Should there be a law against candidate ads that lie?

[FourScore]

Split court says candidates can lie
By Ralph Thomas

OLYMPIA — Government has no business trying to stop political candidates from deliberately lying about each other in campaign ads, a divided state Supreme Court ruled Thursday.

In the 5-4 decision upholding a lower-court ruling, the high court said a state law aimed at punishing political candidates for false advertising is an unconstitutional infringement on free speech.

"There can be no doubt that false personal attacks are too common in political campaigns, with wide-ranging detrimental consequences," Justice Jim Johnson wrote for the majority. "However, government censorship ... is not a constitutionally permitted remedy."

But in a sharply worded dissent, Justice Barbara Madsen called the majority's ruling "an invitation to lie with impunity. ... It is little wonder that so many view political campaigns with distrust and cynicism."

The case stems from a 2002 state Senate race in the 35th Legislative District, which covers Mason and parts of Thurston, Grays Harbor and Kitsap counties...

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003926782_scow05m.html

[porphyrian]

1. There absolutely should be, if there isn't already. - n/t

[BOSSHOG]

2. And those who fear the fairness doctrine

rise up and cheer the court for its lack of judicial "activism."

[zabet]

3. I would have thought

that 'slander' covered this. :shrug:

[blondeatlast]

4. Does it even matter? "The truth as I see it..."

"Some people say..."

"The facts as I see them..."

They are all statements that what is to follow is an outright lie, so why even bother to lie about an opponent?

[sampsonblk]

5. No, we need better education and honest media

[hedgehog]

6. That's supposed to be something a healthy free press addresses.

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/all/

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

7. Yeah. But, the politicians would lie about supporting it.

Honest politician = Oxymoron

[SergeyDovlatov]

8. with more and more people getting the information from ...

the internet. Lying will become less profitable.

Just imagine what opposition can do by highlighting their lies and rolling a smacking youtube video.

Lies will die with the obsolescence of the old media. Newspapers, TV.

Let them lie. Let them shoot themselves in the foot.
People are not dummies, they will discover that and punish the politicians.

Congress shall make no law !!!

[Totally Committed]

9. Jeezuss... we let our President, our Vice-President, our Attorney General, our Secretary(s) of State

our Secretary of Defense, and everyone who's come in front of the Senate for confirmation lie, why not the Presidential Candidates?

Sure, why not? It was only Colin Powell's lie about Bush's lie because Cheney told him to lie that got us into Iraq. Thousands dead, trillion$ squandered, the rest of the world hates us.

Sure, why not? Gonzalez's lies at his confirmation hearings got him confirmed which led to his lies about torture. He also lied about secret wiretaps. He also lied about Karl Rove's involvement in the Valerie Plame outing. Which led to a hearing before congress where, he lied 182 times just by saying "I don't recall".

Sure, why not? Our own Democrats in 2006 said, elect us and we'll end the war. We'll impeach Bush's ass. Once we have control of Congress we can stop the Republicans dead in their tracks. Which led to their victory. Which has led to their refunding the Iraqi occupation TWICE. Which led to extension of FISA. Which led to hearings and subpoenas that have led to NOTHING.

Lie after lie after lie after lie. No one tells the truth anymore in this government. Sure! -- let candidates lie in their campaigns. They say we get the government we deserve. Vote for liars, get liars. Vote for liars, and no more belly-aching when their lies give you another Bush in woman's clothes. Vote for liars, and no more crying for soldiers and civilians killed while we occupy foreign countries. Vote for liars and you deserve every piece of sh*t that votes against your interests, keeps you uninsured, extends corporate welfare, allows the deficit to balloon, and drafts your kids and MY grandkids asses into the armed services.

Sure, lettem lie. What a**holes we are.

Okay, who's gonna be the first to step up and tell me it's okay that they lie as long as the Courts say it's okay?

I'm tired of being lied to, and to have an American Court say it's okay that I'm lied to is just about THE LIMIT.

TC

[hisownpetard]

10. Are you saying you don't want ANY candidates to advertise on TV? (Like it or not,

I think they ALL lie. Some just are more subtle than others).

[FiveGoodMen]

13. So stop them (if you can) ...

...and they'll either STFU (:bounce:) or start telling the truth since that's all they have left.

They all lie because it's effective and if one of them tries to stick to the truth it's a competitive disadvantage.

[bryant69]

11. How would you enforce it?

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[robcon]

12. ABSOLUTELY NOT.

It is clear that the party in power would selectively enforce it.

The first amendment should still be in effect... short of yelling "fire" in a crowded theater, and slander, all political speech is protected.

[rucky]

16. what's that "slander" part again?

and have there been any successful prosecutions of slander in a political ad?

[robcon]

17. Sorry - I meant libel [/sorrow at choosing the wrong word]

n/t

[MH1]

14. How about this. Whatever campaign buys air time, must also buy air time for any opposing candidate

mentioned in their ad, to air their own ad of equal length, responding to any claims made in the original ad.

[blues90]

15. TV should be out lawed all together

TV is not and never has been the place for any sort of truth , what it should be called is the lie box .

I refuse to watch one campaign add or even waste the electricity it take to turn the damn thing on .

This far to soon and entire political rat race is based soley of money that will go to the very corporations that own the TV stations and put out these lies and does nothing more than promote and fund this surreal pile of bull shit people wade around in .