Today in the United States, the values of democracy as being openly questioned and tested, and the stakes for our nation’s future are higher than ever. Yet, a recent study shows that 38% of Americans say that they often or sometimes avoid news due to its depressing nature. Historian Mark Updegrove, president of the LBJ Foundation in Austin, says that, in fact, there has never been a more important time to pay attention to what’s happening in our country – and to show up at the polls.