Politicians Make Promises With No Binding Obligation To Deliver

The Constitution protects broad political speech. Campaign promises are legally treated as opinions or aspirations, not contracts.

Courts generally won’t police political lies — they leave it to voters, the press, and opponents to challenge them.

Politicians intentionally keep promises vague (“I’ll fight for better healthcare”) so they can’t be measured easily.

It calls attention to the trust gap in democracy. People are sick of being sold hype with no follow-through.

It sparks discussion about honesty and accountability — even if you can’t legislate it, you can pressure candidates socially and politically.

You couldn’t pass a law binding campaign promises, but you could push for:

• Independent promise trackers (media or watchdogs already do this, but it could be formalized).

• Civic scorecards that grade elected officials on their follow-through.

• Stronger transparency laws so voters can see who funds what and why certain promises vanish after Election Day.