| Before we delve into the particulars of Obama's | | | | doesn't personally recognize the genocide, he's merely |
| broken promises, something must first be said about | | | | bending his promise a little bit for practical diplomatic |
| assessing the relative "badness" of a broken | | | | reasons. |
| presidential campaign promise in the first place. Clearly | | | | Ending Income Tax for Seniors Making Less than |
| all skilled candidates (even those without Obama's | | | | $50,000: Obama's comprehensive pre- election tax |
| incredible rhetoric) need to paint a glossy picture of the | | | | plan proposed to "eliminate all income taxation of |
| future they'll be able to provide us as President. | | | | seniors making less than $50,000 per year. This will |
| However, not surprisingly, candidates often find it | | | | eliminate taxes for 7 million seniors, saving them an |
| difficult to follow through 100% of the time - even | | | | average of $1,400 a year." So far, this promise hasn't |
| when they want to. Sometimes political expediency | | | | made it into either the stimulus bill (American Recovery |
| and/or the realities of a new day get in the way. | | | | and Reinvestment Act) or Obama's February budget |
| Determining the relative "badness" of a broken | | | | outline. |
| campaign promise, then, has to do with how blatant, | | | | Egregiousness Scale: 6 |
| outrageous and unfathomable the betrayal - did the | | | | Assessment: Simply put, Obama made this promise |
| candidate lie, foolishly over-promise, or simply make a | | | | before the economic crisis landed in our laps. |
| mistake? Perhaps a situation changed rendering the | | | | Nevertheless, it's still disappointing to leave low-income |
| execution of a particular promise impossible. | | | | seniors sitting, waiting, wishing for a chance to buy |
| So, four months into his Presidency, Obama is bound | | | | food and meds in the same month. But, as we admit |
| to have either forgotten, lost interest in, or even just | | | | that as income tax remains a vital guaranteed revenue |
| plained shelved some of the things he vowed to | | | | stream for the government, this promise might need to |
| change while he was out stumping for change. Here | | | | be put on hold until we turn the ship around. |
| are a noteworthy few - but check out for a complete | | | | Tougher Rules Against Revolving Door for Lobbyists |
| list. | | | | and Former Officials: Obama promised that "No political |
| Recognizing the Armenian Genocide: Obama criticized | | | | appointee will be able to lobby the executive branch |
| Condoleeza Rice for firing John Evans, the U.S. | | | | after leaving government service during the remainder |
| Ambassador to Armenia, for using the term "genocide" | | | | of the administration." The President signed an |
| in reference to Turkey's slaughter of 1.5 million | | | | executive order with similarly specific language on his |
| Armenians and vowed that as President, he would | | | | first full day in office, ostensibly symbolizing his earnest |
| recognize the event as such. While Obama did make | | | | commitment to the issue. However, a loophole came in |
| a statement about the event on April 24th, Armenia's | | | | the form of a waiver attached to the executive order |
| day of memorial, he has not in fact used the word | | | | which allows the administration to employ former |
| "genocide" and appeared to take great pains to avoid | | | | lobbyists, and to date, the waiver has been used at |
| it during his visit there when asked specifically by a | | | | least three times. |
| reporter from the Chicago Tribune. | | | | Egregiousness Scale: 8.5 |
| Egregiousness Scale: 5 | | | | Assessment: Clearly the most controversial of |
| Assessment: While it does seem diffident for Obama | | | | Obama's promises, as wresting control of Washington |
| to skirt around the very word he admonished Condy | | | | away from the corporate lobby was one of the |
| for avoiding, we have to respect the fact that this | | | | President's most popular and resounding talking points |
| President needs to re- establish and then maintain | | | | last year. This one is going to be tough to come back |
| respectful diplomacy with countries around the world, | | | | from, assuming the administration continues to let |
| including Turkey. The fact is, the word 'genocide' | | | | former lobbyists and officials serve in spite of the |
| makes everyone a little uncomfortable, especially | | | | order. While many Americans are still granting Obama |
| when most of Turkey's genocide perpetrators are | | | | generous license to add the best and brightest people |
| dead. Obama will have future opportunities to drop the | | | | to his team no matter their industry affiliations, he'll be |
| "g" word, once he's good and chummy with Turkey's | | | | walking a very thin line if lobbyists start to pop up again |
| President. And don't think for a minute that Obama | | | | and again. |