Mud slinging: Who's stretching the truth in those political TV ads? Everyone.

The leaves are starting to change color, the birds have begun to fly south for the winter, and the TV stations are full of mud-slinging political ads.

It must be late October.

We can't turn on the television without being bombarded by negative political ads. And as the election draws near and they have increased in number and nastiness, we have grown more and more tired of them.

"My opponent not only has supported the early release of murderers and sex offenders, she has given them tote bags to take home with them."

"My opponent, Senator X, not only wants to take away your Social Security benefits, he has voted to increase the price of drugs."

Lies. They are part of the political landscape and have been for hundreds of years. Most people don't know much about U.S. history, but the practice of throwing out malicious half-truths about one's political opponent goes back as far as the early days of American politics. It's just that in the old days there was no TV to rub it in your face every five minutes.

Published in Editorials on October 20, 2016 9:39 AM