Should politicians be held to the promises they make?

1. 59

   Daffy Duckposted 13 years ago

   Should politicians be held to the promises they make?
   
   They make some promises with the intention of doing what they say.  ButPoliticians make some promises with no inclination of ever following through.  Should they be held accountable for what they say they will do or is it just how politics go?
   
   

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2. 88

   skisyposted 13 years ago

   I guess in a way the simple answer is yes. Many politicians reach power through promising certain things and then not delivering, whether this is due to them actually underestimating the difficulty of bringing about such a thing, or just because they simply lied to get into power, you never know for sure, though of course people in such a position are likely to come under heavy scrutiny.
   
   But sadly, it does just seem to be the way of politics and pretty much always has been. Sure I don't think politicians should lie just to get into power, and I also think they should try as much as possible to deliver on their promises, of course this cannot always be done and you can't prove that they knowingly deceived the people just to get into power or gain favour. You can only really rely on their own integrity... I'll leave that one there =p

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3. 70

   danthehandymanposted 13 years ago

   Of course they should.
   As far as not knowing if they didn't keep their promise because they were ignorant or without integrity, does it matter? Either way you voted for a bum.
   If you made a promise and later discovered you couldn’t fulfill, wouldn’t you apologize and explain. If not, don’t ever raise children.
   When have the ‘misinformed’ politicians ever apologized? On the other hand, if you make a promise you never meant to fulfill, wouldn’t you just want everyone to forget? Isn’t that what politicians do 100% of the time? You be the judge if they were ignorantly writing checks their brain couldn’t cash, or consciously ‘misleading’ their constituents.
   We get what we earn, especially if four years later we can’t remember their unfulfilled promises, and re-elect them. Does it matter if their lack of follow-up is due to ignorance or lack of integrity? If you can’t put trust in their words, why would you want them telling you what to do for the next several years?

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4. 65

   wingedcentaurposted 13 years ago

   Trying to hold politicians to their promises makes the assumption that they have integrity. To make such an assumption is like calling a three-year old a "liar" because she told you something that is not true -- HELLO! she's three!
   
   Congresspeople and senators, for example, are not just "bought and paid for" through the usual means of heavy campaign contributions. The political scientist Thomas Ferguson (Golden Rule: The Investment Theory of Politics) has pointed out that congresspeople and senators also get the "highest rate of return in recorded history" on their stock portfolios, which means they're getting inside information.
   
   Here, have a look at this...
   go to the 7:52 mark on this one
   
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91cb8YEcwqg
   
   and go to the 9:10 on this one
   
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Flb7OUjh … re=related

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5. 60

   point2makeposted 13 years ago

   Perhaps we, the voters, should be held accountable for.......being gullible and using "promises" and "politicians" in the same sentence....wouldn't that qualify as an oxymoron?

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6. 60

   weholdthesetruthsposted 13 years ago

   How would you propose to do this?  It's nice to say "hold politicians to the promises they make" but in the real world, the only accountability they have, is the next election, or a recall, if it can be done.

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7. 70

   Torch Harrisonposted 13 years ago

   Yes.  We need to hold them accountable as voters.  Otherwise, there will be NO CHANGE in the way our government spends our money and how it responds to the needs of their constituents.

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8. 90

   PurvisBobbi44posted 13 years ago

   A person is only as good as their word. If one is voted into office by the voters, and failed on their promises to the voters. Then vote them out the next time, or call for their termination. It is time the "you scratch my back and I will scratch yours" Club is over. And now is the time for all Americans to say, I am not going to take this, anymore. First, and foremost, research everyone running for office, check in all ways possible before you vote for anyone. The ones already in office check out their voting records, and see if you want them to stay in office.
   Vote smarter--make your vote count. When anyone comes to my door asking me to vote for them--I say this, if I do and you do not do as you promised--you will not get my vote again.

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9. 60

   Timetothinkposted 13 years ago

   No they should not.  Politics is, for a very short time, all about being popular enough to get elected into office.  Once in office, it's all about doing what is right for the country, not what is popular.  This makes breaking promises for practical reasons very necessary for the long-term stability of the government.  Also, one can tell that a politician is lying because his lips will be moving...

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10. 70

    Mayaanjaliposted 13 years ago

    As citizens in daily life we indvertently are unable to keep to our words and prove -Promises are meant to be broken.
    So we got to realize that a politician is also a human and more so the one with guile.
    However if the promise made is worthy of bringing a positive uplift of deep concern to society then the individual should be
    pronged until he/she fulfills the promise for which he/she was elected into office.
    eg. Passing a law for punishment for raping minors etc- cause has to  be of grave concern to society at large

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11. 68

    chasemillisposted 13 years ago

    Yes, they should be held accountable in a court room just like every other American would be. It's not fair what they can get away with.

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