies are," then he is indeed living in a dream world -- a dream of the loony far left.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
Both will be around for a good long time to come. If the American people have any common sense, that is.
|
Posted by: Janet Gaudiello
Comment: #3
Sun Jun 7, 2009 9:10 AM
"If the American people have any common sense...gasoline-powered cars or private health insurance policies will be around for a good long time."
Said with such assuredness. These comments are exactly what the powers who rule over and control our government want...citizens who fight each other so that we don't pay attention to their manipulations.
Hybrids are already here, and full electric cars are coming. Health care will begin to change no matter the politicians on both sides of the aisle (all with their cadillac health coverage at taxpayers' expense). We're on our way to National Healthcare. You know how to pay for it. Begin looking at the Military Industrial Comples that drains and continues to drain the American people. A system that continues to enrich those behind the scenes.
|
Posted by: Pansy Bedwedder
Comment: #4
Tue Jul 14, 2009 7:43 PM
Too bad for America that we passed up the opportunity to elect McCain/Palin. Roo bad for you that you didn't come to that realization earlier. Maybe next time you'll be a better judge of character in time to support the Republicans. Too bad it will be too late!
|
Posted by: Serfdom USA
Comment: #5
Tue Jun 16, 2009 1:47 PM
Campaign promises mean something to me. Obama has broken so many of his promises that I do not feel inclined to support his bid for re-election. Of course, that won't be until 2012.
I get more and more frustrated with Democrats who act like Republicans. The main difference between the two major parties is in the rhetoric they use to appeal to different voters. Obama knew what to tell liberals and progressives to win the nomination for president, but it turns out that he could not have actually believed what he told us.
Republicans manage to find candidates that scare me more than Democratic Party candidates do. I may soon become disgusted enough with Democrats to vote for third party candidates or to limit my votes to ballot issues. If the election were held today, I would not support Obama.
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me repeatedly, shame on me.
|
Posted by: Jack Pommer
Comment: #6
Wed Jul 22, 2009 5:27 PM
As a voter, this is a tough issue. I used to be amazed that candidates could make clear, concrete promises, break them, and get re-elected. Term limits is the issue that first got me thinking about it. How could a candidate promise to serve a set number of terms -- even publicly sign a self-written contract eliminating any wiggle room -- then exceed the limit with a shrug and a vapid explanation?
It was easy to not understand when Republicans did it because I'm a Democrat and didn't support them anyway. When the tables turned, it got a lot harder to not understand. If I support a candidate and he or she breaks a key campaign promise, what are my options. I can vote for the opposing candidate or not vote.
To choose either of those options, I'd have to consider either the broken promise, or the act of breaking the promise, worse than having the Democrat lose to the Republican (reverse that for Republicans). It's possible, but not likely. There are too many issues on which Republicans and Democrats have significantly different views. And even if the two candidates happened to have somewhat similar positions, there are strategic considerations, like who has the majority and what would would they, or could they, do with it.
In the end, I think that, until breaking campaign promises becomes a super issue, a litmus test, that trumps everything else -- education, health care and so on -- politicians will be able to break a promise or two with impunity.
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
- 
- 
- 
