Bill Pickle
Having grown up in Mesquite, Texas (home of Mesquite Skeeters High School football team and their mascot the eight foot “Stormy the Skeeter” get’r done was an everyday phrase. It wasn’t until Larry the Cable Guy, a redneck comedian, came along did the simple phrase become famous (or infamous depending how you take it).
As I look around and see what’s going on in the political world I find myself using the phrase quite often (actually more and more every day)! Folk’s we need to find people who want to get’r done involved in our politics! In other words, we need some folks who will tell us what they are going to do and do it!
We need to have some folks who will set the example for all to see that things can get done (aka getting things accomplished). By the way, once others see things can get done, others will be more inclined to get’er done.
Well, we have all heard that ‘curiosity killed the cat’. However, I decided to take a chance and show that at least in my lifetime all Presidents of the United States of America have always kept their promises to get’er done. Well, one should have hope.
So, here we go…
Harry S. Truman (D) was already at the time I was born so I did not bother looking up his record (Truman! I am getting old).
Dwight Eisenhower (R) elected in 1953. One of his campaign promises was there would be no corruption by his team as long as he was running and serving as President. Well, if he would have said by his campaign instead of team, he would have passed the test. However, his running mate, Richard Nixon had a few issues that bled over to Eisenhower.
John F. Kennedy (D) was next in line in 1961. JFK promised to both civil and citizenship rights as well as increased federal aid to the American Indian tribes that never came about. Treaties never acknowledged their sovereignty.
Kennedy also failed to keep the promise he made that Indian lands would be protected. The reality proved to be right the contrary…he supported the building of the Kinzua Dam that led to the flooding of 10,000 acres of Indian Land destroying homes and historical Indian Burial Grounds.
Then Lyndon B. Johnson (D) inherited the White House. In 1964 he promised “We are not about to send American boys 9-10 thousand miles away from home to do what Asian boys ought to be doing for themselves.” Hello, Vietnam…LBJ did not seek re-election.
Then came Richard Nixon (R) who claimed to “have a secret plan to end the war” and promised a way to “peace and honor” in Vietnam. It wasn’t until the beginning of his last year in office our troops pulled out. I do remember there was very little honor felt by the troops and the folks at home.
Then there was Gerald Ford (R). Gerald Ford gets a free pass. Never ran for office, never made any campaign promises.
Georgia’s Jimmy Carter (D) comes up next on our list. Let’s just sum up some of his promises and move on: Solar panels on the White House..nope. Support for his gas tax revisions… nope! Solve our energy crisis at the time…. nope!
1981 brought us Ronald Reagan (R) who promised a Constitutional Amendment to allow school prayers in the form of an Amendment to The Constitution of the United States. Well, at least he tried. It was submitted but failed to get passed.
President George Bush, Senior (R), said, and I remember this like it was yesterday… “Read my lips: No new taxes!” Well, so much for remembering and/or keeping that promise. We actually saw multiple increases.
Bill Clinton (D) was our next promise maker in 1993, when he proposed a new healthcare bill aka “Hillarycare”. OOPS!
George W. Bush (R) made promises that changed the whole tone of what would be taking place in Washington, D.C. to the tune of privatized social security and reducing government spending. Hello! Never happened! Both issues dug deeper holes in the ground for us to fall into.
Barrack Obama (D) was a man of promises. I could not find a complete list, but Politifact says Obama placed 533 promises on the ‘Obamameter’. They also state 48% were actually kept.
Well, that brings us up to Donald Trump (R). Time will tell…
Oh, by the way, not one President on this list ever said “If Congress will let me, I will make you this promise…”
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