Why Smear Ads Work—and Why That Should Worry You

When a campaign ad features Amy Acton’s own biological mother calling her a liar, you have to ask: how ugly has our politics become? I’m tired of the smear ads and constant negativity. But campaigns keep using these tactics because they work. Too many voters let an attack ad do their thinking instead of learning about the candidates and what they stand for. In this episode, I explain why we have a responsibility to become informed voters—and why we can’t expect better leadership if we won’t do our homework.