It is that time of year again. Yes boys and girls, it is “gaslighting” time, AKA political ads.

Political ads are an excellent way to get a message out, supporting or criticizing a particular candidate. Unfortunately far too many people buy into the gaslighting that occurs with these ads.

Let me give you an excellent example. I can't tell you how many times Coloradans were warned that electing Cory Gardner to the Senate would result in contraceptives being banned from the grocery store. Gardner was elected and, by golly, no ban on contraceptives occurred.

Now we hear about how “extreme” some conservative candidates are. An example is GOP candidate for governor Heidi Ganahl is too extreme for supporting the Supreme Court decision on Roe. Let's look at that decision. All it did was correct a horrendous decision 50 years ago which placed a square peg in a circular hole and declared the access to an abortion was a constitutional right. The Constitution did not say abortions were guaranteed, and since a correct interpretation was provided the states are now free to implement policies that each state's citizens want. Gee that is extreme to support the corrected Supreme Court decision. The commercial then shows how she would have ripped up the abortion bill that Polis signed. Is it extreme to not want to allow for an abortion in the ninth month of a pregnancy, as the bill allows? I think not. The extreme measure was taken by Polis by signing such a bill.

I fear far too many voters are influenced by gaslighting, and that level of ignorance is what political advertisers count on. Hard to help voters who don't want to help themselves, which is educating themselves on the issues.

John Salanitro

Highlands Ranch