Generally, a statement has to be provable as true or false before it can be libelous. Opinions are out of the running for libel, so you're free to describe a bad actor as "a loser" or the local mayor as "clueless." Opinions are protected under the opinion privilege, but that has its own limitations. If the opinion is supported by inaccurate facts, it may not be protected. What the opinion privilege doesn't protect is accusations of criminal or illegal behavior, even if they're expressed as opinions. So, if you write that your state attorney is a "thief and a felon," you're asking for trouble.You are also on dangerous ground when you make false statements that you present as your opinion. Satirical or exaggerated language probably will be protected. On the other hand, if the general public might mistake the statement as an objective fact, it may not be protected as opinion. Protect yourself and avoid claims like "only a drug addict like Governor Smith would support this budget bill."If the statement is not protected as an opinion, you may still be protected under the truth defense. A person who wishes to successfully sue you for libel must generally prove the statement is false. In most states, truth is a complete defense to a libel action. You generally can't sue if the statement in question is true, no matter how unpleasant the statement or the results of its publication.The best way to protect yourself is to see how your state defines and tests for truth. Before making a potentially libelous claim, keep track of your documents, people, and source material. That way, on the off chance a lawsuit arises, you'll be braced to present the truth.