Anybody Ever Hold Them Accountable?

[M.D. Holloway]

Politicians always make claims and promises that they don't/can't keep. Without having to pour through volumes of history text, is there any info out there that actually examines past politicians that actually did what they say will do? Sort of a ranking of ability in a top ten?

[rcecale]

This just seemed appropriate...

A powerful senator dies after a prolonged illness. His soul arrives in heaven and is met by St. Peter at the entrance.
"Welcome to Heaven," says St. Peter. "Before you settle in, it seems there is a problem. We seldom see a high official around these parts, you see, so we're not sure what to do with you."
"No problem, just let me in," says the guy.
"Well, I'd like to but I have orders from higher up. What we'll do is have you spend one day in Hell and one in Heaven. Then you can choose where to spend eternity."
"Really, I've made up my mind. I want to be in Heaven," says the senator.
"I'm sorry but we have our rules."
And with that, St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down, down to Hell. The doors open and he finds himself in the middle of a green golf course. In the distance is a club and standing in front of it are all his friends and other politicians who had worked with him, everyone is very happy and in evening attire. They run to greet him, hug him, and reminisce about the good times they had while getting rich at the expense of the people.
They play a friendly game of golf and then dine on lobster and caviar. Also present is the Devil, who really is a very friendly guy who has a good time dancing and telling jokes. They are having such a good time
that, before he realizes it, it is time to go. Everyone gives him a big hug and waves while the elevator rises.
The elevator goes up, up, up and the door reopens on Heaven where St. Peter is waiting for him.
"Now it's time to visit Heaven."
So 24 hours pass with the head of state joining a group of contented souls moving from cloud to cloud, playing the harp and singing. They have a good time and, before he realizes it, the 24 hours have gone by
and St. Peter returns.
"Well then, you've spent a day in Hell and another in Heaven. Now choose your eternity."
He reflects for a minute, then the senator answers, "Well, I would never have said it, I mean Heaven has been delightful, but I think I would be better off in Hell."
So St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down, down to Hell. Now the doors of the elevator open and he is in the middle of a barren land covered with waste and garbage. He sees all his friends, dressed in rags, picking up the trash and putting it in black bags. The Devil comes over to him and lays his arm on his neck.
"I don't understand," stammers the senator. "Yesterday I was here and there was a golf course and club and we ate lobster and caviar and danced and had a great time. Now all there is, is a wasteland full of garbage and my friends look miserable.
The Devil looks at him, smiles and says, "Yesterday we were campaigning...Today you voted for us!"

Randy

[VINMAN]

The problem is, nobody gives a crap. People are so consumed with thier own lives, that they are oblivious to everything around them.
Here in New Jersey, home of the corrupt politician, is the prime example. The last election we had at least 5 major politicians
( senators, mayors) that where under investigation or in trial for corruption and other crimes. Everyone of them got reelected! By a landslide no less. WTF??
People are more concerned with Anna Nicoles baby and whos gonna win American Idol, then the issues that actually effect thier lives.

[legion]

Why does no one give a crap?

Because they are kept fat and happy with their bread and circus (welfare and Jerry Springer).

If one does not need lift a finger to maintain a comfortable lifestyle, they won't be concerned with much beyond their immediate surroundings. Conversely, if you threaten a comfortable lifestyle at the expense of others, expect a violent reaction. Witness "strikes" by the unemployed in France. In this country, a whole political party is devoted to be the "champion" for the "disadvantaged". Those that have reached comfort at the expense of others need not even protest--they have someone to do that for them as well. They just need to show up to the polls in sufficient numbers to ensure the gravy train never ends.

[Tervuren]

I'd think we'd see a change in US politics, if instead of always trying to trash the other party, we pulled up all the dirt on our own party instead. With supporters from both parties blasting anything out of line, your party would be soo outvoted, and if they ever wanted a chance to win again, they'd have to clean up the act.

Sort your own party out first, then pick on the other.

[M.D. Holloway]

I agree with all that. Is there anyone out there that actually has reasearched who has been closest to achieving their claims?

A scorecard of sorts. Maybe I will start one when the real campain-n starts...

[mattdavis11]

Texas Monthly puts out a report card every two years. I'm not sure if they address Congress, but they do report the 10 best 10 worst in the Texas Legislature. It's a pretty bad example if you ask me, it's highly biased.

I think it comes out in July.

http://www.texasmonthly.com/mag/bestworst.php

I kept my own report card when I was in Austin meddling in the affairs. I didn't care what they promised to get elected though.

[red-beard]

Originally posted by LubeMaster77
Politicians always make claims and promises that they don't/can't keep. Without having to pour through volumes of history text, is there any info out there that actually examines past politicians that actually did what they say will do? Sort of a ranking of ability in a top ten?

It would be awfully quiet if lying were outlawed by Politicians

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Actually, Governator Ahhnold has done pretty well with keeping campaign promises. Certainly better than his predecessor (a career bureaucrat/politician). That kinda' says something.

[Superman]

Originally posted by legion
Why does no one give a crap?

Because they are kept fat and happy with their bread and circus (welfare and Jerry Springer).

If one does not need lift a finger to maintain a comfortable lifestyle, they won't be concerned with much beyond their immediate surroundings. Conversely, if you threaten a comfortable lifestyle at the expense of others, expect a violent reaction. Witness "strikes" by the unemployed in France. In this country, a whole political party is devoted to be the "champion" for the "disadvantaged". Those that have reached comfort at the expense of others need not even protest--they have someone to do that for them as well. They just need to show up to the polls in sufficient numbers to ensure the gravy train never ends.

With all DUE respect to your belief that lazy welfare recipients and gubmit workers are at fault for everything, I wonder what proportion of people you believe are on welfare and/or watch Jerry Springer. And I wonder what proportion of Americans have no idea what's going on in Washington DC. My personal belief is that the former proportion is a small fraction of the latter.

In other words, I suspect that the number of ignorant welfare recipients is a small fraction of the number of working ignoramuses. But.....that wouldn't leave you with an excuse to continue blaming everything on welfare recipients. An inconvenient truth.

Term limits. Reports. None of that stuff is going to make a difference as long as the voters are entirely clueless. The last two presidential elections were certainly a clear illustration of that. The world is still scratching its collective head on the question of how Mr. Rove coaxed the working poor into voting for tax breaks for billionaires.

[legion]

Supe, you addressed none of what I said.

Does being comfortable not make one apathetic?

[M.D. Holloway]

Supe, to add to legion, what do you think the percentage of the population know who their vice-president is? How many do you think can name the three branches of government? How many do you think even know more than four state capitals? How many do you think know that WWII was actually two different wars? How many do you think know the difference between the Constitution and the Bill of Rights?

Just because they have the right number of chromosomes, they are entitled? Where is the responsibility to actually engage and be productive elements to the culture and society? You do not see freebies in nature very often.

Sometimes I think we do more harm by giving our kids too much than not enough. I wonder if the same could be said for society?

[Seahawk]

A quick scan on Google is inconclusive concerning voting percentages broken into population of voters, those who register to vote and those who vote.

Two sites were interesting:

Gen X

Knesset

Supe, I am a believer in Term Limits on the basis of leveling the threshold for those pols who may make a difference. You can't fix stupid, but you can encourage participation.

[Superman]

Mike and Chris, I wonder why my remarks might seem unclear. I dismiss, out of hand, Chris' blaming welfare people. They're a small proportion of the voting population and I doubt they are more ignorant than voters who work for a living. Give it up, Chris. Famine in Africa, and a few other world problems, have causes OTHER THAN lazy welfare recipients. Sheesh! In this case, voter ignorance. If welfare recipient ignorance were the problem, then only about 5% of the voting population would be affected. The problem is voter ignorance. Voters. Including the ones that earn paychecks.

I suspect that if you grabbed a group of workers on my current project and administered to them a civics quiz, at least 80% would fail miserably. But these are construction workers, and when the Republicans scare them into thinking that gay marriage and gun control are imminent, they will vote. They will vote for all the candidates that hate the safety and wage regulations that protect them.

So yeah. I wonder how my remarks seemed unclear. The typical voter might not be able to find the United States on a globe. And the typical welfare recipient's political acumen is irrelevant, since working voters outnumber them at least six to one.

[Superman]

I'm tired today. So, I sound grouchy. sorry. Voters are ignorant. Exceedingly ignorant. Until that problem is solved, all the band-aids in the world are not going to overcome the misinformation and deception that is our political system. Its effects are blindingly evident here on this forum.

[legion]

Welfare and Jerry Springer were examples of bread and circus, not the sole modern equivalents. I could have just as easily said twinkies and Oprah. I still haven't been told how being comfortable does not make one apathetic.

[304065]

Never vote for the same one twice. Simple.

[Jims5543]

I still cannot get over Sangina getting booted of Idol. I am beginning to think the voting process is a big lie. I am pretty upset over the whole thing.

[legion]

Do they use Diebold machines? If so, kach can tell you all about them.