Does the Campaign Match the Governance?

28Jun08

Something’s been nagging at me lately. I’m wondering how we can ever hold a president up to the standards (or even just statements) that they make during a campaign.

Perhaps it’s unfortunate, but George W. Bush has been the first president I’ve been politically conscious for. This isn’t unfortunate for any specific policy, but because he did such a complete reversal on the positions he ran on in 2000. He ran on a platform of no nation building and less interference in the rest of the world whereas today we’re more out there than ever. He wanted to lift all boats with a different tax plan, but has stuck with it regardless of the increasing inequality in American incomes.

Using those ideas as examples of the larger point, how do we trust how a president will govern by the campaign he or she runs? If the administration can do a complete 180 with the only recourse being a Daily Show segment (embed below), then what else can normal people do to ensure presidents will keep their word? Leave some ideas in the comments.

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