Todd Smith, at Ideapalooza, has come up with a great idea; The Barack Obama Promise Tracker.
This downloadable spreadsheet has nearly 900 promises made by President Barack Obama. Todd is looking for help in keeping it up-to-date. RnS is trying to help get the word out.
Please visit Promise Tracker page, download the file, and pitch in.
Here is the latest group email from Todd:
Friends,
I updated the Barack Obama Promise Tracker over the weekend. A special thanks to username Chekflow for his assistance tracking several Obama promises.
Last month only 1% of Obama’s promises were scored or 11 out of 896 promises. Now 11% of his promises have been tracked with 55 kept and 44 broken. You can download the updated file at http://ideapalooza.com/ideas/idea/119.
Mr. Obama is receiving poor scores for keeping promises in the Ethics and Economy categories. As predicted, the Stimulus Package was merely a promise keeper package in disguise. The voluminous bill continues to produce a bountiful supply of funded campaign promises and more will be revealed as the media continues to access to the bill.
Two other matters I wish to entertain. Response to my earlier plea for assistance in maintaining the document fell flat. I wish to amend my earlier request as I may have over reached. Instead of following an entire category of promises, I would ask that you follow just one promise. Out of 896 promises, just choose one that you are interested in and track it. Research it now, research it once a month, create a Google Alert cross-referencing key words if you choose. The document badly needs links to sources and this includes current promises that have been kept or broken. Simply email me your category and promise by number and your promise will be assigned!
I would like this to be The People’s Document. It is very time consuming for me to track all of these promises. I am not a ‘staff’ of people. My resources are extremely limited. If we can all maintain the document a key aspect of the document is realized: it becomes extremely accurate. If accuracy is successfully achieved then the document becomes relevant. This document, if accurate, will become relevant for the next election cycle.
We can’t rely on the media to report honestly as you know. They are biased and under President Obama’s spell. I had high hopes for the St. Petersburg Times promise tracking website, The Obameter, but it scores compromises for clearly broken promises such as the no hiring of lobbyists (Fox News count is 21 lobbyists hired), a college tax credit of $4,000 for 100 hours of community service was promised (a potential of $2,500 tax credit is earned with no community service obligation is what passes). At what numerical point does either promise loose the compromise status and become broken in their eyes? The hiring of 5, 30, 40 or 53 lobbyists? A $5, $100, or $1,000 college tax credit?
I know most of you listen to Glenn Beck and probably Rush. They are both asking for people like you and I to step up to the plate and have our voices heard. I’m offering you a platform. I’m willing to take ‘point’. Your relevancy is only one email away.
Todd Smith
3/2/09
ideapalooza