Eric Berlin

It's important, but not that important. - Charles LePage

One would think social media would be THE place to talk about politics. The "group" should help the best percolate and the worst be buried. - xero

At the very least gosh darned important. - Brian Norwood

amen!! - Adam Turetzky

What's important? (not sarcastic) - Mona N.

Alright, I don't really like to get involved, but I had to... why is it not that important? - Tom Harrison

My question is, what exactly is important? - Mona N.

Discussing politics Mona. If you *really* don't want to hear about it or participate in it, then maybe you'd be better off being a citizen of Cuba, Venezuela, North Korea, China, etc. Where they have dictatorships and you, the citizenry, have no say in what happens to you or what you're allowed to do with your life. - Adam Turetzky

Unlike dictatorships, we have the option to make choices. I'm sick and tired of the same 'discussions' with no resolutions and or actions every four years. People get caught up in rhetoric and after the election period, everything is forgotten. That is, until the next election. So what IS really important? - Mona N.

The reason I hear people give when they say the don't like people talking about politics is the lack of respect. Every American has a right to his or her opinion and shouldn't have to endure the hate some people spew at those they disagree with. And that hate comes from both sides. @Adam Turetzky: You really want to pull that if you don't like it leave the country stuff? What is this, another Alec Baldwin case? And also, Mona's question is what about discussing politics is important. Especially on the net. It seems like most people aren't listening to the other side and instead use the anonymity of the internet to spew out hate they would never do to people they actually know. - ChiliMac

What? I haven't seen much political conversation; that I'd relish. The sort of 'political talk' that's been going on here,, in on these micro-social-media feeds, sounds more to me like gossip and distraction and soap-opera speculation than it does discussion around the affairs and activities of the government. I'm just sayin'. - Siona van Dijk

When *is* the next constitutional convention? - You Betcha Glen Campbell

But can't we talk about the iPhone some more? - Indio Apache via twhirl

Or perhaps Chrome? Or how the Beta FF's menu switched sides? Or what about how Palin looks like Tina Fey? - Mona N.

Bingo. I would rather talk about politics than anything else, be it bacon or whatever. - Tsega Dinka

What I wanna know is why people aren't talking about how that one B&W photo of Young Palin looks *exactly* like Young Sarah McLachlan? - Roger Benningfield

Tsega: Did you read the entire thread? - Mona N.

the nature of a stable, mature republican government is such that the electorate becomes largely apathetic. The average person knows, on some level, that a new president is not likely to mean anything drastic will change in his or her day to day life. Even the catastrophe of the last 8 years has had a negative effect only recently, and can only be directly blamed for it's effect on a small group of people. And no, I do not blame W for oil prices or the housing market collapse. - Bren

my point being: for most Americans, there really is nothing important to talk about in this election. Although it is historic for reasons that have nothing to do with policy, foreign or domestic. My fear is that whoever is elected will be charged with cleaning up a rather significant mess on the foreign policy front, which will likely mean a one-term presidency, as the results will likely not be pleasant regardless of what they are, specifically. (sorry for the run-on) - Bren

@ChiliMac: I do not suggest for one minute love it or leave it. However I see plenty with the opinion of "shutup and ignore it". Which is the exact apathy that has led us here. My examples of dictatorships is nothing more than an illustration of societies who do not get to vote. Who's families trades are determined by who they don't piss off. Who at any moment can have their entire stock of relatives tapped for enslavement as floor scrubbers in the palace. If you just want to live here........ - Adam Turetzky

.... and tell everyone who wants to talk politics to shut the fuck up because it doesn't matter, you're part of the problem. The only reason our current fucked up state of affairs doesn't really draw much attention is because it hasn't hurt anyone in the pocketbook yet. But in 3 years when gasoline is $12 a gallon and bread is $20 a loaf and milk is $33 a gallon and eating at McDonalds is $143 for a family of 3, meaning anyone working at less than management can't afford to eat anything they don't..... - Adam Turetzky

... grow in the street while they live in their cars or a cardboard box has been doing it wrong by the time they realize they've been ripped off it will be too late. And at that time is when those who enforce the laws prosper and those who make them prosper more and those who aren't in anyones favor suffer most and that in and of itself is the exact reason this country was created. To tell anyone or any group who thinks they can lord over others, to shut the fuck up and leave us alone or die by our hand. - Adam Turetzky

Just wait, when inflation makes it unprofitable to ship groceries farther than 30 miles outside most metro areas and the shelves in the suburbs start to empty of food, and only those who sit pretty with household incomes of $500,000 or more who can drive cars to the city to get supplies are healthy will everyone realize the joke is on them. - Adam Turetzky

@Mona: I did read the thread. I understand your point saying that this will most likely die down after the election but to me I would still rather have this little bit of discourse and engagement than none at all. I'm a believer in that engagement leads to involvement and boy do we need more people doing a little more critical thinking in this country. - Tsega Dinka

haha who's bitching? not me. - Mister Groonk via twhirl

Where would I be without politics in social media? Oh, right. McDonalds. - ultimatejosh via twhirl

no, it is not important, but interesting - Gregory Lent

Damn right Steve. - Alexander Carlill

Qualify the statement: It's important to Americans. I imagine you'd not care much about European/Dutch politics either. And it's only as important as realising the fact that you're voting for someone to pretty much do what they want for 4-8 years (but that's a whole different story). - Vincent van Wylick