"But smart voters should also recognize that campaign promises aren’t abstractions. They’re practical political tools. Which is why it makes sense for presidents to break their promises and naive to expect them not to. They don’t govern by fiat. They propose the strongest policies they can possibly hope for because they know they will end up negotiating with Congress and other stakeholders. In fact, the only way for a president to start from a good bargaining position is by proposing something bolder (such as the public option) than what he ultimately thinks he can get. “Breaking” those “promises” may be disappointing, but it isn’t a betrayal. It’s governing."