Here's a fact that may surprise you: Candidates have a legal right to lie to voters just about as much as they want.

That comes as a shock to many. After all, consumers have been protected for decades from false ads for commercial products. Shouldn't there be "truth-in-advertising" laws to protect voters, too?

Turns out, that's a tougher question than you might imagine.

For one thing, the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution says, "Congress shall make no law ... abridging the freedom of speech," and that applies to candidates for office especially. And secondly, in the few states that have enacted laws against false political ads, they haven't been very effective.

4.03.08...
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3.31.08...
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3.12.08...
  - Conn. Student Suspended for Buying Candy in School
11.12.07...
  - Reid: "Ted Olson Will Not Be Confirmed" as AG
10.04.07...
  - Supreme Court Rules Politicians Have Right to Lie
5.16.07...
  - The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
5.10.08...
  - There Oughta Be A Law! - Or Maybe Not