The Obameter: Tracking Obama's Campaign Promises

The Promise:

"During 2009 and 2010, existing businesses will receive a $3,000 refundable tax credit for each additional full-time employee hired."

Update February 4th, 2010:

Jobs tax credit promise gets new rating

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The Promise:

Repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy in the military.

Update February 2nd, 2010:

Gates says repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" is no longer a question of "whether," but "how"

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The Promise:

"Will streamline the financial aid process by eliminating the current federal financial aid application and enabling families to apply simply by checking a box on their tax form, authorizing their tax information to be used, and eliminating the need for a separate application."

Update January 21st, 2010:

A simpler form

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The Promise:

"As Obama removes our combat brigades from Iraq, he will send at least two additional brigades to Afghanistan, where the Taliban is resurgent. He will also provide our armed forces with the reset capability that they need. He will replace essential equipment, and he will ensure that our men and women in uniform get the care and support they have earned."

Update January 20th, 2010:

Obama goes beyond his campaign pledge, sending more troops to Afghanistan

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The Promise:

"I'll put in place the common-sense regulations and rules of the road I've been calling for since March -- rules that will keep our market free, fair, and honest; rules that will restore accountability and responsibility in our corporate boardrooms."

Update January 20th, 2010:

Financial regulation has House approval, awaits Senate

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The Promise:

"I'll give an annual 'State of the World' address to the American people in which I lay out our national security policy."

Update January 19th, 2010:

No speech in first year

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The Promise:

Obama and Joe Biden will "turn the page on the ugly partisanship in Washington, so we can bring Democrats and Republicans together to pass an agenda that works for the American people."

Update January 19th, 2010:

A year later, lots of partisanship

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The Promise:

"Provide at least $2 billion to expand services to Iraqi refugees in neighboring countries."

Update January 14th, 2010:

Aid for Iraqi refugees is slow in coming

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The Promise:

"Create a specialized military advisers corps, which will enable us to better build up local allies' capacities to take on mutual threats."

Update January 14th, 2010:

No sign of movement

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The Promise:

"Will form an international working group to address" the problem of "more than five million Iraqis (who) are refugees or are displaced inside their own country."

Update January 14th, 2010:

No evidence of forming group to help Iraqi refugees

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The Promise:

"He will stop the development of new nuclear weapons; work with Russia to take U.S. and Russian ballistic missiles off hair-trigger alert; seek dramatic reductions in U.S. and Russian stockpiles of nuclear weapons and material; and set a goal to expand the U.S.-Russian ban on intermediate-range missiles so that the agreement is global."

Update January 14th, 2010:

Work to stop spread of nuclear weapons inches forward

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The Promise:

"Establish transparency standards for military contractors. … Create the reporting requirements, accounting, and accountability needed for good governance and actual money savings with contracting."

Update January 14th, 2010:

No transparency in sight

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The Promise:

"Enact a program of market incentives and sanctions for Pentagon contractors, just like any other good business client would use, to reward companies that perform well and come in under budget, while punishing firms that fail to perform as originally hired."

Update January 14th, 2010:

Administration works toward adding competition for defense contracts

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The Promise:

Restore the Deployment Policies Under Which the Reserve and Guard Enlisted: America should recommit to the broken promises made to the men and women who serve in the Guard and Reserves. An Obama administration will: • Limit lengthy deployments to one year for every six years • Restore the 24-month limit on cumulative deployment time • End the "Stop-Loss" program of forcing troops to stay in service beyond their expected commitments.

Update January 14th, 2010:

No restoration yet for cumulative limits on Reserve, Guard deployments

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The Promise:

"Make the VA a leader of national health care reform. … This includes efforts to improve electronic records interoperability, expand effectiveness research, promote wellness programs, and instill more accountability for performance and quality improvement initiatives."

Update January 14th, 2010:

VA takes lead in some areas of health care

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