Well, I love the political forum!
I think it is worth emphasizing that one can disagree without being disagreeable.
And that you can attack someone’s ideas or argument, but you should never attack the poster.
If people don’t like it, fair enough, but then why don’t they just not go there?
If CC wants engagement, politics are going to be one of the biggest, most talked about topics for the next few months. I very very much appreciate the moderation.
CC in general is heavily left leaning (my opinion). The politics forum leans leftwards in many ways including moderation (hopefully I can discuss that here since we are being asked to give our thoughts). As a right leaning poster I, whether you agree or not, tend to face an uphill battle while participating in the discussion. Obviously there are more left leaning posters which is just the nature of the site. The fact is the vitriol from some of the posters is not confined to politicians but routinely shifts to those that support the politicians they disagree with. Referring to supporters of a politician as a cult or cult members is a low blow. Yes, I take it as personal. It is just one example of the near constant negative tone towards conservative thoughts in the PF. It is wholly unnecessary to denegrate a swath of people with whom you disagree. And I understand that you might not feel that it’s inappropriate to speak this way because you believe it’s true, etc. My opinion, it’s inappropriate and it doesn’t add anything to the discussion. It just provides a platform willing to allow for the bashing of those you don’t agree with.
I took a month long break from CC recently because certain posters are allowed to continue in their veiled and sometimes not so veiled nastiness towards conservative thoughts and the posters with the nerve to post them. The reality is the moderators do a good job for the most part but the scales are tilted to the left when it comes to what posters can say and how it is handled (my opinion).
I think it is good to have an area to discuss political ideas. I participate to give my thoughts, which as a right leaning individual are many times different than those of the majority here. It’s good to hear different views about subjects and to be able to discuss them civilly. That can only happen in a place where a broad range of views exist and are allowed to be spoken equally. In general, the moderators do the best they can and their time and effort is certainly appreciated by me.
In my opinion, certain posters are routinely allowed to denigrate conservative posters. You don’t have to agree with me. In fact I imagin many will think I’m being thin skinned, etc. The fact is many times I do feel piled on because I dare to think differently. I don’t mind having a civil discussion. What is a problem, for.me, is when the snide personal comments come out and the civility of discussion flies out the window. It doesn’t need to be that way. Speak all you want about the politician but leave their supporters out of it. I don’t care if you can not fathom anyone supporting so and so, the fact is they do and that’s their right. Speak to the politician.
Off topic posts that the left leaning members support are routinely allowed to go on and are even participated in by moderators. Off topic posts of a right leaning nature are routinely shut down quickly. Just perhaps, use an even hand on the scales.
Recognize that the posters that lean right have just as much value as those that lean left. Recognize that the site does mainly lean left and so it might not be helpful to stymy the voices of the right with left leaning moderation. Allowing further latitude towards certain viewpoints than others. If one “side” can have a say then both “sides” should have an equal opportunity to express their thoughts, without feeling somehow less important.
If you want an echo chamber then continue to watch things devolve. If you want to have more right leaning thoughts expressed (and perhaps that’s the point, it’s better to not have them) then you need to make it more welcoming for those voices when they do speak. Otherwise they will not even bother to subject themselves to the vitriol that is currently present in the.PF. My thoughts, you asked. I’m sure it would just be easier to hang out in a conservative space and not have to constantly be poked regarding my offensive thoughts. Again, maybe that’s the hope.
In the end, I have learned many good things from this site. I appreciate the knowledge.here. I have attempted to help posters here with college issues they are dealing with. Perhaps I should just take a break from the PF as it really can be a cesspool when certain individuals feel the need to just continually go after conservatives in general. Perhaps just move away from CC altogether as why participate where the atmosphere seems to not be friendly towards the right overall. My opinion. My thoughts.
I agree. While I haven’t opted out, I’ve backed off on posting my observations as there are several sharper-tongued CC members who seem to be crouched, waiting to pounce. CC definitely leans left, as far as the politics forum goes - and even though there are some of us independents who are undecided, it doesn’t feel like we can post concerns with the left without being attacked as “MAGA”. Additionally, those on the right should be able to post their views without the pile-on.
Agree.
Yes, I’ve seen some rude and insulting posts in the PF by people who, in other non-PF threads, seem very pleasant & helpful. I find myself hesitating to interact with them because of things that have been written in the PF.
Overall, I think the forum should remain. In between some of the more heated threads, I have learned a lot about other perspectives. Members can opt out, as needed. I do think it will calm down considerably after November. Having the threads on slow mode definitely helps.
It’s gotta be a very tough job to moderate, so thanks to those who do it!
So I find it interesting that many of us have opted out or left the PF. And that leaving improved mental health. And what about students who lurk? How do the polarized discussions affect students, who are the actual reason for CC.
All of this. I’m not even hard right and I see this too. I imagine many who share your views no longer post as they were attacked. 
I can’t think of how any teenager who is lurking finds that area enticing. As it is, CC has a reputation for toxicity; the PF in its current format can’t help.
I’m going to leave the politics forum after I post this response. It has really changed the way I see some posters–when what I love about CC in the regular forums is the positive attitude. I’m not saying the politics forum should go–I just think it is not the right place for me.
I have cringed sometimes at the attacks I’ve seen directly or via snide remarks and honestly even some of the cartoons which I guess I’m thin skinned for, too, but really are just ….unpleasant or in poor taste, imo. (And I’m not representing the party they are aimed primarily at!)
I reached out to @MarylandJOE privately last week bc of many of the dynamics that he wrote about above seem so true and hurtful. And I value him as a poster.
I may not agree with right leaning posters on much, but it seems that the right really does get a very unfair brunt of below the belt attacks.
Yes, I and others can opt out of reading and participating in the PFs, but it’s just sad that in a place with so many bright, educated, communicative adults that more graciousness doesn’t exist.
I have found that I also don’t visit the nonPF threads as much as I used to; bc I have started associating CC as a place that isn’t as conducive to my mental health as it used to be.
This was celebrated and left in place.
Likewise.
Sorry - I need to step in here to point out that the post was removed as soon as it was noticed. If there are additional such posts, bring it to moderator attention. We do not have the time to read each post.
Thank you.
For those of us that live in very bubble-y bubbles, like Northern California, the PF is a valuable place to take the temperature of other parts of the country, which is important to me.
I really can’t have a spirited in-person conversation with someone who’s leaning right, because (other than my parents and DH 
) I don’t really know anyone who leans right around here. Likewise, I have a number of close Jewish friends, but none of them supports the current Israeli gov’t and most are vocally opposed to it. CC was a good place for me to try to understand some of these issues outside my bubble, and that’s been valuable for me personally.
I see some of the issues others have mentioned here, and will say some of the moderating on other threads also seems to have a built-in bias. Human nature I suppose. There can also be personal and unkind attacks, and when that happens people tend to scurry away for a little while. Not sure what can be done about that. We all have the power to choose not to engage.
Personally, as an aside, I have enjoyed finding common cause with people on certain issues while strongly disagreeing with them on others. This is how real life is for most people.
I appreciate all the moderation and recognize that it must be difficult!
I’d like to emphasize this. The PF moderators (VOLUNTEERS!!) do an amazing job with a difficult and time consuming task. The volume of posts make it impossible to read every comment. Anyone who sees a problematic post and does not flag it for moderator attention has nothing to complain about. Anyone who sees a problematic post and chooses to respond to it rather than flagging is adding to the problem and causing more work for the moderators.
I know it’s a difficult choice for many because mods are not available 24/7 to review flagged posts, but please be patient and work with the mods to make the PF (and entire site) better for everyone.
Off my soapbox now. 
On a related note, if I ever make a comment (in PF or anywhere on CC) where someone thinks it’s not flaggable but that it causes hurt feelings, please let me know via PM or on the thread. It is definitely not my intention, but I know that if I am passionate about a topic that I can sometimes have my blinders on. So I try not to be hurtful and don’t want this to feel like a burden I’m placing on others, but I’d appreciate you flagging it for me.
I think in this case, it’s fair game for someone to respond “respectfully” with an I disagree and here’s why.
But often that does not happen - and that’s unfortunate.
If you say something (and I know that I do) that offends others, to me, that’s the point of the forum - so we can respectfully discuss…
Better to discuss here than with your neighbor…
For me, my previous statement was not about whether people agree or disagree with me, but whether something I said made people feel hurt or attacked or marginalized or whatever negative word you want to use here.
It’s not, “I disagree with you about the importance of this issue and here’s why,” but rather, “In expressing your point you characterized anyone who believes this is an idiot, and that was harmful.”
We won’t all agree on issues (and that’s one of the things I like about PF), but that we should be able to have courteous, respectful conversations about our differences of opinions. If I make a statement that feels disrespectful to someone or some group, that’s what I would appreciate someone telling me about.
I’m not sure how many, but there are students lurking in that forum.
A student posted in the Israel/Gaza college protest thread. I recognized their name because they had recently posted a Chance Me thread.
I tried to draw attention to the fact that they were a HS student so that others knew they were discussing/debating with a teen. I got called out as if I was judging the teenager. 
I remember that!
I also remember at least two high school students participating in the thread about transgender athletes. So there are definitely some teen lurkers, but it seems uncommon for them to post, maybe because they perceive some aggressiveness there that they generally prefer to avoid?
I totally agree.
I’m glad that politics are kept out of all of the other college-focused discussions on CC. I get enough of politics in the regular real-life in-person world. And steering clear of political debates has helped me with: (1) do a better job of respecting other people who don’t agree with me; and (2) appreciate the fact that despite all of our differences, we all have a lot more in common with each other than we realize.
Right now, I feel like my life is too short to get sucked into a bunch of finger pointing and name calling. I get enough of that from in-person ‘debates’ from my super opinionated extended family. 
On that note, I think the Harry & Megan thread belongs in the PF. There is too much finger pointing, name calling and debating in that thread.
I think that name calling isn’t a determining factor of what belongs in the PF. H&M have nothing to do with politics, so the cafe seems to be the right place for the thread. And being in the main forum, standard moderation rules apply
Since I am a participant in that thread, I don’t moderate it. But feel free to flag problem posts for one if the other mods to review.