By: David Eppler

Humor Editor

Since the inception of our political system, the promises of political candidates have always been central to their campaigns. Promises for the future are often the most effective way of winning over a constituency because they give voters a sense of hope. However, in recent decades, politicians have realized that power comes with these promises and have opted to leave problems unsolved as a way to retain that powerful political leverage. This cycle is currently contributing to the general disillusionment of the majority of American constituents, who don’t notice any improvements on the issues that matter to them. To solve this, when the time comes to cast a ballot, voters should focus more on what politicians have already accomplished rather than what they have pledged. This phenomenon, called “keeping the issue alive,” is visible on all sides of the political spectrum. 

In 2024, Donald Trump’s bid for reelection focused heavily on improving border security. Undoubtedly, it was one of the issues that won him the presidency, as according to Gallup, 55% of Americans at the time wanted to reduce immigration. It is therefore astonishing that in February of 2024, Trump ordered allies in Congress to “kill the bill” that would have secured $118 billion for the border. As Trump is a major force in conservative politics, Republicans immediately retracted their support for the bill, and it failed to pass. Trump went on to win the general election later in the year, showing that voters simply took him at his word that he would solve the border crisis and did not examine his track record.

The left has also kept key issues alive for political gain, best seen through the Democratic approach to abortion. For the Democratic Party, promises to expand access to abortions and reproductive care often prove to be key in campaigns. However, in the last few decades, Democrats failed to codify the landmark Supreme Court ruling on abortion, Roe vs. Wade. In 1993, 2009, and 2021, Democrats had control of all the branches of the federal government and yet passed nothing to safeguard the court’s decision. As a result of this calculated inaction, the ruling was overturned, ending the constitutional right to abortion. While negative for many Democratic voters, this ruling allowed politicians to once again attack the establishment regarding abortion, as New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger, and Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs have already done. Incredibly, a disastrous decision for Democratic voters may end up being a blessing for Democratic politicians, and not at all an accidental one.

This issue, while complicated, is one that the people can solve. If more voters look into what their candidates have done rather than what they have said, this cycle can be stopped. All it takes is for people to realize that the officials entrusted with solving our nation’s problems should not be the ones who can benefit most from ignoring them.

(Sources: Brookings, Gallup, NBC News, Pew Research)