PolitiFact | Tracking politicians' promises
The Obameter
Tracking Obama's Campaign Promises
GOP Pledge-O-Meter
Tracking the promises of the GOP Leadership in Congress
Promises we’ve rated recently
Strengthen the Age Discrimination in Employment Act
The Promise:
"Obama will fight job discrimination for aging employees by strengthening the Age Discrimination in Employment Act and empowering the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to prevent all forms of discrimination."
Seek to negotiate a political agreement on Cyprus
The Promise:
"As president, Barack Obama will show U.S. leadership in seeking to negotiate a political settlement on Cyprus. He believes strongly that Cyprus should remain a single, sovereign country in which each of the two communities on the island is able to exercise substantial political authority within a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation."
Require automatic enrollment in 401(k) plans
The Promise:
Automatic enrollment in 401(k) plans for workers whose employers offer retirement plans.
Require automatic enrollment in IRA plans
The Promise:
Require employers who do not offer retirement plans to offer their workers access to automatic IRAs and contribute via payroll deduction.
Update February 10th, 2012:
Proposal hasn't fully reemerged after being overshadowed by health care debate
Approve pending free trade agreements with Colombia, Panama and South Korea
The Promise:
Immediately approve pending free trade agreements with Colombia, Panama and South Korea.
Mandate flexible fuel vehicles by 2012
The Promise:
"Will work with Congress and auto companies to ensure that all new vehicles have flexible fuel (FFV) capability . . . by the end of his first term in office."
Require more flex-fuel cars for the federal government
The Promise:
"Government should lead the way here. I showed up at this event in a government vehicle that does not have a flexible-fuel tank. When I'm president, I will make sure that every vehicle purchased by the federal government does."
Update February 7th, 2012:
Federal government's flex fuel vehicle purchases actually down since 2009
Promote more pre-school education
The Promise:
"Will provide critical support to young children and their parents. Unlike other early childhood education plans...places key emphasis at early care and education for infants, which is essential for children to be ready to enter kindergarten. Obama and Biden will create Early Learning Challenge Grants to promote state "zero to five" efforts and help states move toward voluntary, universal pre-school."
Require new federal fleet purchases to be half plug-in hybrids or electric vehicles
The Promise:
"Half of all cars purchased by the federal government will be plug-in hybrids or all-electric by 2012."
Update February 1st, 2012:
Big gains for alternative-fuel vehicles, but not for electric plug-ins
Support improved weather prediction program
The Promise:
Will work to launch "without further delay" the Global Precipitation Measurement mission, "an international effort to improve climate, weather, and hydrological predictions through more accurate and more frequent precipitation measurements."
Update February 1st, 2012:
Mission still under way, but one element is scrapped, and launch date has slipped
Provide $30 billion over 10 years to Israel
The Promise:
"Implement a Memorandum of Understanding that provides $30 billion in assistance to Israel over the next decade -- investments to Israel's security that will not be tied to any other nation."
Launch a supportive services-housing program for veterans to prevent homelessness
The Promise:
"Launch an innovative supportive services-housing program to prevent at-risk veterans and veteran families from falling into homelessness in the first place."
Make National Guard leader a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
The Promise:
"Too often, top-level military decisions, which impact the National Guard, are made without its input. Obama cosponsored legislation to elevate the Chief of the National Guard to the rank of four-star general and make the chief a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the top military advisory panel to the president. As president, Obama will sign this legislation into law."
Strengthen antitrust enforcement
The Promise:
"Will reinvigorate antitrust enforcement, which is how we ensure that capitalism works for consumers."
Require Cabinet officials to host Internet town hall meetings
The Promise:
Will "require his Cabinet officials to have periodic national broadband townhall meetings to discuss issues before their agencies."
We want to hear your suggestions and comments.
For tips or comments on our Obameter and our GOP-Pledge-O-Meter promise databases, please e-mail the Obameter. If you are commenting on a specific promise, please include the wording of the promise.
For comments about our Truth-O-Meter or Flip-O-Meter items, please e-mail the Truth-O-Meter. We’re especially interested in seeing any chain e-mails you receive that you would like us to check out. If you send us a comment, we'll assume you don't mind us publishing it unless you tell us otherwise.Keep up to date with Politifact:
- Sign up for our e-mail (about once a week)
- Put a free PolitiFact widget on your blog or Web page
- Subscribe to our RSS feeds on Truth-O-Meter items
- Subscribe to our RSS feeds on GOP Pledge-O-Meter items
- Subscribe to our RSS feeds on Obameter items
- Follow us on Twitter
- Fan us on Facebook
- Advertise on PolitiFact
- Shop the PolitiFact store for T-shirts, hats and other PolitiFact swag




