Answers: Dark Money

Have the millions spent in 'dark money” political advertising hampered your ability to stay on top of the issues?

Iowans preparing for elections try to stay on top of the issues. Have the millions of dollars in 'dark money” spent on mostly negative advertising in the U.S. Senate contest hampered your ability to follow the race? Has it impacted your desire to cast a ballot?

FROM OUR INBOX

Senior citizens are answering 'yes” to both questions - dark money spent on political advertising is hampering our ability to understand the issues and our desire to participate.

But, I find relying on The Gazette is my best source for reading about the pros and cons of the candidates when you dissect the news and information from the debates, etc.

The Gazette could really provide an informative service by divulging the complete title of these 'dark money” big spenders and what they stand for and promote.

Grace Z.

Anamosa

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I've have made my decision on the issues - primarily Social Security, Medicare and the economy. Why the funding has made an impact on me is due to the way it is being presented. How dumb do they think people are? Numbers can be skewed so many ways. I never trust percentages being quoted. I am no dummy, so I am trusting myself to make the right choice.

Pamela S.

Cedar Rapids

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I am happy with the open system that allows millions of dollars to be spent on political advertising. The voter education benefits from this process help to encourage voter turnout and insure that the voting public is more informed.

Year's ago, we actually had to read newspapers, or go through the burdensome time-consuming process of evaluating information from the journalists in the main stream media. Now, we can inform ourselves with the many political ads flooding all media outlets. We can get all the knowledge we need to make critical decisions at the polls in convenient sound bites as short as 30 seconds.

Gary W.

Cedar Rapids

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Negative ads have impacted my desire to cast a ballot. I will vote early absentee and watch more PBS and cable channels to avoid as many ads as possible until election day.

Don K.

Mount Vernon

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Yes, the negative advertising has continued ad nauseam until we have changed to CNN or other national cable to just avoid the never-ending negatives. It makes it most difficult to follow the Iowa races and should be outlawed. If we cannot find something positive about the candidates, we just may not vote at all!

E.B. E.

Cedar Rapids

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Lately when these ads come on, I immediately reach for the mute button. I find them distasteful and lacking in the necessary back story to make them credible.

Cynthia N.

Cedar Rapids

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FROM FACEBOOK

' Dan L.:

They really pick their workds carefully in order to be misleading. I wish the government would make the PAC groups illegal so the voters would be the only contributors. Those groups who spend millions obviously have something to gain.

' Linda L.:

We don't believe these negative ads anyway, because we know they are just trying to make the other guy look bad. We tune them out. Wish the candidate would just tell us what they have done and plan to do for our country if elected. It's difficult to decide on a candidate because we don't know enough about them.