Goose wrote:

CT's post is noted and appreciated.

I have a complaint, which I would rather offer as a plea here.

Please, everyone, make a sincere effort to keep the threads on topic.

Too often the political threads are just a disappointing tit for tat that generate heat but no light.
We have all seen it. Someone posts about a policy idea, or personal foible about candidate X that rankles them.
A supporter of candidate X sees it and disagrees. That's fine. In fact, that is what the dialogue is all about. Please, tell me why your candidate is best for the country. Tell me what appeals to you; how he is going to guide us to a better future. A back and forth about that is something I'd like to be involved in.

However, too often the supporter does not actually defend their candidate. Instead they toss an off topic, figurative molotov cocktail about candidate Y into the thread.
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,And off we go to nasty town. And an opportunity for a nice discussion is lost.

It's annoying to be talking about something, like energy policy for example, and have someone drop some personal insult of a candidate right into the middle of it.

In my humble opinion things would be much better if a thread about a policy idea became a discussion about that policy idea. If a poster has a problem with the other candidate it should go in that thread only in the context of the subject of the thread.

If the poster doesn't want to actually talk about the subject of the thread he should refrain from posting there. If the poster wants to talk about something else, it would be appropriate to start another thread. I mean, every member is free to start their own threads. There is no need to change the subject of an existing thread.

Thank you.

My observation would be, will this complaint/plea be observed by posters x,y and z?
A long and very detailed post but usually the next day something like this will quickly fade
away. All kinds of different ideas but they usually are not complied with. Or are pointed to one poster
and that poster is expected to follow some guidance but other posters do what they do.
A molotov cocktail to one poster is a fact based post to another poster.

Respectfully submitted 

Common Sense wrote:

Goose wrote:

CT's post is noted and appreciated.

I have a complaint, which I would rather offer as a plea here.

Please, everyone, make a sincere effort to keep the threads on topic.

Too often the political threads are just a disappointing tit for tat that generate heat but no light.
We have all seen it. Someone posts about a policy idea, or personal foible about candidate X that rankles them.
A supporter of candidate X sees it and disagrees. That's fine. In fact, that is what the dialogue is all about. Please, tell me why your candidate is best for the country. Tell me what appeals to you; how he is going to guide us to a better future. A back and forth about that is something I'd like to be involved in.

However, too often the supporter does not actually defend their candidate. Instead they toss an off topic, figurative molotov cocktail about candidate Y into the thread.
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,And off we go to nasty town. And an opportunity for a nice discussion is lost.

It's annoying to be talking about something, like energy policy for example, and have someone drop some personal insult of a candidate right into the middle of it.

In my humble opinion things would be much better if a thread about a policy idea became a discussion about that policy idea. If a poster has a problem with the other candidate it should go in that thread only in the context of the subject of the thread.

If the poster doesn't want to actually talk about the subject of the thread he should refrain from posting there. If the poster wants to talk about something else, it would be appropriate to start another thread. I mean, every member is free to start their own threads. There is no need to change the subject of an existing thread.

Thank you.

My observation would be, will this complaint/plea be observed by posters x,y and z?
A long and very detailed post but usually the next day something like this will quickly fade
away. All kinds of different ideas but they usually are not complied with. Or are pointed to one poster
and that poster is expected to follow some guidance but other posters do what they do.
A molotov cocktail to one poster is a fact based post to another poster.

Respectfully submitted 

Hey CS,

I wasn't saying people have to change.  In point of fact, it's the differences in personalities and associations that make topics interesting.

All I"m asking is for everyone to please be polite.

This will be a difficult election cycle, emotions tend to run high, and it becomes very easy to start snapping at other posters.  Hell, I've been tempted a few times myself.

Be yourself.