Election campaigns are full of beautiful verbs. Fix. Build. Protect. Restore. Cut. Invest. Defend. Deliver. But a verb is not a plan. A promise becomes serious only when you can see the details behind it — who acts, what it costs, when it happens, and what changes as a result. This article gives you a quick way to separate the promises that can survive questions from the ones that fall apart the moment you ask one.
Do not ask only whether a promise sounds good. Ask whether it can survive questions.
What an empty promise is
An empty promise sounds attractive but doesn’t explain the things that make a promise real: what will happen, who will do it, who benefits, what it costs, when it happens, what the trade-offs are, and whether that level of government even has the power to act.
Keep this
Empty promises are easy to clap for and hard to implement.
The Empty Promise Test
For any promise you hear, run these ten questions. You don’t need a perfect answer to all of them — but if the answer is mostly “I don’t know,” the promise may be fog.
What exactly will change?
Who is responsible for doing it?
Does this level of government control it?
How much will it cost?
Where will the money come from?
When will it happen?
Who benefits?
Who may lose, pay, wait, or be left out?
What evidence supports it?
Can I explain this promise in one clear sentence?
Six promises to recognize
Empty promises tend to come in familiar shapes. Once you can name them, you’ll spot them everywhere.
The magic wand
“We will fix housing.”
Problem: no detail on supply, zoning, construction, rent rules, financing, or timelines.
The blame
“One group is the reason everything is bad.”
Problem: complex issues usually have many causes, not one villain.
The free lunch
“We’ll cut taxes, increase services, reduce debt — and no one pays.”
Problem: the trade-offs are hidden, not absent.
The wrong office
A candidate promises something another level of government controls.
Problem: they may be campaigning outside their own toolbox.
The forever promise
“We will work toward a better future.”
Problem: no measurable target, so it can never be checked.
The number storm
Big figures with no context or source.
Problem: numbers can impress without informing.
Ask better questions
The fastest way to test a promise is to replace a soft question with a sharp one. The soft version invites a slogan; the sharp version forces a plan.
Flags to watch
Red flags
- No timeline
- No cost
- No trade-off acknowledged
- No evidence
- No responsible department or authority
- Emotional scapegoating
- “Everyone wins” language
- Promises outside the office’s power
- Attacks replace details
- Slogans repeated when asked practical questions
Green flags
- A clear target
- A timeline
- A cost estimate
- A funding source
- Practical steps
- Honest trade-offs
- The correct government authority
- An explanation of the risks
- Willingness to say “this is difficult”
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Serious candidates do not need to pretend everything is easy.
That’s the whole skill: name the shape of the promise, run the ten questions, swap your soft questions for sharp ones, and watch the flags. This is the eighth step of the civic ladder — you can now tell a plan from a slogan. Use the detector below to test any promise you hear.
This guide is for general civic education only and is strictly non-partisan. The example promises are generic illustrations, not quotations from any real party or candidate. Verify campaign claims against official platforms and independent reporting before you decide.
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