I have been tuned to CSPAN, CNN, Fox news and scores of other channels to get a balanced understanding of the candidates and their promises they are making to people in the 2008 Presidential Election.
I wonder why the American people do not make the politicians accountable for anything they speak during the campaigns. We vote for them largely based on what they say (and their party will do) right?
So I wanted to look into this in a little more detail. I looked into CSPAN video archive to compare what the candidates said in the debates of 1992 and 2000 elections.
When I compared them to the 2008 debates, I wondered why can’t we ask them during the debate what they are going to do if what they are promising does not happen? should they resign after 2 years or not seek re-election? Here is one simple example:
- Sr. Bush in 1992 debate – He will allow Health Insurance to be pooled for small companies and be purchased across the border.
- Clinton – 1992 debate – He will get the 40 million uninsured people to be insured.
- W Bush in 2000 debate – Effectively same as Sr. Bush in 1992 (see 1 above)
- John McCain 2008 debate -Effectively same as both the bush (see 1 and 3 above)
- Obama 2008 debate – Will negotiate with the employer to reduce the insurance by $2500 per year and also open up the senator’s insurance to the uninsured.
Now I know that 1,2 and 3 (above) did not really happen! So, when these guys comes up (coached) with all the brilliant eloquence why can’t people ask them what they will do if they fail to deliver what they promise. BTW I do not hear them promising conditionally (like if senate and congress approves it I will do this or do that…)
Maybe i am not that politically savvy but I am sure somebody out there understands it better.
