We are all familiar with what goes on during a presidential election, one candidate promises to do something and the other says he has it wrong and promises something else. Eventually one of them is elected and their supporters expect them to actually carry out those promises.

However, I feel that often those promises are discarded after the election like yesterday's garbage to a certain extent. What is worse is that when the candidate is up for re-election, no one in the press generally bothers to hold the candidate accountable for their previous promises. This isn't limited to Republican or Democratic presidents, it seems to be an American tradition in general in my opinion.

Questions for debate:
1. Do you feel that it is important for the candidate you vote for to carry through on his campaign promises when considering re-electing him? Why or why not?

2. Do you feel that the media or any other organization does a good job of holding candidates accountable to their promises? If not, should they? If so, cite examples.

3. Do you believe that presidents in the recent past have done a good job of following through with campaign promises? Why or why not? Please support your answer with examples.

Edited to ensure this topic wasn't a duplicate of this one.

1. Do you feel that it is important for the candidate you vote for to carry through on his campaign promises when considering re-electing him? Why or why not?


Absolutely. In a representative as opposed to direct democracy, all the voter has to go on is the word of the candidate. I think candidates should have to sign contracts to do their best to keep their promises (with exceptions for extraordinary circumstances and Congressional stonewalling). The penalty for violation should be immediate removal from office.



2. Do you feel that the media or any other organization does a good job of holding candidates accountable to their promises? If not, should they? If so, cite examples.


They do a terrible job. After every four year term, a list of campaign promises should be published against the list of what was done and what wasn't. Bush's promises are particularly out of whack with what he has done.


3. Do you believe that presidents in the recent past have done a good job of following through with campaign promises? Why or why not? Please support your answer with examples.

No I don't. Clinton failed us on campaign finance reform, health care reform, refusal to accept Haitian refugees, and much more.

All I need to do to criticize Bush is point to his record on the environment. But here is a list of other ones: http://www.democrats.org/specialreports/brokenpromises/

Among them: The deficit, Pell Grants, and student loans, all of which affect me, the last two of which affect me directly.

1. Do you feel that it is important for the candidate you vote for to carry through on his campaign promises when considering re-electing him? Why or why not?

I dont think a candidate should make any promises. I would like a candidate to tell me the flat out truth. If its going to be hard to do something...then it will be hard. Let the american people know it will be hard so that you dont get backlash later on. The fact of the matter is that if the president is of a different party than the majority of congress...very little can get done. And there is nothing that can be done about that.

2. Do you feel that the media or any other organization does a good job of holding candidates accountable to their promises? If not, should they? If so, cite examples.

I think the media likes to pick and choose which promises it will cover. They want to get ratings and the best story. The media doesnt care about the truth any more than the politicians. Its quite a shame. I aspire to perhaps a political career in my future and i have made a promise to myself that no matter what, i will not sacrifice my principles for anything. If i get elected...it will be me...not my ideology. Most politicians dont do that...at least a large majority.

3. Do you believe that presidents in the recent past have done a good job of following through with campaign promises? Why or why not? Please support your answer with examples.

As i said earlier, no president can come through on all their promises. What matters is the effort put into each promise once in office. Kerry has made a lot of promises. He wants to do a hell of a lot of things without raising taxes. If he can do it...i will be the first to admit he did a good job. But it is my opinion that Kerry has made one too many promises that are out of his control...such as outsourcing.